My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved ? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die ? GOD says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, JESUS said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again."
In the Bible GOD gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. HIS plan is simple ! You can be saved today. How ?
First, my Friend, you must realize you are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of GOD" (Romans 3:23). Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. "For the wages [payment] of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from GOD in a Devil's Hell. ". . .it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
But GOD loved you so much HE gave HIS only begotten SON, JESUS, to bear your sin and die in your place. "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved,. . .For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that HE was buried, and that HE rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:" (1st.Corinthians 15:1-2a,3-4) ". . .HE hath made HIM [JESUS, WHO knew no sin] to be sin for us. . .that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in HIM" (2nd.Corinthians 5:21).
JESUS had to shed HIS blood and die. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). ". . .without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]" (Hebrews 9:22). ". . .GOD commended HIS love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Although we cannot understand how, GOD said my sins and your sins were all laid upon JESUS and HE died in our place. HE became our substitute. It is true. GOD cannot lie.
My Friend, "GOD. . .commanded all men everywhere to repent [turn to GOD from your sin]" (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with GOD that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what JESUS did for us on the Cross.
In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: ". . .Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And they said, Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved. . ." Simply believe on HIM as the ONE WHO bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and WHOM GOD resurrected. HIS resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when JESUS is received as SAVIOR.
"But as many as received HIM, to them gave HE power to become the sons of GOD, even to them that believe on HIS name" (John 1:12). "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.
Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now wherever you are, repent, lift your heart to GOD in this simple prayer or one like it:
LORD, I know that I am a sinner, and I believe that YOU died and rose again for me, come into my heart and save me. Help me to live for YOU always. In JESUS' name I pray, AMEN.
In Luke 18:13, the tax collector prayed: "GOD be merciful to me a sinner." Just take GOD at HIS WORD and claim HIS salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works, no water baptism can save you. Remember, GOD does the saving. ALL OF IT !
GOD's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on JESUS WHO died in your place, you will spend eternity in a Devil's Hell. If you believe on HIM as your crucified, buried, and risen SAVIOR, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and HIS gift of eternal salvation by faith.
You say, "Surely, it cannot be that simple." Yes, that simple ! It is Scriptural. It is GOD's plan. My Friend, believe on JESUS and receive HIM as your own personal SAVIOR today ! If HIS plan is not perfectly clear, read this post over and over, without stopping and until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" (Mark 8:36).
Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please ! Let GOD save you this very moment. GOD's power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. "There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but GOD is faithful, WHO will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1st.Corinthians 10:13).
Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on GOD's promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for your spiritual growth: Pray - You talk to GOD. Read your Bible - GOD talks to you. Witness - you talk for GOD. You should be water baptized in obedience to the LORD JESUS CHRIST as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible -believing church without delay.
Everlasting life begins when we receive CHRIST as our personal SAVIOR. The LORD JESUS said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears MY WORD, and believes on HIM that sent ME, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24).
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
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