Gateway To Jesus Ministries - Bible Study #4. Average Reading Time: 10 minutes.
Let's begin by taking a moment to consider a few basic questions. Take a moment on each question and thoughtfully consider what you personally believe.
1. Who is Jesus Christ to you?
3. Do you believe there is a place where people go when they die?
4. What is this Kingdom of God Jesus was always talking about?
5. If you died right now, where would you go, heaven, hell, or somewhere else?
What if you miss out on an incredible opportunity just because you don't have the right information? Most people believe what they believe because that's just what they always believed! It's what they were taught growing up, but most people never take the time to confirm that what they believe is true! They never prove their spiritual beliefs! Please carefully consider what you think is true in light of what is written in the Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God. Read this verse from Scripture and carefully listen to what it says.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23)
Think about it for a moment........Are you a sinner?
Have you ever loved God with all you heart, soul, and mind? God commands us, in Matthew 22:37, to do this. If we don't do this.....in simple terms that's what sin is! If we don't love God, and our neighbor, as He commands, we are transgressing His law. God clearly tells us what sin is.
“sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)
Therefore every person that has ever lived is a sinner! Everyone has broken the 10 Commandments, summarized in the two great Commandments to love God and love your neighbor. ANY sin separates us from God. That little lie you told your boss when you were late for work last week? That extra little fictitious deduction you took on your taxes? That lusty thought you had when you saw your neighbors wife in her bikini? Those angry curses you yelled at the driver who cut you off on the highway? No matter how small it might look to you, in God's eyes ANY transgression of ANY of His Commandments is sin. It just takes one, small, sin that you refuse to repent of to send you to hell. Why?
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.“
Think about what you earn for your sins for a moment.....Is it eternal life in Hell? No....it's is eternal DEATH! The wages of your sin is death in hell fire for the sins you have committed. Your life is really OVER for eternity! But did you hear the good news in the second part of this verse?
“but the gift of God is eternal life" This is great news! There's a way for you to actually be forgiven. There's a way for you to avoid receiving the wages of your sins. There's a way for you to live forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. How do you do this? How do you get to know your the Father and receive His free gift of eternal life? Read this verse and listen to the simple answer God gives for the way to eternal life in His Heavenly Kingdom.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
So what's next? How can YOU get this eternal life?
The Bible tells us that you must repent of your sins, which is a heart-felt, deep sorrow for all that you have ever done wrong. It's a complete 180 degree turn of your life, now doing what God says, obeying ALL of His Commandments no matter how it affects your life. It is the most important thing you can do right now. You must ask your Savior to forgive you of all of your sins. Please don't think that you need to make things right in your life before you can accept Christ and His gifts. Many people feel that way, but that's not what God says!
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. (Romans 5:8)
What does this say to you? Who did Jesus Christ die for?
“and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)
One day Satan and the Lord were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap and used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!" "What are you going to do with them?" the Lord asked. Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!" "And what will you do when you get done with them?" the Lord asked. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly. "How much do you want for them?" the Lord asked. "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you! They'll break all your commandments and laws because they love breaking them. You don't want those sinful people!!" "How much?" the Lord asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, all your blood.....your very LIFE." Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price on the cross.
The Scriptures in the Holy Bible tell us that Jesus Christ is YOUR Savior and King! He actually died for YOU! He is the way for you to have a personal relationship with the incredible God who created you. He is your way to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, a literal perfect government on a new, perfect earth, with Christ reigning as King of Kings over all the universe. Your past sins no longer separate you from God once you have really accepted his sacrifice. His grace, love, and mercy is sufficient to cover anything you have ever done...ANYTHING! Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life with God. He's the only way to get to eternal life. Your salvation and place in His Kingdom of Heaven can only come through Jesus Christ! There simply isn't ANY other way!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It's Jesus' grace that allows you to come to Him. There is nothing you can personally do to be righteous enough to get into the Kingdom Of Heaven. It is His grace that covers all of your past sins and allows His Holy Spirit to empower you to resist sinning in the future. You can't earn salvation and eternal life by doing good works, but you do have to obey God's Commandments to show your love for God AFTER you have received His grace and forgiveness. It's a free gift from God that you can't earn no matter what you do, but it's not a free pass to sin all you want until the day you die. There is no such thing as "Once Saved Always Saved", according to what the Bible says. Your sins must actually be paid for. God's gift to you is your Savior, who paid the debt for you so that you might live forever with Him in His Kingdom. Here is what God tells you to do now.
