(Advertisement)

The Bible says:

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." —John 10:10

Our Problem:  Sin Separates Us from God

God gave us the free will to obey him or to follow our own way. He did not make us into robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a freedom of choice. Whether it's by thought, action or deed, we have all made the choice to sin against (disobey) God. We still make this choice today. As a result, we are separated from God and His plan for our life.

The Bible says:

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." —Romans 6:23

"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...." —Romans 3:23

God's Solution: The Bridge to God is Jesus Christ

God understood our problem and knew that we could do nothing about it. Our nature is to sin. But because God loves us so much, He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ (the Word became flesh) into the earth to bridge the chasm of sin that separates us from God. Jesus died on the Cross for us to pay for the penalty for our sin and rose from the grave bodily bridging the gap between God and man.

The Bible says:

"The message about the cross doesn't make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God's power at work." —1 Corinthians 1:18

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit..." —1 Peter 3:18

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." —Romans 5:8

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." —1 Timothy 2:5

Jesus was more than a prophet and great teacher. Jesus claimed to be God and He allowed Himself to be worshiped as God. (John 20:28)

Jesus never claimed to be one of many ways you can find God and get to heaven. Jesus stated, "'I am the way, the truth, and the Life!' Jesus answered. 'Without me, no one can go to the Father.'" —John 14:6

God has provided the only way - that is through Jesus. He must get you into heaven. Being good or doing more good than bad, attending church regularly, or being born or raised in a christian family will never get you into heaven. It won't even get you "brownie points" with God. In other words, you can't earn your way into God's family. Each person must make a choice. Jesus said that you must be born again (by the Spirit) to get into heaven.

What Jesus (the Christ) did on the cross closed the chapter on mankind's separation from God, making a way for all to know Him intimately.

So if you have never been born again (meaning you have accepted what Jesus did on the cross for your sins and received Him in your heart by faith), or if you are not sure that you have been, today is the day you can be sure. Everything about heaven is holy. God is holy -- everything and everyone in heaven must be holy!

People have tried in many ways to reach God. But God has already done all that is needed in order to save you from your sin and pay your way into heaven - JESUS.

Throughout the Bible, Jesus has worked in many different ways to draw people to the truth. We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by simply asking Him to come into our lives. It is by faith and "faith alone" that a person can be saved through Jesus Christ. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved...." —Acts 16:31

Jesus said that He is the only bridge (or way) to God.

Sadly, not everybody is going to go to heaven. That is why Jesus warned of two roads - the road leading to "eternal life" and the road which leads to "eternal death." Which road are you on? Everyone makes a choice one way or the other. To make no choice is making a choice.

Matthew 7:13-14 (The Message)

13"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. 14The way to life--to God!-is vigorous and requires total attention."

Matthew 7:13-14 (CEV)

13"Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it."

Matthew 7:15 (The Message)

15"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character."

Matthew 7:15 (CEV)

15"Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you."

Have you decided which road you will take? (Sinful) - Wide Road - Good Works, Religion, Philosophy, Morality which leads to death? or  the Narrow Road - Jesus' finished work on the Cross, which leads to eternal life with God in heaven.

1. Admit your need (I am a sinner. I have sinned against a Holy God.);

2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent);

3. Believe in your heart and mind that Jesus died for you on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and rose bodily from the grave; and

4. From your heart, through prayer (as best way you know how), ask Jesus to come into your heart and take control of your life through the power of the Holy Spirit. You may pray (which is talking to God) from your heart the following prayer:

GOD'S COMMITMENT TO YOU:

God assures you that if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, He has given you eternal life.

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." —1 John 5:12-13

Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth (born again)."

God promises to never leave you.

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." —Hebrews 13:5

God has forgiven all of your sins, past, present, and future.

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." —Colossians 2:13-14

God has given you His Spirit to enable you to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit strengthens and empowers followers of Christ, and works alongside God the Father and Jesus, God's Son, to make our lives pleasing to God. (John 16:5-7, Acts 2:1-40, 1 Peter 1:2)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." —Galatians 5:22-25

*** Living the Christian life is impossible without the Holy Spirit's help. (Galatians 5:16-25)