|
Salvation
in Christ
Reality: "The quality or state of being actual
or true."
Reality #1:
God loves you...He really does. He doesn't just love the whole world in some
general, hands-off, vague sort of way. He loves you; Individually,
personally, completely. And He wants to hang-out with you...spend
time with you...know you...help you.
But there's a problem...
Reality #2:
Sin. Sin is a word that
means "missed the mark." Archerers used
the term to mean any shot that wasn't a "bullseye."
I don't know about you, but I don't hit a bullseye
with everything in my life. We're not perfect...and that means we
have sin.
God, on the other hand, is perfect. He always hits a
bullseye. He's what the Bible calls 'holy'
(completely separate from sin). That means that even though He loves
us and wants to hang-out with us...He can't! Our sin is in the way!
"For all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23).
But there is a way...
Reality #3
Jesus. You've heard
of Him. He's God...but He came to earth 2000 years ago as a baby (I
know...I don't fully understand it either). God became flesh and
blood so that you and I could always hang-out with Him. How's
that?...
The Bible says that the penalty for our sin is death (Romans
3:23). But Jesus (being God) paid the penalty for us when He died on
a cross...and then He rose from the dead three days later!!
The Bible says: "for the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"
(Romans 6:23).
But there's one more reality you need to know...
Reality #4
You need to want to be in a relationship with
Jesus. You need to stop trusting in
yourself to figure out your life and give your life over to Him. You'll
never be good enough to earn a spot in heaven...but don't feel bad....we're
all in the same boat.
Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John
14:6)
Jesus died for you...that's how much God loves you...you
need to believe the reality instead of buying in to the illusion that you
can be good enough on your own.
And you can ask Jesus to come into your life today...to
forgive your sin...to begin living in reality: an awesome relationship
with Jesus.
There no formula, no specific words you need to say.
It could be something like this:
"Jesus, thank you for dying on a cross to pay the
penalty for my sin. I'm tired of trying to live a good life on my
own. I want to throw away the illusion and embrace reality.
Please take over my life...lead me...and help me to
follow...amen."
"This is the testimony in essence: God gave us
eternal life; the life is in the Son. So, whoever has the Son has life;
whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. My purpose in writing this is
simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow
of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the
illusion" (1 John 5:11-13)

|