Are you certain your sins are forgiven forever? Do you know your eternal purpose & destiny?
The moment you first put your faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins and eternal life, two magnificent things happen that completely change your identity forever! [Click on Part 2 above to continue]
First: God no longer treats you as being a sinner. Instead, He places you in an honored position in His royal family and makes you His child forever! This is your new identity in the Lord Jesus Christ! He has taken away all of your guilt forever! Your sins have been removed once and for all by Christ's blood shed on the cross for you. As your substitute, Jesus has already suffered the full punishment that you deserved! [Click on Part 3 above]
Second: God pronounces that you are “perfectly righteous" in His sight forever (even though you have no righteousness of your own)! He does this solely on the basis of Christ's death and resurrection for you. The moment you put your faith (trust) in Jesus Christ alone, God freely and graciously credits (transfers) Christ's own righteousness to you without cost! Even though you deserve God's judgment and wrath, He treats you as pure, precious, and perfectly righteous! This is your new, eternal, and unchanging identity! [Click Part 4 above]
The Bible makes it clear that we have absolutely no righteousness of our own. We are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. The glorious salvation that God provides can only be yours through simple childlike faith in Jesus Christ alone - totally apart from any merit, devotion, or good works on your part. The moment you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again the third day, God gives you an entirely new identity that can never be lost!
Word Power:
"substitute" - to take the place of
On the cross Jesus took your place
You may be surprised to learn that doing good things (like helping others, being religious, getting baptized, going forward in a church service, surrendering your all, or even asking Jesus into your heart) can never make you perfectly righteous in God's sight! [click on Part 2 above to continue]
In fact, the good things we do often prevent us from getting right with God because they cause us to to depend on our own worthiness, obedience, or devotion. But, the Bible says, "There is no one who is righteous, not even one... All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... All our righteous deeds are like filthy rags." (Romans 3:10&23; Isaiah 64:6) [click on Part 3 above]
This means that even the best things we do are unacceptable to God! It also means that going to church, getting baptized or giving money can't save us; trying to obey the 10 commandments or promising to follow Jesus can't save us; confessing or feeling sorry for our sins can't save us! [Click on Part 4 above]
On the cross, Jesus Christ suffered and paid the full penalty for every sin we have ever committed or ever will commit! We are only forgiven and made right with God through simple childlike faith (trust) in what Jesus has already done for us by His death and resurrection. “It's not by righteous things we have done, but by His mercy He saved us... it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast... Now, apart from the law [of Moses], the righteousness of God has been revealed... This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!" (Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:21-22, Acts 16:31)
Is it possible to lose your salvation? Will God ever turn His back on one of His children? The answer is wonderful, reassuring, and comforting! [Click on Part 2 above to continue]
The words "eternal" and "everlasting" occur 45 times in the Bible. By their very definition they mean that which lasts forever, never ends, and can never be cut short or lost. God Himself is eternal and everlasting, His Word is eternal and everlasting, and His unchanging promise to those who simply believe in Jesus Christ alone, is eternal and everlasting life as a permanent possession! [Click on Part 3 above]
Titus 1:2 says, "God, who cannot lie, promised us eternal life before the world began" and you can be sure that He will never go back on His Word! "Whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life... All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away... This is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but will raise them up on the last day... My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." (John 3:16, 6:37, 6:39, 6:40, 6:47). [Click Part 4 above]
"Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life... My sheep hear my voice, I know them, they follow Me and, I give unto them eternal life and they will never perish... Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death or life, neither angels or demons... Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below— indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (John 3:16b, 6:40&47, 10:27-30; Romans 8:38&39)
Word Power:
"forgive" - to remove guilt
Jesus died to forgive all your sins
The Bible's Most Important Topic
(Video: 4 min. 58 sec.)
(Video: 4 min. 58 sec.)
ISLAM says that Jesus was a prophet, but inferior to Muhammad. BUDDHISTS say He was a wise teacher, but not God. HINDUS say He was 'a god' but only one of many gods. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES and MORMONS say He was an exalted angel, but deny His claims of Deity. [Click on 2 above to continue]
Referring to Jesus, the Bible says, “All things came into being through HIM and apart from HIM nothing came into being that has come into being... By HIM all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible. All things have been created through HIM and for HIM" (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16). [Click on 3 above]
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Creator of life. All of the founders of the world's religions have died, never to be heard from again. Jesus not only died (to take away all of our sins), but He came back to life three days later! The Creator of life, died to give us life! [Click on 4 above]
Jesus Christ is “GOD overall, forever praised! ...GOD revealed in a body! ...the True GOD and Eternal Life! ...GOD with us! ...the Mighty GOD, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!" Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I AM HE, you will die in your sins." (John 1:1, Romans 9:5, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 5:20, Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6, John 8:24) [Click on 5 above]
The Creator of the universe revealed Himself in a human body and died as a sacrifice for your sins. Jesus loved you so much that He willingly suffered the punishment you deserved, in your place! "Anyone who believes in Him, receives forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43).
