I am a Christian. This does not mean that I go to church, read the Bible, pray, share my faith with others who will listen, or do nice things - although I do all of these to the best of my ability. What I mean when I say, "I am a Christian," is that I follow Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, and that I have faith in Him as the only means of salvation.
If you are looking for detailed information, you can find it in my Statement of Faith.
I believe that we were made by a loving God to love Him and be loved by Him. The Bible [if you have questions about why I believe in the Bible, click here] tells us in the third chapter of John that "God so loved the world that He gave [us] His only begotten Son," and it tells us in hundreds of other places of God's love for the world.
Unfortunately, there is a problem. All people - from newborns to octogenarians, from pastors to prostitutes, are by nature less than perfect. Whether we murder and rape or "only" cheat on tests and break the speed limit, we're not perfect. "Less than perfect" means "off-target." In fact, this is a technical term. The Greek word used in the Bible for "off-target" is "sin." This is what the Bible teaches: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, New King James Version). God is holy - which means "set apart" - and we are not. In fact, Scripture tells us (Romans 6:23) that "the wages of sin is death." Death - permanent separation from God, better known as hell. Hell will not be a party, a place with "bad climate, but good society" as the old joke goes. No, hell, our default destination in our fallen state, is a place of endless suffering - worse than the worst pain we can imagine, and it only gets worse. The worst part: we've earned that.
There is good news, though! We also are told of a solution. In fact, it's the second part of the verse I just mentioned. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." Sounds great, doesn't it? But wait! If God is also a just god - and there is plenty of evidence in the Bible and in everyday life that He is - how could He just let us off the hook? How can He be both just and perfectly good, or holy? Someone had to pay the penalty for our sins, our evil acts. And here is the best part - it's the last part of the verse I just mentioned: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus gave us what we could not earn - he took our penalty upon himself to free us from our sins.
We have to believe and accept this payment for our sins. Just as a blank check from a billionaire would solve all your financial needs, so Jesus can solve all your spiritual needs, but, just as you must take the check, you must take the gift of Christ. You do this through faith (believing), and you express faith through prayer (believing in God).
If you believe what you have just read and would like this free gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, tell that to God. The specific words aren't important, only the attitude of your heart. Here is a suggested prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If so, I invite you to pray this prayer, right now.
If you sincerely prayed this prayer or one like it, you are forgiven of anything you have ever done. God (Jesus) has come into your heart and He will never leave. You can thank God for this right now - simply tell Him, "Thank you!"
Did you pray this prayer? Please tell someone about what happened, so they can help you learn more! Please tell me, too. You can also learn more here. God bless you!
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Last Updated: May 13, 2008
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