TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
If I die today will I go to Heaven? Why would anyone put off the most important decision they could ever make in their lives, concerning eternal life? / For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that none can boast.
EPHESIANS 2:8-9
This isn’t about religion, or a special formula, this isn’t about church, priests, pastors, traditions, routines or good deeds, this isn’t about keeping rules or being a good person. You don’t need to do any of that in order to receive the free gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.
The Law can be thought of as a measuring stick, and sin is anything that falls short of “perfect” according to that standard. The righteous requirement of the Law is so stringent that no human being could possibly follow it perfectly, in letter or in spirit. Despite our “goodness” or “badness” relative to each other, we are all in the same spiritual boat—we have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, i.e. separation from God, the source of life (Romans 3:23). In order for us to go to heaven, God’s dwelling place and the realm of life and light, sin must be somehow removed or paid for. The Law established the fact that cleansing from sin can only happen through the bloody sacrifice of an innocent life (Hebrews 9:22).
There is no more important issue than our eternal destiny. Thankfully, the Bible is clear on how a person can be saved.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
We are all infected with sin (Romans 3:23). We are born with sin (Psalm 51:5), and we all personally choose to sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8). Sin is what makes us unsaved. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin is what has us on the path to eternal destruction.
Because of our sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). While the physical consequence of sin is physical death, that is not the only kind of death that results from sin. All sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite God (Psalm 51:4). Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. What we need to be saved from is eternal destruction (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15)
Because the just penalty for sin is infinite and eternal, only God could pay the penalty, because only He is infinite and eternal. But God, in His divine nature, could not die. So God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. God took on human flesh, lived among us, and taught us. When the people rejected Him and His message, and sought to kill Him, He willingly sacrificed Himself for us, allowing Himself to be crucified (John 10:15).Because Jesus Christ was human, He could die; and because Jesus Christ was God, His death had an eternal and infinite value. Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (1 John 2:2). He took the consequences we deserved. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His death was the perfectly sufficient sacrifice for sin.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9–“For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”)
Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (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.”)
God is offering you salvation as a gift. All you have to do is accept it. Jesus is the way of salvation (John 14:6-“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”)
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is a bold message, and we are not ashamed of proclaiming it. It is a powerful message, because it is God’s good news. It is a saving message, the only thing that can truly reform the human heart. It is a universal message, for Jews and Gentiles both. And the gospel is received by faith; salvation is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9).
The gospel is the good news that God loves the world enough to give His only Son to die for our sin (John 3:16). The gospel is good news because our salvation and eternal life and home in heaven are guaranteed through Christ (John 14:1–4). “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4).
The gospel is good news when we understand that we do not (and cannot) earn our salvation; the work of redemption and justification is complete, having been finished on the cross (John 19:30). Jesus is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). The gospel is the good news that we, who were once enemies of God, have been reconciled by the blood of Christ and adopted into the family of God (Romans 5:10; John 1:12). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). The gospel is the good news that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
A – Admit
This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against the righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
B – Believe
Repentance allows us to have true belief in Jesus. Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. We must believe that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, that He came down 100% man & 100% God, that He lived the perfect sinless life, that He died upon the cross, and rose again on the third day. For all who believe in Him shall not perish but live forever in His presence and His glory.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” – Romans 10:9-10
C – Call
With repentance and belief, call upon the Savior. Call out to Jesus and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. For every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who He says He is.
“For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13
Understand this… Knowing and believing are two very different things. Simply reading the story and saying the “sinner’s prayer” does not grant salvation. One must truly believe in Christ Jesus, placing their faith in Him and Him alone.
Created to know my Creator 