- We must realize that we have sinned.
No matter how good a life we try to live, it does not deal with all the wrong things we do. We all fall miserably short of being a good person because we are all sinners. We all fall short of God’s desire for us to be holy. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 NKJV). The Bible also says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:21 NKJV).
- We must recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for us.
The Bible tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NKJV). This is the Good News, that God, who created us, loves us so much, that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it. Jesus received the punishment that we deserve. He did not, however, remain dead! He rose from the dead and is alive today…He can be trusted!
- We must listen to the Word of God, and combine that hearing with trust.
The Bible says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 NKJV). This is the only way to come to know that we are sinners before God, and in need of salvation in Christ.
- Recognizing our sinfulness, we must have faith in what Christ has done in offering Himself for all of mankind. That means trusting Him completely, and living our lives in trusting adoration. That trusting faith must become the bedrock foundation of our lives.
"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Rom. 3:20-22a) "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 NKJV).
- But if we understand our status as sinners, and trust that Christ has redeemed us, we are made all the more conscious of our sin. That means must repent of our sins - and continue to repent throughout our lives whenever we see that we have gone in the wrong direction.
Jesus said, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3 NKJV). The Bible tells us, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30 NKJV).
- But if we really do trust in God's redemption in Christ, we will want to share that good news with others. We will be happy to let others know that we belong to Him, and continue throughout our lives to bear witness to Jesus.
Jesus said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33 NKJV). The Bible tells us: Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37 NKJV). The apostle Paul wrote, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10 NKJV).
- When we first realize that we are sinners before God, and come to understand that God has provided for our redemption in Christ, there is a response of faith (we believe that Christ's work on the cross was atones for me), a turning around of our lives (repentance) as we now live for Christ and not for self, and then an open statement that we believe that Jesus died for us. At that point we are instructed to be immersed in baptism, as we are born again into God's family.
"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'" (Acts 2:38 NKJV). The apostle Paul said, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Romans 6:1-6 NKJV). The Bible says, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27 NKJV). "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NKJV). The Bible also tells us, "who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21 NKJV).
If you would like to receive a Bible correspondence course by mail or speak with our minister in person let us know, and someone will respond as soon as possible. We salute you in your decision to follow the more excellent way of Jesus Christ. Always know that God is within your reach.
To put your faith into action, and grow in your relationship with God, here are some important first steps:
- 1. Read the Bible Daily
- 2. Pray to God Regularly
- 3. Go to Church
- 4. Tell others about what Jesus Christ did for you