Salvation
How can you know for sure that your sins are forgiven and that you will have a home in Heaven when you die?
Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The fact is, all of us are alienated or separated from God by nature. Each and everyone of us are sinners (Rom 3:23), as a result of our sin, we are separated from God (Isaiah 59:2).
God the Father will judge all sin. In the Old Testament times he required the sacrifice of lambs and other animals. God allowed the lives of these animals to be offered instead of the lives of those who had actually sinned. The death of these animals could never really take away sin (Heb 10:11). They were only a foreshadowing or a picture of the perfect sacrifice that would come – Jesus Christ (John 1:29, Heb 10:10-12).
Jesus came to make peace between us and God the Father (1 Pet 3:18, Rom 5:10) so that we can have forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38,39, Col 1:14) and eternal life (John 3:15).
How did Jesus do this?
First of all, he came to earth as a man. Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Luke 1:35, John 9:35-37), but he came to earth as a man 2000 years ago. He became a man so that he could save all men from their sins (Heb 2:14-18).
Jesus was born as a perfect child and he lived a perfect life. Jesus Christ is the only man who ever lived without committing sin (1 Pet 2:21-22, Heb 4:15, Heb 7:26).
As the sinless son of God, Jesus was the only one who could bear the penalty of the sins of the whole world (1 Pet 2:21-24, 1 John 3:5, Heb 9:28). He did this by giving his life for us on the cross (Php 2:8, Eph 2:16).
By offering himself as the perfect sacrifice, Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the entire world. God was satisfied with the offering of Jesus Christ and three days after his death God raised him from the dead (Acts 2:22-24). By rising from the dead Jesus defeated death (2 Tim 1:10) and proved that he was indeed the Son of God (Rom 1:4).
Now God offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe in His Son (John 3:16).
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
What does it mean to “believe on the Son”? It means to believe what God said about both WHO JESUS IS, and WHAT JESUS DID. Jesus Christ is the very son of God and as a result, he is Lord of all (Acts 10:36). To believe in Jesus means to believe that he is the son of God who died for our sins on the cross and rose again from the dead. It is to confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God? That he died to pay for your sins? That he rose from the grave? Are you willing to confess that He is the Lord? If you do, the Bible teaches that you will be saved, that your sins will be forgiven and you will inherit eternal life. This is what the Bible calls being “born again”.
Pray to Him immediately and tell him that you believe all these things concerning Him, and confess him as your Lord and Saviour.
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you have done this today and have sincerely meant it, you can be assured that you are saved. Now join yourself to a local church who believes and teaches the Bible. Tell someone else that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Jesus said:
Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Now seek to live the rest of your life for Jesus Christ.. your Lord and Saviour!
