God loves you! He really does.
(See John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 John 4:9-11.)
The creator of the universe loves you and created you so that you might know Him in this life and throughout eternity. But humans have been separated from God because of our sins. Without a remedy to that situation, the Bible says we would all face the righteous judgment of a holy God for our sins and end up in hell. Thankfully, that doesn’t have to happen because this same God, who is holy and just and hates sin, is also merciful and loving. He loves you! So much that He determined that He would pour out the punishment we deserve for all our sins on Himself. How awesome is that? That’s what was happening when Jesus died on that cruel wooden Roman cross. He was receiving the punishment you deserved for your sins so that you could be forgiven, escape eternity in hell, and enjoy everlasting life in God’s kingdom.
Three days after that agonizing death on the cross, Jesus rose from the grave. And now He’s offering all humanity:
• “the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18)
• “peace with God” (Romans 5:1)
• “free gift” of “everlasting life” (Romans 6:23; John 3:16)
What a gift! How might you receive it? How might you be saved? God said, “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” (Isaiah 45:22). Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
God’s not asking that you do anything except turn to Him and place your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior of your soul. So friend, do that today if you need to. God is a prayer away. You can pray something like this:
God, thank You for loving me. Please forgive me for my sins. I trust in Jesus Christ to save me! Come into my life and be my Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:13 says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you prayed that prayer with a sincere heart, you have begun a relationship with Jesus Christ, and God has forgiven you of your sins (1 John 5:13).
To grow in your relationship with God, we encourage you to…
A. Begin reading through the New Testament.
Get a good “study Bible.” We recommend the ESV Study Bible or The NKJV Study Bible. These have helpful notes in them that will explain the historical context, the meaning of passages, etc.
B. Start talking (praying) to God.
He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. You can talk to Him about anything. “The prayer of the upright is His delight” (Proverbs 15:8).
C. Get connected to a conservative Bible-believing church where the Bible is trusted and studied in its entirety.
Check out the church’s “Doctrinal Statement” or “Beliefs” on their website. If they don’t clearly lay out their beliefs, stay away. The church should hold to doctrines similar to ours. These are held widely by Christian churches all over the world. If the church has a new believer’s class, sign up to attend. Please steer clear of Mormon (“Latter Day Saints”) and Jehovah’s Witnesses churches. These groups claim to be Christian, but they espouse many unbiblical doctrines.
D. Make friends with other Christians.
It’s important to find other Christians who can encourage you and be a blessing to you in your new relationship with Jesus. If you have friends or family members who are Christians, let them know of the decision you’ve made. They will rejoice and pray for you. And let us at ABR know of your decision as well.