Once a man got into a fight with another man and killed him. Before the cops came, he ran to his house and hid himself. When his older brother saw what had happened, he immediately asked him to exchange the bloody shirt for his clean shirt. The cops came in and took the man with bloody shirt. The older brother paid the price for a crime he had never committed just to save his younger brother. Jesus has done exactly the same for us. Like the older brother, he died on the cross to save us (sinners) from eternal punishment. The choice now for the younger brother is to ignore what happened and live the way he lived or to acknowledge the price the older brother paid and change his life.
The condition from which humanity must be rescued (saved from) are separation from the Creator/God of humanity, and the sin of humanity (disobeying and ignoring the commands of the Creator/God), both collectively and individually. Romans 6:23 saysthe wages of sin is death.We all have sinned. So the consequence is the lack of peace, guilt, shame, and ultimately, death (hell).
Sin places humanity into a state of captivity. A price must be paid in order that a person might be redeemed or purchased out of that state. Humanity is "sold under sin" (Romans 7:14) and therefore, falls under the judgment of God. The judgment has already been pronounced by God and the penalty is death, both physically and spiritually. The death of Jesus Christ is the ransom paid to redeem the human race from the penalty of sin. The ransom is paid to God, as a payment for the release (salvation) of humanity from the penalty of their sinful state.
STEPS TO SALVATION
1. ACKNOWLEDGE: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
God, have mercy on me, a sinner (Luke 18:13).
2. REPENT: But unless you repent, you too will all perish (Luke 13:3).
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19).
3. CONFESS:If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord"; and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).
4. FORSAKE: Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon (Isaiah 55:7).
5. BELIEVE: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16).
6. RECEIVE: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
PRAY AND MAKE YOUR ETERNAL DECISION NOW
Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and I ask your forgiveness. I receive you now as my personal Savior. I turn away from my sins and will follow your commands. I invite you to manage my life from this day forward. Amen
LIVING OUT YOUR DECISION
Read the Bible to understand how God wants you to live and obey Him.
Talk and listen to God in prayer to develop a dynamic, intimate relationship with Him.
Get support to grow spiritually by joining a Bible-believing church and developing friendships with others who love and obey God.
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