Before I gave my life to the Lord, I had always believed in God. When I was younger, I had went to church with my parents, went to Sunday school and never did anything really bad. I guess I thought I was good enough in God's eyes and would go to heaven when I die. However, I found out that this stuff does not save you. You need to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.
We need Christ because we are all born sinners into this world ever since Adam and Eve first sinned. Ever since that first sin, mankind has been separated from God. Because of God's perfection and holiness, He cannot be in the presence of sin. The only way man can spend eternity with God in Heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Christ, man is destined to spend eternity separated from God.
The way Jesus can bridge the gap between man and God, is because He was the only man on earth that never sinned. Jesus was not born of man in the traditional sense so he was not born into sin like the rest of us. He was born through the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. He is God in the flesh. Also, He did not once sin while He he walked the earth. Because of His sinless life, He was the only man on earth that could be good enough as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. This is why He came to earth and died on the cross. His shed blood was the sacrifice to cover all our sins.
In order for us to receive this free gift of salvation, we must accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and acknowledge that we are a sinners separated from God in need of a Savior. The following guide will further explain this gift.
Sincerely,
Chris Sandvik
President, DakotaFit Software
Steps to Peace with God:
Step 1: God's Purpose: Peace and Life!
God deeply loves you and wants you to experience peace and life – abundant and eternal!
The Bible says….
- "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
- "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
- "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10
Step 2: The Problem: Our Separation
God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and freedom of choice.
We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.
The Bible says….
- "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
- "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
Our Attempts to Reach God:
People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God.
The Bible says….
- "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
- "But your iniquities have separated you from God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." Isaiah 59:2
Step 3: Gods Bridge: The Cross!
Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.
The Bible says….
- "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5
- "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18
- "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Step 4: Our Response: Receive Christ!
We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.
The Bible says….
- "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20
- "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
- "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." Roman 10:9
Will You Receive Jesus Christ Right Now?
Here is how you can receive Christ:
- Admit your need. (I am a sinner.)
- Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
- Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)
How to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Gods Assurance: His Word
If you prayed this prayer, the Bible says….
- "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13
- "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, that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
The Bible says….
- "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:12-13
Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth".
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ.
To deepen this relationship you should:
- Read your Bible every day to deepen your relationship with Jesus and know His incredible love for you.
- Talk to God in prayer every day.
- Tell others about Christ and His wonderful love for them.
- Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
- As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.
If you have any questions or comments about the above, please send an email message to:
Chris Sandvik
chris@dakotafit.com
The following is a link to the church which I attend. There you will find lots of helpful information and to hear messages from God's word.
Brookdale Baptist Church