As the divine Word, Jesus created the universe and every living thing, including Adam and Eve. He gave them authority to rule over it. But they broke one of His commandments and brought sin and death into the world.
1 Peter 4:19, "CREATOR"
Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
About sin
Sin separates us from God. You know this separation as paying no attention to God all day long. You know sin in the sense that you knowingly do not attempt to believe or obey God. As the Bible says, "There are none who seek after God" (Romans 3:11).
God is a just judge. He is holy and will judge all people. Because He is just, He must punish sin with death. Thankfully for us, He made a way for someone else to bear our sin’s guilt and let us go free and still be a just judge.
Acts 10:42, "JUDGE"
And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
About bearing our sin
For a holy God to dwell among the early Jews, He required a sacrifice of the flock to die in their place. This looked forward to Jesus, the Son of God, being the sacrifice who would die in our place.
God promised to send a Savior who will deliver us from sin’s condemnation and make us righteous with God. God Himself will be our righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah 23:6, "OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"
In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
About prophetic promises
The Bible gives us many clear prophecies about Jesus. They tell us where He would be born, of His Jewish lineage, how He would die for our sins and not waste away in the grave, and much more.
Jesus came to save us from our sins' power and punishment. On the cross, He was the promised one who took on the guilt of our sins and was punished in our place, all that we might have eternal life through Him.
John 4:42, "CHRIST, THE SAVIOR"
Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
About eternal life
Eternal life is knowing God personally. Sin separates us from God, and Jesus the Savior restores us to God. That's why we can know God.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead the third day as promised. He offers eternal life to all who come to Him for forgiveness of sins. Do you want eternal life and forgiveness?
John 11:25, "RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE"
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."
About resurrection
Jesus being raised from the dead means He has power to raise up all people from the dead and judge them for their sins. For those who believe in Him, He will raise them up with new bodies like His to neither sin nor die ever again.
God tells you to agree to make Jesus Lord over you (allow Him to rule you and your passions), and believe He rose from the dead, and you will be saved from sin’s power and punishment.
Romans 10:9, "LORD"
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
About sin's power
Sin is a spiritual problem requiring a spiritual solution. Jesus as Lord is that solution. Human government, science, medicine, education, fitness, philosophy, and other man-directed inventions cannot overcome sin. Sin is directed at God, so we must go to God for forgiveness. Where Jesus is Lord, sin's loses its power to enslave us.
About the name of JESUS
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua (Y'hoSHUa), which means "God is Salvation." It does not mean, "Try try again," or, "Mankind can save itself." God alone saves us from sin.
The Bible tells us to "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
Follow these next steps for eternal life.
Why salvation by faith (believing)?
We cannot be saved by good deeds or by trying harder because we have already been condemned by our sins. By God's grace He has made a way out for everyone--through faith in Jesus Christ. We can't serve two masters. Either sin will rule and condemn us, or Jesus Christ will rule and make us righteous. Jesus provides the power to overcome sin.
. . . for the Gift of Life
God says in John 3:16--
"For God so loved the world"
(Do you believe God loves you?)
"that he gave his one and only Son,"
(Do you believe that God gave His Son to die for your own sins?)
"that whoever believes in him"
(Do you believe Jesus will save you?)
"shall not perish but have eternal life."
(Do you believe God gives you eternal life for believing Him?)
About believing God
Christian believing is not about believing hard enough in a power in the cosmos to get what we want. We believe in Jesus to save us from our sins because our sentence as been determined already. When believing, or trusting, in Jesus, we are turning away from our efforts that we may trust Him alone. Believing John 3:16, you are believing God to receive eternal life.
. . . for the Gift of Life
God instructs us in Romans 10:9--
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'"
(Tell God that you want Jesus, not sin, to rule over your passions.)
"and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,"
(Believe that Jesus beat death and will raise you up, too.)
"you will be saved."
(Now accept the gift of salvation, of eternal life with God, and thank Him for it!)
About asking God
In asking God for the gift of eternal life that He promised to those who believe Him for it, we are taking the first step in our relationship with Him. We are talking to Him, like we do in forming any new relationship with someone. This asking, or prayer, is your response to the promises He has made. When you read the Bible after this, pray about what you read and continue the conversation.
. . . of Sin
God tells us in Matthew 4:17--
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
- Start taking sin seriously now. Stop doing what you know is wrong. Ask for forgiveness whenever you sin.
- Start reading the Bible to learn how to live with Jesus as Lord of your life.
- Talk to God (pray) about your life issues often.
- Join a Bible-believing church near you to get good Bible teaching and find out how God is working in other people's lives.
- Tell others about salvation through Jesus.
About Repentance
To repent means to change the mind. With repentance, we change our minds about the seriousness of sin and see our need of God in a whole new way.
About the kingdom of heaven
The kingdom of heaven is the sphere of God's rule over us. We read the Word of God to find out how He wants to order our lives, and we follow in faith, yielded to Him, the King in the kingdom.