HOW TO KNOW GOD
I was born with an inherited disease that ends in death forevermore. The older I got, the more it spread throughout all of me, controlling everything that I was involved with in my world. No matter what I would try to do, the disease would cause me to feel restless, rebellious, and cold and empty within my inner self. I couldn't do anything to help myself, either. No doctor on this Earth could heal or offer any cure for me.
Then my first pastor shared about the ONLY cure for my deadly "everafter" disease. It's a disease that also plagues every person on this Earth. What is the name of the deadly disease, that all of mankind is born with? It is called "SIN," with the problem being revealed in the middle of its name -- "I."
"Sin" is willfully going against or disobeying the known will of God. It's a malignant spiritual disease that has plagued all of mankind since the Garden of Eden days. It was first seen of mankind through the first parents of mankind -- Adam and Eve -- described in Genesis 3:1 - 5:32.
ORIGIN OF SIN
God told Adam and Eve that they could eat of any tree in the beautiful Garden of Eden, except the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they were to eat of that tree, God said they would die. (See Genesis 2:16 - 17.)
The devil, in the form of a serpent/snake, showed upon the scene, and tempted Eve to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Unfortunately, Eve fell for the serpent's cunning persuasions, and ate of the forbidden fruit, causing her to fall, spiritually, into sin. Then she tempted Adam to also eat of the forbidden fruit, causing him to also spiritually fall into sin.
Since that day, when the first members of the human race fell into sin, different people have blamed the serpent, Eve or Adam, for bringing malignant sin into everyone's life. However, none of the three were innocent.. All three knew what God willed for them to do, but each, individually, rebelled and disobeyed God (sinned.)
Let's take a brief look at Adam, the first created human being. Adam was morally innocent when he was created by God. However, when he sinned, he became a sinner, doomed to die, as God said he would. At that sinful moment, he died an immediate spiritual death on Earth, heading him toward both the physical death and the eternal death of Hell -- something he wouldn't have had to face otherwise.
Since Adam was the first human being, PRIOR to sin's birth, he would have continued to be morally innocent, living in a Paradise with his wife, and free of any thoughts of pain, labor or death. However, BEFORE he and Eve conceived a child, Adam sinned against God. Therefore, EVERY human that has descended from him, including us, are born into sin, except Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (See Romans 5:12) That matter of sin is waht separates mankind from God today. And, because of Adam's sin, death has also entered into the human race.
Each of us are now born into sin, separated from God, and are spiritually dead here on Earth, heading toward an eventual physical death. Without asking for help from Jesus Christ, that physical death leads on to an eternal death in Hell, with all of its flames and other torments. We would otherwise all be condemned to a lake of fire. (See Revelation 20:5) We all need to have a NEW LIFE WITH CHRIST.
THE CURE FOR SIN
The bad news is that most of the world rejects the ONLY cure for sin -- Jesus Christ -- and are in or are now heading for Hell. The good news is that we can accept the ONLY cure or remedy for sin -- Jesus -- and can forever after live in Heaven with the Lord, where there will be love, warmth, peace and genuine happiness like we have never seen on Earth. Yes, the only cure for the sin problem is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is also the answer for the whole world today.
God LOVES us. He proved that when He had His only begotten Son to die and later be resurrected for us.
"But God PROVES His love for us by this, that Christ died for us when we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)
"But this man, after He had offered ONE SACRIFICE for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God." (Hebrews 10:12) "THIS is what LOVE is: it is not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the MEANS by which OUR SINS are forgiven." (I John 4:10)
"For Christ died for sins for ALL, the righteous, for the unrighteous, to bring YOU to God. He was PUT TO DEATH in the body but made ALIVE by the Spirit." (I Peter 3:18)
"He was delivered over to DEATH for OUR sins and was RAISED to LIFE for OUR justification." (Romans 4:25)
Jesus told Martha, "I am the RESURRECTION, and the life: he that believeth in ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live." (John 1:25)
Jesus loves us so much, too, that if you or I had been the only person on this Earth, during His time on Earth, He still would ahve died for us. His arms are reaching down for you now, hoping that you will soon reach upwards for Him. He wants to free you from sin and Hell, go with you and help you in this lifetime, and to provide a home for you in Heaven -- everlasting life.
What are you going to do with Jesus? Accept Him as your personal Saviour and Lord? Or reject Him? Rejecting Him leads to Hell and all of its eternal torments. Going to church, helping those in need, and other good works, are wonderful, but good works, alone, won't save us either.
