|
|
|
GOD'S SIMPLE PLAN
OF SALVATION
|
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 sure you will go to
Heaven when you die?
God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born
again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus,
"Ye must be born again."
In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born
again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You
can be saved today. How?
First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God" (Romans 3:23).
Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death.
"For the wages [payment] of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.
"... it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son,
Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place."... 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).
Jesus had to shed His blood and die. "For the life of
the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11)."...
without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]"
(Hebrews 9:22) "...But God commendeth His love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Romans 5:8).
Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and
your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place.
He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.
My friend, "God ... now commandeth all men everywhere
to repent" (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change
of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and
also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died
in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.
In 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 ... .'"
His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer
can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as
Savior. "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).
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Whosoever includes
you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall
be saved.
Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now,
wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in
prayer.
In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: "God be
merciful to me a sinner." Just pray:
"Oh, God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my
substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed
blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I
now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the
forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and
everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen."
Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by
faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no
good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving.
All of it!
God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner.
Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your
place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe
on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you
receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of
eternal salvation by faith.
You say, "Surely, it cannot be that simple." Yes, that
simple! It is scriptural. It is God's plan. My friend,
believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.
If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this over and
over, without laying it down until you understand it.
Your soul is worth more than all the world. "For what
shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).
Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss
Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very
moment.
God's power will save you, keep you saved, and enable
you to live a victorious Christian life. "There hath
no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God's
promises. They never change. After you are saved, there
are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth:
Pray you talk to God. Read your Bible God talks to
you. Witness you talk for God.
You should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus
Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then
unite with a Bible-believing church without delay.
"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord..." (2 Timothy 1:8). |
|
