My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you 100% sure you will go to Heaven when you die? God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again.
John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”
God gives us the plan of how to be born again, which means to be saved, in the Bible. God also says you can know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 tells us, "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." His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
First, you must realize you are a sinner. It does not say one person falls short of another. It says all people fall short of God. Compared to God all people fall short or "sin". Do you believe and understand you are a sinner? If so, continue reading. If not, look up these Bible passages on the subject: Romans 5:12, John 3:16, 1 Timothy 1:15.
“For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)
Second, understand the punishment for sin is death, Hell, and judgment. Physical death and suffering is a result of sin. This passage is not only referring to physical death, but a second death to occur after our judgment by God. “ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). This second death is called Hell and the Lake of Fire in Revelation 20:14, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Revelation 21:8 says it again, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Everything in the store has a price, every worker must be paid a wage, and every sin has a price that must be paid. Do you understand and believe what the Bible is saying here about the price for sin (OUR sin)? If so, continue reading. If you are not sure yet, please look up these Bible passages: Luke 16:19-31, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Matthew 5:22.
“ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Third, know the great truth that God loved you so much He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay for all sin. People will say God is cruel to create Hell or ask how can God be good and love if there is so much suffering in the world. The reality is God loves people so much that he created a way for us to have eternal life. Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It is as simple as this - sin had a price, and God is offering to pay that price for us if we will let Him. Do you believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for you? If so, continue reading. If not, these verses tell you of God's love towards you: John 3:16, 1 John 4:19, Jeremiah 31:3, John 15:13.
Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”
Do you realize you are a sinner? Do you know now there is a punishment for all sin? Do you believe Jesus died on the cross of Calvary as God and by God to pay for that sin? That leaves only one question. What must I do to be saved? The answer is so simple even a child can accept it. We must simple believe what Jesus did for us according to the Bible, believe Jesus rose from the dead afterwards, and place our trust purposely in these actions to forgive us our sin and give us eternal life (or Heaven!). The Bible says it this way in Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." We must believe in our heart what He did, and accept it with our mouth. Romans 10:13 makes it even more clear, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The way we call to God to accept the gift of God offered in Christ Jesus is through prayer. It isn't any more complicated than that. That prayer is not magic words. The prayer whether out loud or quietly in your heart the way God tells us to accept salvation and the forgiveness for our sins.
The publican (sinner) prayed in Luke 18:13 “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Let me ask you the pointed question before we finish. If God were to take you as you are right now, forgive you of all your sin you've ever done or ever will do, and give you a home in Heaven, would you let Him do that? Do you believe God is able to do that for you? If the answer is yes, here is a model prayer you can use to guide you to accepting that forgiveness and home:
"Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died and rose again to pay for my sins. Please forgive me of all my sins, and take me to Heaven when I die." In Jesus name I pray and ask these things. Amen.
“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” (John 1:12).
You are saved if you prayed that prayer and meant it in your heart. Not because I said so, or anyone else says so, but because GOD says so. Jesus promised that those who are saved receive a promise. John 10:28 says, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Peter adds to that in 1 Peter 1:5, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Now that you have accepted God's gift, then God will keep His promise.
If you made a decision of salvation whether right now or in the past, please let us know! We would love to hear from you and be allowed to encourage you in your growing relationship with God.