1. God loves you and He created you to have a personal relationship with Him.

The Love Of God For You - ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth [trusts] in him should not perish, but have [His] everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)

The Plan Of God - ³ And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou [the Father] hast sent. John 17:3 (KJV)

Knowing that God wants to have a personal relationship with us, what is preventing this from happening?

2. All of us are separated from God by our sins. This would make it impossible for us to know God intimately, understand Him, to have a personal relationship with Him. We Are All Guilty,

²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 (KJV)

Although God loves us and made each person to know Him and have fellowship with Him, our sins separate us. We might blame Adam for causing our alienation from God, but each one of us have also broken God’s law and are guilty ourselves. To make matters worse, many people refuse to come to God to receive the forgiveness He offers and chose to remain separate from Him.

You Might Object To The Idea That You Are A Sinner, Consider These Questions;

• Have you ever lied?
• Have you ever taken something that is not yours?
• Have you ever looked at the opposite sex to lust after them?
• Have you loved things in this world more than you love God?
• Have you neglected your parents and failed to show them honor?
• Have You ever been extremely angry with a person and wished them harm?
• Have you ever seen the prosperity of a friend, co-worker, or neighbor and felt jealous and desired for yourself, what they have?

All of us have violated some or all of the above, which God said we should not do. Since He is Creator and by right of His authority as our maker, He has the right to determine how we shall live. According to the laws of God, any imperfection in our life classifies us as a sinner. God said that the soul who sins will die.

⁴ Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die [perish eternally]. Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV)

If we have broken only one law, we are guilty of breaking them all. The standard of God is perfection.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10 (KJV)

So, Because Of Our Sins, We Are Separated From God

²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the [FREE] gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Because everyone has sinned, everyone is guilty. Not just you, but the whole world. It was for this reason that God pronounced a guilty verdict on the whole world.

Who can bridge this chasm of sin?

The problem that exists between us and God is SIN. Because our Creator is Holy (perfect), and all of us are sinners (imperfect), we are separated from Him by our sin. Apart from God we are rudderless. This explains why we feel a deep desire to know who we are and why we are here. Inside, we sense that we are disconnected from something that we desperately need. Unknowingly, this is our spirit crying out for God. Because we don’t know God, we cannot understand who He and how we can acceptably come to Him. The Bible correctly reveals who God is and what He requires to bring us to union with Him.

3. Jesus is the Son of God and He offered Himself before the universe existed, to be our Savior.

Jesus Died As Punishment For Our Sins

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Jesus’ Death Made Us Acceptable To God

²¹ For he [Father God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made [become] the righteousness of God in him [in union with Jesus]. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

Only Jesus Is The Solution To Our Sin Problem and the Separation it Has Caused

Jesus told Thomas, ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but [except] by me. John 14:6 (KJV)

Jesus’ cross-death for us bridges the gap between us and God. God only chose Jesus because only He is sinless, and had the eternal value as God living within the body of a man—sufficient to pay for the lives of all people born on earth. Notice that our sins are no longer there. Jesus’ death for us makes us as if we had never sinned. (Only thereby may ‘Justified’).

Just Knowing These Facts Is Not Enough For Salvation…

4. Each one of us must personally and sincerely receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord. At the moment we believe in Jesus death for our sins and receive Him as our Savior, He comes to live inside us. Jesus called this moment the time when one is “Born Again.”

We Must Personally Invite Jesus Into Our Life

¹² But as many as received him [Jesus], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (KJV)

A Person Receives  Salvation As A Free Gift Of God By Trusting In Jesus For Their Salvation

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the [free] gift of God: ⁹ Not of [religious] works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰ For we [then] are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)

Jesus Is Waiting For Your Answer

²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 (KJV)

Your acceptance by God has been made easy by the hard work that Jesus has already done for you. His suffering for your sins means that you will never have to pay for them yourself. You are now perfect and perfectly acceptable to God, simply by your trust in Jesus for your salvation. Feeling moved by hearing about this salvation is not enough to save you. There must be a sincere and heart-felt desire to turn from your old life that was dominated by sin—to Jesus and to do your utmost to live a new life that is free of sin. When you do sin, as we all do after we are saved, come back to Jesus and confess your sins and He will always forgive you. Do this every day and you will stay in constant fellowship with Jesus for all the days of your life.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins [this one time only] , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9 (KJV)

This is the Choice We All Have.

1. Will we Live By Your OLD LIFE directed by yourself

• Living for Self Interest
• Making Decisions Independent of the Will of God
• Being Controlled by “Sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3)

      Or,

2. Will we Live by Our NEW LIFE in Union with the Indwelling Christ

• Living for Jesus
• Seeking His direction
• Controlled by His Spirit

Which life [the old or new life?] will satisfy us with peace and rest?

If you feed your life the ‘old’ life and habits and old friends who drag you down to places that draw you away from Jesus and you will find yourself miserable.

We should choose daily to feed our new life with new habits; you can read your Bible first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Tell your old friends about Jesus and your new life in union with Him, but refuse to participate in their sins. Take a strong stand and be firm and they will either follow you to Jesus or you will discover they really weren’t true friends at all. Go to places to be with people like you, who believe in Jesus—like a Bible teaching, loving them. Talk to Jesus every day in prayer, or whenever you feel the need. He is always there waiting to hear from you, speaking to your heart. If you live this kind of new life, you will be filled with Joy and find peace that you have never known.

Now That You Know The Facts, Are You Ready To Ask Jesus Into Your Life?

It’s really quite easy, all you have to do is ask the Lord God.

If you are serious, God will know it and He will come to you and make Himself known to you. If you are not sincere, He will know it and you will not be able to obtain this wonderful new life He is offering you right now.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to get serious with the Lord?

You can start a new life in Christ by simply asking Him, in your own words. (something like this).

Dear Jesus, I have had enough of my old life. I am tired of living the same way and I am ready for a new life. I have sought satisfaction in this world and I have not found it. I have heard the news that you love me and want me to know you. I am asking you right now to forgive all of my sins. I am sorry Jesus that they have caused you so much suffering on the cross. Please take away my sins and come into my heart now. I am ready to turn from my sins and my old life and follow you with all of my heart. Thank you for dying for me and for inviting me to receive eternal life. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

(Adapted from Robert Clifton Robinson with KJV verses added.)