Have you ever
wondered what the phrase "born again" means? The Bible records that
Jesus used the phrase in a conversation with a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus
approached Jesus at night, curious about Jesus and the kingdom of God. Jesus
told him: "Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God" [John 3:3]. Nicodemus responded, "But how can anyone be born
when he is old?" [John 3:4].
Nicodemus was a
highly moral man who obeyed God's law. He was a respected leader of the Jewish
community. Yet something was lacking. Like Nicodemus, many people today
confuse religion with new birth in Christ. Phrases like "I believe there
is a God" or "I attend church regularly" or "I have been
baptized" often are confused with a real new birth experience.
New birth begins with
the Holy Spirit convicting a person of their sins. Because of sin, we are
spiritually dead. For this reason, spiritual birth, as Jesus described it, is
necessary. God loves us and gives us spiritual birth when we trust His Son
Jesus Christ and Him alone for our salvation.
The Bible says all
persons are sinners [Romans 3:23]. Jesus died on a cross and was raised from
the dead to save sinners. When a person admits to God that he or she is a
sinner, repents of sin, believes in his or her heart, that Christ died for
their sins, was raised from the dead and confesses faith in Christ as Savior
and Lord. The Bible says that person has been born again. Jesus told Nicodemus
that everyone who believes in (places faith in) Christ will not perish [John
3:16]. Jesus is the only one who can save us [John 14.6].
Will you confess your
sins to God, be willing to repent of them and ask Jesus right now to save you.
"Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" [Acts 2:21].
After you have received Christ into your life, share your faith with another
person, and become active in a local Bible believing, Christ centered church.
FIVE THINGS GOD
WANTS YOU TO KNOW
First:
You need to be saved.
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans
3:23
Second:
You cannot
save yourself. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us."
Titus 3:5
Third:
Jesus has provided for your salvation.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John
3:16
Fourth:
You must accept
Jesus for salvation. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved." Acts
16:31
Fifth:
Now
is the time to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. "Behold now is the
accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." 2Corinthians 6:2
NOW:
If you will receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, simply pray this
prayer from your heart............
Dear
Lord Jesus, I do now ask you to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart
as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
GOD
WANTS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
God wants to have a personal
relationship with you. He has placed an emptiness in every person that can
only be filled by Him. People often seek to fill this emptiness with things
other than God; material possessions, success in business, sports, alcohol,
elicit drugs, immoral sex, religion, ect. Nothing can permanently satisfy this
emptiness other than God Himself.
The problem is our sinfulness keeps us from having this relationship with God.
The Bible teaches, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God” (Romans 3:23). Our sin is separating us from a holy and just God.
Moreover, God’s Word makes it clear that, “the wages of sin is death, but
the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans
6:23).
Our only hope rests in the love of God, demonstrated in that, “while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God “made Him who knew no
sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in
Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As is stated, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son
that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”
(John 3:16).
Jesus Christ lived a sinless life in submission to God’s will. Christ is the
spotless sacrifice to remedy our sin problem. He paid the penalty for our sins
by His death upon the cross. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and
rose again on the third day.
You can receive this salvation and have eternal life and an intimate
relationship with God by turning from your sins and placing your faith in
Christ alone. “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;
for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the
mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).
This very moment you can have eternal life if you will; (1) Admit you are a
sinner, (2) be willing to turn from your sins, (3) believe Jesus died for you
on the cross and rose from the grave, (4) through prayer invite Jesus to be
your Lord and Savior
THE HUMAN PROBLEM
The
heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. All of us are
sinners. Our hearts are impure. Our original parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed
God’s command in the Garden of Eden. They ate of the forbidden fruit, and
because of that one act, sin has been passed down through the generations.
We aren’t sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. That means
none of us is able to meet God’s requirements. We are incapable of saving
ourselves. A substitute was necessary, and His name is Jesus. As both God and
man, He met the requirements of perfection. He knew no sin.
Imagine never sinning in word, deed, or thought. And yet, on the cross He
became sin, meaning that Jesus bore the sins of everyone who had lived, was
living and would live. He paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt
we could not pay.
Of course, His death alone cannot save us. If Jesus’ bones are still in a
tomb somewhere in Jerusalem, we have no hope. The foundation of our faith lies
in the resurrection. Without it, Christianity topples like a house of cards.
In 1 Corinthians 15:4, Paul tells us “on the third day Christ rose again
according to the Scriptures.”
Today, He is seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and He is
willing to save all who call on Him. He gives a wonderful invitation in John
6:37, “the one who comes to Me I will not cast out.”
If you will confess your sinful condition and place your trust in Christ alone
to save you, He will do just that. There is no joy that compares to that of
knowing our sins are forgiven and we have a home prepared for us in heaven.
Won’t you come?
A
FINAL WORD
Jesus
said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
Note!
Jesus did not say He was "a way" among many ways.
Nor did Jesus say that He was "one source of truth" among other
sources of truth.
Dear
friend; salvation is not possible for anyone that believes and follows a lie; no
matter how sincere they might be. Please be aware that salvation is not found in
religious rituals, good works, or in the false belief systems of this
world. Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.
Jesus said: "I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, and no
one comes to the Father except through Me. Receive the true and living God...
Jesus Christ, and His salvation today, it is the only salvation that brings
eternal life. It
is my prayer that if you do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior. That the
Sovereign God of the universe, Will open up your heart to the Gospel of Christ,
So that you might be saved.
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