There’s a lot of ideas out there about how to have a right relationship with God. The truth is, God cares about you more than you can imagine, and He wants you to enjoy a peace-filled, joy-filled relationship with Him. Has anyone ever opened the Bible and showed you what God says about it? It’s really quite simple. There’s just a few facts you need to understand from God’s Word, and then a decision you must make…
First, we need to understand that God says that each of us have sinned.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Sin isn’t just doing harm to someone; it’s any time we don’t obey God’s commands.
“Sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)
Very few people argue with the fact that they have sinned, but what you may not realize is that sinning – or breaking God’s law – carries with it a penalty as well. Our sin literally separates us from God, condemning us to eternal death apart from Him forever.
“Your iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God.” (Isaiah 59:2)
“The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
“The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)
God does not want this fate for anyone, so He did the unimaginable. He planned a way to satisfy His justice against your sin and His incredible love for you at the same time!
Jesus Christ – God the Son – left heaven’s glory and came to earth so that He could pay the full penalty for your sin Himself. His work of paying for your sin is complete!
“God demonstrates [showed] His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Christ also suffered once for sins – the Just for the unjust – that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
Do you see? Jesus’ full payment for your sin makes it possible for you to be right with God! He completely paid for your sin by dying on that cross, and then He rose again, proving that the payment was finished! The sad thing is, instead of simply trusting Jesus’ finished payment, most people try to “pay off” their sin themselves by baptism, good works, sacraments, etc. This will never work, because it’s different that what the Bible says. For instance…
By grace you are saved [made right with God] through faith, and that not of yourselves; not by works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
So, what do you need to do? It’s simple: Trust Jesus alone to save you from your sin and its penalty, and to make you clean before God. Is that really how it works? Yes! Just look…
“Believe [trust] on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
“In Him [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (Ephesians 1:7)
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe [trust] in His name.” (John 1:12)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes [trusts] in Me [Jesus] has everlasting life.” (John 6:47)
Based upon these promises, if you trust Jesus alone to rescue you from your sin, He will forgive your sins, make you God’s child, and give you eternal life! If you want Him to do this for you, you might pray something like this from your heart:
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner; and that my sins have separated me from you. But I also know that Jesus paid for all my sin when He died on that cross for me, and that You promise to forgive me and make me Your child if I trust You as my personal Saviour. I know that there is nothing I can do to earn Your forgiveness. So right now – the best I know how – I am trusting Jesus alone to rescue me from my sin, and to make me right with You. Thank you so much for loving me and saving me. Amen.”
If you’ve just trusted Jesus as your Saviour, we’d love rejoice with you and help you in your new walk with God! Just send us a message via the contact form below.
Also, if you want to hear more about this, here are some resources that will help you understand more about what the Bible says about being right with God:
Pamphlet: God’s Simple Plan of Salvation
Free e-book: Done: What Most Religions Don’t Tell You About the Bible.
Video: The Gospel – The Good News of Salvation in Christ