JESUS

But there is hope! God, in His mercy, did all that is necessary to reconcile us to Himself.  For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son.

(John 3:10-17 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? [11] Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. [12] If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. [16] 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. [17] For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.).

In love, Jesus Christ willingly took the form of a man and came to Earth. He was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life in complete obedience to God’s law. Jesus was able to meet God’s standard of moral perfection. He never sinned. But even though Jesus pleased God in every way, he died the death of a criminal on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
[6] who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, [7] but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.).

The Bible says that He took sin upon Himself and with it God’s wrath.

(1 Peter 2:21-25 NKJV  For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: [22] "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; [23] who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; [24] who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed. [25] For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.).

Although He was perfectly innocent He paid the penalty for sin on the cross and died, but on the third day He rose from the grave proving that He had satisfied God’s wrath against sin.

(1 Corinthians 15:1-7 NKJV Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain. [3] For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. [6] After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. [7] After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.). 

He has commanded everyone to repent of their sin (turn from it) and place their faith in Jesus’ one-time payment for it   For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

(1 Peter 2:22-25 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; [23] who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; [24] who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed. [25] For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.).

Recognize the extreme evil of your sin before a perfect and holy God, turn from your sin, and believe that Jesus paid for it on the cross and rose from the dead. If you will do this God’s Word teaches that your guilt will be placed on Jesus and paid for, and in exchange you will be given the gift of Jesus’ innocence.

(Romans 8:9-11 NKJV But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. [10] And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.)

(Philippians 3:7-11 NKJV  But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. [8] Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; [10] that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, [11] if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.).

Jesus invites anyone who is under the weight of their sin to come to Him and He will bear it. He said: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.") This is the only way you can be forgiven of your sin. Once you are forgiven God sees you as perfect and innocent because of Jesus.)  

HOW CAN I BE SAVED?

Jesus promised that anyone who would come to Him in sincere faith and repentance would be accepted by Him and forgiven. That person
- becomes new (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.),
- is born again (1 Peter 1:3),
- has peace with God (Romans 5:1),
- belongs to God, is adopted by God as His child (Romans 8:15,16),
- and is given eternal life (John 3:16).
This gift of salvation can never be lost! You will have a relationship
with God through Jesus Christ for the rest of your life and eternity! 

WHAT WE HAVE AS GOD'S CHILDREN: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. – Romans 5:6-11

However, anyone who rejects Jesus and does not come to Him for forgiveness will die in their sin.

(John 8:23-24 NKJV And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. [24] Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."),

and will be required by our Holy God to pay for their own sin forever in hell.

(John 3:36 NKJV He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.")

(Revelation 21:8 NKJV But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.").

Jesus warned: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13,14)

Romans 10:8-11 NKJV But what does it say? "The WORD is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the WORD of faith which we preach): [9] 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. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?