Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is sin? In a word, sin is disobedience to God. Sin is our failure to live up to God's perfect will and to acknowledge God in the way He deserves to be acknowledged. Sin is the result of not living up to God's perfect standard; either by actively rebelling against the will of God or by passively ignoring him. WE ALL NEED THE GRACE THAT COMES THROUGH JESUS BECAUSE NONE ARE PERFECT.
Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Sin is more than breaking the 10 commandments. Many Pharisees tried to live their entire lives in obedience to the law, but the hidden man of the heart was not pure and perfect before God. The only way God sees us as perfect and pure is through the shed blood of Jesus. To put it simply... Good people are not saved because they are good...Blood-washed people are saved.
Why were we born sinners? Sin has been inherited and imputed upon all mankind. Since Adam was the first man, the seed of all mankind was in the body of Adam at the time of the fall of man. Since Adam is our forefather, we have inherited a sinful nature.
Romans 5:12, 18 (AMP)- Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as a result of sin, so death spread to all men, (no one being able to stop it or escape it's power) because all men sinned. 18) Well then, as one man's trespass (one man's false step and falling away led) to condemnation to all men, so one man's act of righteousness (leads) to aquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.
Why are many souls destined for an eternity in hell? Sin separated us from God. God is holy and perfect. Sin cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. Unless a soul is cleansed from sin, he cannot enter into heaven. Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior with a repentant heart is the only way to be cleansed from sin.
2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
What is repentance? Repentance is "turning away" from sin, or "to change one's mind". Repentance is leaving our ways behind to live in the ways of the Lord. Repentance begins with having a Godly sorrow over our sins.
2 Corinthians 7:10- For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be regretted of: but sorrow of the world worketh death.
Acts 2:38- Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is necessary to prepare our hearts for our Lord. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. He preached repentance to the multitudes to prepare their hearts for the ministry of Christ. Repentance is required of all of us. It takes more than just believing Jesus is the Son of God to receive salvation. Even the devil believes the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, and we all know he is not saved.
James 2:19- Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Unfortunately, the idea of repentance frustrates many. Many like the idea of a joining a nice church and making good friends. Some try to follow steps in a religious formula to please God. Others want the blessings of God but continue to make sinful decisions in their daily lives. The bottom line is that Jesus requires surrender... Turning away from our will... Turning away from our plan... and a SURRENDER of our lives...to His will and His plan.
We should often examine ourselves by asking ourselves this simple question... Who is the Lord of my life? Is it Jesus, or is it me? Who am I serving? Who am I benefiting with my actions- My cause or the cause of Christ?
Upon confession of our sinful nature and having a repentant heart, we can freely receive forgiveness of all of our sins. We receive salvation as a free gift which comes by GRACE received through FAITH alone. Faith is more than the mere mental aknowledgement that Jesus is the Son of God. Saving faith is trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus. With salvation, Jesus covers us with his blood and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Our old sinful self is dead. We are born again and alive with Christ. Our sins are gone forever and God remembers them no more! The burden of guilt and shame that we once carried like a heavy load is removed. We are set free, made whole, and redeemed. We are set apart, a chosen people, to live eternally with our Lord.
1John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
John 3:16 (AMP)- For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world the he gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on,) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) be have eternal (everlasting) life.
Ephesians 2:8- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Galatians 2:20- I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
1 Peter 2:9- But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
