My Friend,
Whether we realize it or not, all of us have a very serious problem. We don’t like to think about these subjects but “…it is appointed for [us humans] to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Where we spend eternity, either in heaven or hell, will be determined by a decision we make in this life.
Please allow me elaborate on twenty-five words that could change your life, as they did my life, and enable you to enter heaven someday: “Friend, You [we all] have sinned. But Christ died for sinners, and rose again [bodily]. Trust Him alone and He will save you eternally. Do it now!”*
Let’s see if these words line up with the Word of God, the Bible.
“Friend, You [we all] have sinned.”
Romans 3:10. “…There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:23. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1 John 3:4. “…sin is lawlessness.”
“But Christ died for sinners and rose again.”
1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,…and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Romans 6:10. “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all.”
Luke 24:39. Jesus said, “‘Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’”
“Trust Him alone and He will save you eternally.”
Acts 16:31. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…”.
John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have [eternal] life.”
John 3:18. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Ephesians 2:8, 9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Titus 3:5. “[Our salvation is] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
“Do it now!”
2 Corinthians 6:2. “…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” KJV
James 4:14. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Proverbs 27:1. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
The Gospel That Leads To Our Salvation
The “Bad News & Good News” concerning Christ’s death for our sins, and His bodily resurrection from the dead, is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes on Christ alone for salvation (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; Romans 1:16, 17). The Apostle Paul insisted that the bodily resurrection be included in it (2 Timothy 2:8-10). Without a living Savior, no one could be saved and Christians would be of all people most pitiable (1Corinthians 15:12 ff).
The Christ of the Scriptures is the only One who can save us (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). He is the God-man (John 1:1-18; 10:30; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9), who was born of the virgin, Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). He died once for all as a substitute for all our sins (1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 10:10), and rose again bodily on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Luke 24:33-43). Other religions and the false Christs of the cults can’t save anyone (Matthew 24:5; 2 Corinthians 11:4, 13-15).
Question. In whom/what is your faith resting? Yourself, your church, your good works, your faith plus your good works, a false Christ, or in the Christ of the Scriptures alone? This is the most important question you’ll ever have to answer in life, and your response to it will determine your eternal destiny. To ignore it or to reject Christ will result in your eternal condemnation (John 1:11, 12; 3:16, 18, 36).
You might ask, “What about those who have never heard the Gospel?” There are no excuses. From God’s creation and nature we can learn that there is a God who is all powerful (Psalm 19:1 ff; Romans 1:18 ff; See Psalm 14:1). But merely believing “in a God” isn’t enough to save anyone (James 2:19). God can see to it that those who desire to know more about His unique plan of salvation will be given the Good News (Gospel) about Christ so they can be saved (Acts 8:26 ff; 10:1 ff; Romans 10:9-17).
Help. We want you to know for sure that you will go to heaven someday (1 John 5:13). Perhaps Today! Do you have assurance of your salvation (Romans 8:16, 35-39)? Once you’re saved, we want to help you glorify God by making Him known to other people (1 Corinthians 10:31). We want to see you grow spiritually (2 Peter 3:18), so you can serve God and others effectively (1 Peter 4:10; Galatians 5:13; 6:10), and reproduce other believers (Mathew 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8) while you are here on earth. If you have questions and/or comments, we can be reached through our website.
*This quote came from –
Dr. Manfred Kober’s article “Do We Really Know The Gospel?”
https://faithpulpit.faith.edu/posts/do-we-really-know-the-gospel
Scripture taken from the New King James Version
Copyright c. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reserved.
c. 2019 Kelsey Pietsch Ministries
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