“If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)
Finally, look at this verse from the Book of Revelation at the very end of the Bible.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”. (Revelation 3:20)
What does this say to YOU? What is Jesus asking YOU to do? Ask yourself these five questions as you think about what God said to you in the scriptures you just read.
1. Am I a sinner?
2. Do I want to be forgiven for my sins?
3. Do I believe that Christ died on the cross for me, covering all my sins, and rose again from the grave?
4. Am I willing to surrender my life to Him and obey Him?
5. Am I ready to accept Him as my Lord and Savior and commit my life to Him?
If your answer to these questions is yes..... If you are ready to accept God's grace to cover all of your sins and receive His gift of eternity in His Kingdom of Heaven..... If you are really ready to surrender your heart to Jesus and believe in Him and accept Him into your life..... If you are ready to turn from your sinful life and obey Jesus' Commandments the rest of your life..... If you would like to confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and Savior today, then say this prayer now.
Heavenly Father, I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life in your Kingdom of Heaven. I want your forgiveness for my sins. I’m sorry! I believe Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again from the grave. Father, I surrender my life to you to do with as you wish. I'm now willing to obey all of your commandments and do what you want me to do. I want Jesus to come into my life and I accept Him as my Lord and Savior and King. This I ask in Jesus name. Amen
If you have repented of your sins, and believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, accepting His shed blood as a sacrifice for your sins, you have now taken the first step towards eternity in God's Kingdom!
Now the most wonderful journey of your life begins! Yes, you may grow slowly at first, but that's OK. For most people, relationships develop slowly. They grow gradually. You may want to consider this suggestion to help you. Whenever you feel like it, just start talking to God through Jesus. You don't have to use some special words or go to some special place to pray. Just talk to Him like you would do when talking to a friend. He's always listening! Then let God talk to you through His Word, the pages of the Bible, especially the four Gospels. Get a Bible and try to read it every day so you can see what God wants you to do and how to live your life. Listen to what God has to say to you in the Scriptures. Learn about His love for you. Get to know Him in a personal way. Your Savior Jesus will be there for you....no matter what!
Not only can you get to know Him through talking to Him and reading His words, you can also meet Him in Christians in whom He lives. You will want to find a Sabbath keeping Christian church where you can be baptized, a very important step in the life of a new Christian. The Bible is very clear that Baptism by immersion in water should follow your repentance.
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)
You will be able to meet with other Christians at church who share the same values and goals as you. Your relationships with fellow Christians will help you to grow closer to your Creator every day. You will have the opportunity to learn about God and His Kingdom.
After you are Baptized your Father will actually send the Holy Spirit to you to empower you to obey Him and walk with Him in total submission. You really need the power of the Holy Spirit to resist temptation from the devil and to help you develop the character of God. Your goal is to be like Jesus, thinking, acting, feeling, and loving others like Him. Your past sins have been forgiven but now you have to use God's power to resist future temptations. Don't be fooled by those who claim you are "once saved always saved." God's Grace covers your past sins but it it not a license to sin all you want in the future. See the main menu page if you want to know more about "once saved always saved." and the Kingdom of Heaven you will be in when Christ returns.
Remember, you don't have to go it alone anymore. You can call upon Jesus any time and He will be there for you. No matter what you do, He will always be there for you. That's His promise to you!
“....for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
So pray to God every day, as often as you like! Develop your relationship with Jesus! Share your thoughts and your life with Him! Study the Bible with an open mind and an open heart to learn more about what God wants you to do, and not to do, to be in full alignment with His WILL. If you can't find a Christian church that believes as you do, don't worry about it. You don't need to go to church to be saved. You have a personal relationship with your Creator and His Son, Jesus. As long as you do what He says in the Bible, you don't need anything more than that to live forever if His Eternal Kingdom!
For more information about Jesus or about becoming a Christian you can see additional studies at the link below.
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