It is also not enough to just believe there is a God, and that Jesus can save us from our sins and Hell. We could know that there was an available life jacket to put on, to assure us of not drowning in the lake... But if we wouldn't put that life jacket on, it couldn't save us from drowning. We would have to PUT IT ON for it to save us from death. It's the same with Jesus. In order for Him to save us, we must also PUT HIM ON.
"But PUT YE ON the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14)
How can we put on Jesus, and be saved or born again?
HOW TO BE SAVED
1. Personally admit or confess your sins to Jesus, and ask for His forgiveness for them.
We need to confess or admit to Jesus, in prayer (talking to Him), that we know we have sinned, and ask Him to forgive us for those sins.
"He who covers up his sins shall never prosper; he who CONFESSES and FORSAKES [quits sinning] them is FORGIVEN." (Proverbs 28:13)
"If we CONFESS our sins, He is FAITHFUL and JUST to FORGIVE us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)
"That if thou shalt CONFESS with thy mouth the LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED." (Romans 10:9)
"For whosoever shall CALL UPON the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
2. Repent, or tell Jesus you are sorry for your sins, and will quit sinning.
We need to repent of our sins to Jesus Christ. When we repent of our sins, we tell Jesus that we are sorry for all that we have done. But we have to be godly sorry. That is, we can't repent to Him on Sunday night, and go back to sinning against Him on Monday or Tuesday. That is not being truly sorry for our sins. We have to also be willing to forsake or quit sinning. And we must be willing to have Jesus Christ change our lives.
"REPENT, then, and turn to God, so that your SINS may be WIPED OUT." (Acts 3:19)
"They should REPENT and turn to God and PROVE their REPENTANCE by their deeds." (Acts 26:20)
3. Through FAITH, ask Jesus into your heart and life.
Jesus knocks on our heart's door, asking if He can come in. Christ is ready to come into our hearts when we invite Him in.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in." (Revelation 3:20)
When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts and lives, we must ask Him in FAITH, or trusting in Him, even if we can't SEE Him face to face right now. Some people feel very emotional at the time that He does come into their lives. Others may not FEEL something right away. People and emotions are all different. We can't just rely upon some feeling, to be saved. We must have FAITH in Jesus.
"Yet to ALL who received Him, to those who BELIEVE IN His name, He gave the right to become CHILDREN of GOD." (John 1:12)
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through FAITH -- and this not from yourselves. It is the GIFT of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
"Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that BELIEVE: for there is no difference." (Romans 3:22)
"That is thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God both raised Him from the dead, thou SHALT BE SAVED." (Romans 10:9)
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by FAITH without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:28)
We are saved through FAITH, but we can KNOW we are the newly accepted children of God. Although we can't rely on feelings only, there should be times when the Holy Spirit will touch or witness with our spirit.
"The SPIRIT ITSELF BEARETH WITNESS with OUR SPIRIT, that we ARE the children of God." (Romans 8:16)
"But if the SPIRIT of HIM that raised up Jesus from the dead DWELL IN YOU, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES by His Spirit that DWELLETH IN YOU." (Romans 8:11)
Here is a sample prayer that you can pray for Jesus to save you:
Dear Jesus,
I know that I have sinned, and that You died on the Cross for me, and was resurrected from the dead on the third day. I believe in You, love You, and have faith that You will save me from my sins and Hell. And I believe that You will give me abundant life here, and everlasting life in Heaven some day. I repent of my sins, and will turn away from sin. Will you please forgive me of my sins, and come into my heart and life right now? Thank you, Jesus, for saving me.
Amen.
I Just Accepted Jesus As My Personal Saviour
If you just prayed this prayer, or a similar one, and just accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, I'd appreciate it if you would please let me know, below.
I Feel Like I Have Backslidden and Want To Get Back With the Lord
If you were once saved, and feel like you have backslidden by sinning and/or slacking on your daily praying, Bible reading, or the like, feel free to write me about it, and I will pray for you and get back in touch with you.
I'm Not Real Sure If I'm Saved or Not
If you feel confused and/or am not sure whether or not you are saved, please feel free to write me about it.
I Have Some Questions
If you still have some questions about salvation and/or how to be saved, please feel free to write me about it.
I Would Like For You To Pray With Me On-Line
If you would rather have me pray WITH you LIVE, I am available to pray with you on-line via MSN or Yahoo Messenger services. Or if you would prefer, you can call me on the telephone, to pray with you LIVE. If you desire that I pray with you LIVE, please write and let me know of your request for that.
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