Word Power (vocabulary)
"grace" - undeserved kindness
We are saved by God's grace only
Often when we experience hardship, betrayal or suffering, we ask, "Why me?" or "How can God allow this to happen to me?" Usually, God doesn’t explain exactly what is going on or why He has allowed hardship to enter our lives. But, He does promise that... [Click on 2 above to continue]
He is “working out all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His [eternal] purpose” (Romans 8:28). God does not ask us to figure out the reason for what's going on in our lives, He only asks us to trust Him. By faith, He wants us to feel His loving touch and tender compassion. [Click on 3 above]
Wilson Benton writes, “You are one person living at one place, at one point in time, and even if God chose to reveal His all-inclusive overreaching plan for the universe, you could not possibly understand it. But, you can believe that He knows what He is doing and that He is loving enough, powerful enough, wise enough, gracious enough, and faithful enough to do what He has promised.” [Click on 4 above]
Joseph was beaten and sold as a slave in Egypt. Yet later he told his brothers, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good!" (Genesis 50:20). Jesus was brutally treated and nailed to a cross, but later Peter told those responsible, "This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge." (Acts 2:23) [Click on 5 above]
While He was suffering on the cross for us, Jesus "entrusted Himself to the One who could deliver Him from death" (1 Peter 2:23). What Jesus experienced was the cruelest injustice in the history of the universe, yet God was using it to redeem us. When we suffer hardship, He wants us to entrust our situation to Him. He wants us to lean on Him, rely on Him, and depend on His tender mercies and loving care.
Word Power:
"faith" - to trust or rely on
We are saved thru faith in Christ alone
Most people start in the book of Genesis, but when they get to Leviticus or Deuteronomy, they often give up. What they may not realize is that there's a better place to begin! [Click on 2 above to continue]
Every book of the Bible was written to a specific audience, for a specific purpose, at a specific time. A a result, some books are more pertinent and relevant to us than others. Two of these books, the Gospel of John and the Book of Romans, are primary and foundational. These two books hold the key to understanding the message and meaning of the entire Bible. [Click on 3 above]
The Gospel of John was written to present an accurate and easy-to-understand biography of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John records several personal interactions Jesus had with people just like us. He also includes word pictures and illustrations that are simple to comprehend and yet profound in their meaning. [Click #4 above]
The Book of Romans was written to explain the most essential truths of the Bible. As a result, it helps us understand the Old Testament, the four New Testament Gospels and the Book of Acts. Therefore, Romans is the starting point for all Bible study! [Click on 5 above]
Here is a simple 21-day plan for reading the Gospel of John. Read one chapter of the Gospel of John each day. If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off the next day. If you have difficulty understanding a chapter, read it twice. If you have any questions, let us know. [Click on 6 above to see Romans reading plan]
Our 21-day plan for Romans is a little different. Start by reading Romans 3:19-31 & Romans 4:1-8 once a day for the first five days. Note: These two passages are most important! Then, on day six, begin with chapter one and read one chapter each day until you finish chapter 16. If you have any difficulty understanding a chapter, read it twice. If you have any questions, let us know. The Gospel of John and the Book of Romans are life-changing! If you follow through and complete both 21 day plans, I assure you that you will experience God's grace and power in new and dynamic ways.
Word Power:
"eternal" - that which lasts forever
Eternal life can never be lost
Have you ever heard someone say, "Salvation is free, but it will cost you everything" or "If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all"? These clichés have been repeated so often, many people assume they are true. But... [Click on 2 above to continue]
These clever sounding sayings are actually misleading and unbiblical because they imply that we are saved, not by faith in Jesus Christ alone, but by paying some kind of price or cost, or making some kind of personal sacrifice, or being submissive and obedient, or doing good works. [Click on 3 above]
When a preacher or evangelist tells an unsaved person that they need to completely submit, surrender or promise to be obedient, he is asking them to do the impossible! Even worse, he is asking them to do what God has not asked them to do! [Click on 4 above]
The Bible makes it clear that an unbeliever is utterly powerless to do anything righteous or pleasing to God (Romans 8:8, Isaiah 64:6). If personal righteousness, submission and devotion are necessary for a person to be saved, then no one could be saved. "There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who does good, no one who seeks God" (Romans 3:10). [Click on 5 above]
Our attempts at submission and obedience are not only inadequate, but they are tainted and polluted by our inherent sinfulness. They are offensive and utterly unacceptable to God! The only one who who can save us from our sin and self-righteousness is Jesus Christ. Only His death on the cross is accepted by God the Father as payment for our sins and justification! [Click on 6 above]
The Bible makes it clear that we are only made right with God by simple childlike faith in Jesus Christ - totally apart from our personal submission, devotion, and obedience. It's is only after we are saved by grace that the Holy Spirit begins to produce His fruit in our lives. You can read another article about this subject, Here
