Menu

Verse of the Day

Tip

This sight requires your browser to allow ActiveX

    According to the Bible, God's Word, how does a person come into a right relationship with God, be spared from the penalty of sin, receive the gift of eternal life and go to be with God in heaven after they die?

    First, a person must recognize that they are not in a right relationship with God because of their sin. God's Word teaches: "there is none righteous, no not one." (Romans 3:10 & Isaiah 64:6-7) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "Wherefore as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed unto all men, for all have sinned (Romans 5:12).

    Next, sinful man, because of his sin, faces God's judgment and the penalty for sin. The penalty for sin is death. This death involves eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire (The place commonly referred to as Hell) "The wages (payment) of sin is death", (Romans 6:23). "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). " And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire" (Revelation 20:14-15).

     But there is good news for all those who are not in a right relationship with God and are facing this coming day of judgment because of their sin. The good news is this: Christ Jesus, who is God the Son, died on the cross and rose again to pay the full penalty for all of man's sins. The key thought here is "substitution." "For he made Him (Jesus), who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made in the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21). "Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree (cross), that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed: (1 Peter 2:24). "God commendeth (demonstrated) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us: (Romans 5:8). In an amazing un-understandable way mankind's sin was placed onto Jesus and he suffered the full penalty for sin in our place. Jesus became our substitute.

    At this point, the new question becomes: How can a person get the benefit of what Christ did on the cross, to apply to them? You see just because Christ paid the penalty for man's sins, it in no way means that everyone is automatically saved from sin's penalty. A person can obtain salvation only through faith in Christ Jesus as their Savior. "But as many as receive Him (Jesus), to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). Jesus himself said: "truly, truly I say unto you, that he that believes on me has everlasting life" (John 6:47).

    The word of God teaches that salvation comes only through faith (trust) in Christ Jesus as your Savior and not through good works (self-reliance upon one's meritorious deeds). For the Word of God teaches: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God - not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). " Knowing that a man is not justified (made right with God) by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh (man) be justified."

    At this point one may ask: what exactly is "saving faith?" I would explain a saving faith in this way- a person must claim by personal choice and rely only (exclusively) upon Christ's death on the cross to be the sufficient payment for all of their sin. Salvation is a free gift from God to be received by faith and not "works" as many religions today teach. Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). "Neither is there salvation in any other" for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

    When a person truly believes and puts their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior they receive the forgiveness for their sins and the gift of eternal life and can know that when they die they will go to be with the Lord in Heaven and not to the eternal Lake of Fire. " These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13)