Salvation…the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences.

God created man and the relationship with God was broken when man disobeyed. Sin separates man from God and the result is death. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 

We sinned against God because we have broken His law. God is infinite; therefore our transgression – to our Creator, is infinite.  We are incapable of appeasing the infinite God because we are sinners – we can in no way undo (there is no ‘undo’ button for us to press if you like) the damage (fatal error if you prefer) caused by our sins.

God fixed this for us …

“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.

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” 1 John 2:2 Jesus is the one who died for the sins of the world.

Jesus of Nazareth is God in the flesh, the Creator – fully God and fully man. Christ Jesus is the second “person” of the Triune God – One God in 3 “persons” – the blessed Trinity. See **

**”..The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me.” Isaiah 45:5 Notice it is not no God besides us.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” 1 Timothy 2:5
God refers to Jesus “But to the Son He says:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;”Hebrews 1:6-8
Jesus said to His disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19 Jesus spoke clearly of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, if you read this verse attentively, you will see that the Three have just one name. It says, “baptizing them into the name” (not names) “of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” There are Three with one name. This is the Triune God, the Trinity. ONE God in 3 “Persons” not and NEVER 3 Gods. We cannot understand the Trinity fully but that is how God reveals Himself to mankind – both “I and Us”. Don’t forget we are finite and God is infinite – we may not fully comprehend God. BUT what God has revealed is sufficient for our salvation.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

…. and offer a way out and this choice rest with us – the ball is back in our court so to speak. Jesus came to die for sinners, to bridge the separation between God and sinners and to remove the wrath of God upon us. Now through faith in Jesus Christ our relationship with God can be restored. Our sins can be forgiven and we can have eternal life.

The forgiveness of sins is not by works, it is a free gift based on what Jesus did for us.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

We receive His forgiveness by placing our faith and trust in Jesus alone. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Make a decision to receive Jesus who died for you and rose from the dead, as your Lord and Saviour. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:12.  Ask Jesus to forgive you, to come into your heart, and to wash you clean from your sins.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6. Jesus is the only way to the God the Father.  It is only through Jesus that one can be saved from God’s wrath.

“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:27 Jesus alone reveals God.

“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 Jesus bore sin in His body on the cross – that those who trust in Him would be saved.

An example of a simple prayer of repentance –

God, I know that I am a sinner* and I believe that Jesus Christ** died on the cross for my sins. I believe that His death and resurrection*** provided for my forgiveness.  I do now want to and receive Him as my Lord and personal Saviour.

Please forgive me of my sins. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Thank you Lord, for saving me.

Note:  Saying the aforesaid prayer is simply a way of saying to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ as your Saviour and receiving Him as Lord alone. There are no “peculiar or magical” words that result in salvation. It is only faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross – death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection, that can save us – and you may pray in your own words to God for your redemption from sin and its dreadful, horrendous and terrifying effect, and the salvation of your soul.

The aforesaid prayer has these meanings and implications:

* Admitting that we are all sinners.  Romans 3:10 proclaims – As it is written “There is none righteous, no, not one;” God revealed through the Bible to make it clear that we have all sinned.

The penalty of sin against the eternal and perfect God is eternal punishment and the sinner’s prayer is a plea  a request of mercy instead of wrath, for grace &  be pardoned instead of judgment.

**Knowing and acknowledging what God has done to remedy our sinful and lost condition. God took on flesh and became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”John 1:14 The ‘Word’ here refers to Jesus.

Jesus then died on the cross in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

***Jesus rose from the dead to prove His victory over sin, death, and hell. We can have our sins forgiven and be assured of an eternal home in Heaven with God – if we will just place our faith in Jesus Christ alone.

“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

We can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8

CONGRATULATONS! 

If you have prayed the prayer of repentance/salvation and really mean it in your heart, God has reconciled you to Himself, He will look at you through the righteousness of Christ and as far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed your transgressions from you – and you are now His, all things have become new – you are born again into eternal life RIGHT NOW.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. “ 2 Corinthians 5:17

“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7

“who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:10

Repent or Perish

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”John 3:36

 

“…The Lord avenges and is furious.

The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries,

And He reserves wrath for His enemies;” Nahum 1:2

“in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

“And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night,..” Revelation 14:11

“And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:46  God’s wrath, in this concluding and ultimate sense is to eternally judged – the penalty for the lost to a place of eternal punishment… everlasting… forever and ever… with no end…..unending…

God invites you to choose Eternal Life with Him in heaven, and not go into everlasting punishment – into eternity in hell, where their worm does does not die and the fire that shall never be quenched!

The OPTION for Eternal Life is OURS – but we may only make this choice WHILE we are STILL ALIVE in our mortal bodies on Earth or in outer space (not forgetting our astronauts friends!)

“..Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

..”Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”Hebrews 3:15