All Have Sinned
Scripture is very clear that all men and women, all of us, are sinners. Romans 3:23 says “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God;” and Isaiah 53:6 says “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord had laid on him the iniquity of us all”. These verses mean simply that we all are sinners. The picture on the left shows man on the left and God on the right. The two curves form a chasm that shows the separation we have from God because of our sin.
Sin's Penalty
The Bible is also very clear in stating that there is a consequence to our sin. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” and Hebrews 9:27 says “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” These verses tell us that the penalty for our sin is death. The Bible teaches that death is eternity in Hell, completely separated from God.
The left curve on the sketch shows man's path, if left to our own devices, straight to Hell.
Christ Paid the Penalty
The Bible teaches that there is nothing we can do to atone for our sins. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Earth to pay the penalty for our sins. Romans 5:8 says “But God commendeth is love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” and 1 Peter 3:18 says “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit”. Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price for my sins, and for yours.
In the picture, Jesus Christ is the bridge across the chasm. He is the one path that allows man to be with God for all of eternity. That is what Heaven is all about – being with God for all of eternity.
Salvation not by Works
Many people believe that you can get to Heaven just by doing good things or by leading a good life. The Bible teaches that this is not true at all. Titus 3:5-6 says “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” and Ephesians 2:8-9 says “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.” These verses show us that we cannot do anything to earn our way into Heaven. Our good works won't get us there.
Must Receive Christ
God tells us how to accept His gift of salvation by accepting His Son. John 1:12 says “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:” and Revelation 3:20 says “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” These verses show us that the path to salvation is by accepting God's Son as the personal Lord of our lives, by placing our faith in Him.
The picture posted above is the best illustration of this verse. It is of Jesus Christ standing on the outside of a door to a home knocking. There is no knob on the outside of the door, so the only way for Jesus to get it is for the person on the inside of the home to open the door and invite Him in. So it is with salvation. Jesus cannot force His way into your life. You can to open your heart and invite Him in. That's what these verses are saying.
Assurance of Salvation
The Bible also teaches us that we do not have to wonder about where we will spend eternity. We can be assured of our salvation as 1 John 5:13“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” and John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
We all sin. Our sin separates us from God. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to pay the penalty of our sin for us. We cannot pay for our sins through good works. But God will give us the gift of salvation if we accept His Son into our lives. Once we do that, we can be assured of our salvation.
Acceptance of God’s Special Gift
“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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17
Whosoever means: YOU. This is why the page is named FOR YOU. For you see he did all this for YOU, so that you would not have to be alone, separated from God and His love for us.
Maybe you’ve come to the realization, through this web page, that you are a sinner and that there is nothing YOU can do to pull yourself out of the sin you’re in. Right now, wherever you are, repent; lift your heart to God in prayer.
“Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer and truly believe that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. That he took your place on a cross, because of the sins in your life, then God now calls you no more a servant but a son or a daughter of God.
“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:7
“Let me be the first to welcome you to the family of God!”
The next step is to talk to a Christian friend, coworker, neighbor, or local pastor about what you have done here this day. Step two is to find a church where you can worship, join, and find others to help you along your wonderful journey with Jesus Christ, as your shepherd.
We would like pray for you and rejoice with you in this decision to follow Jesus. We have a special gift we would like to send to you about your decision today. Please click the button above to be taken to our contact page. We will pray for you and ask that you pray for us here at Southside Baptist in Thomasville, NC as we walk with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Pastor: Rev. Tommy Sizemore Jr.