Greenwood Baptist Church
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Good News of Jesus Christ
Short Version
God is Perfect
that means He has never sinned. Every person, including you and me, has sinned. Actually, we were born as sinners.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
God is Just
that means He cannot overlook sin - it must be punished. We expect a judge to make a correct ruling in a courtroom. God does not punish just to be punishing. He does it because it is deserved.
"For the wages of sin is death:..." Romans 6:23a
God is Giving
that means He offers a way for any person to escape that punishment. He offers the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins to anyone who will accept the gift.
"...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b
God will Save
that means if you admit that you are a sinner deserving of God's just punishment, are desiring to turn from your sins and realize that Jesus Christ died to take your punishment, God will save you.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:23
Good News of Jesus Christ
Medium Version
Admit
The Bible teaches that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). It also teaches that "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Have you ever lied? stolen? cheated? lusted? We must all admit we are sinners. Here's another way to look at it. Man does not just have problems; he is the problem, because he is a sinner. Have you noticed how hard it is to stop sinning? That's a powerful reminder of the sinful nature that's in all of us. So, you have sinned, and sin always brings judgment unless you have a Savior.
Turn
"God...commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30). What does this mean? To repent is to have a change of mind that leads to a change of direction as if you were walking down the street one way, then turned and walked the other. Repentance is turning from your own way to go God's way. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). If you decide to turn to God as He has commanded, you will find that He will help you to walk in His ways. If you choose not to repent, please remember that the choices you make about God have "forever" consequences.
Believe
Jesus Christ was put to death on a cross. Though He had never sinned, He suffered God's wrath for your sins - in your place - and then rose from the dead, showing His power over death. Jesus' death appeased the wrath of God against sin and satisfied His justice. Your sin had to be punished; either you had to take the wrath of God, or someone had to take it for you. Jesus took it.
We escape judgment and gain eternal life by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Then what is faith? Faith is simply our positive response to what God says. God wants you to turn from your own way and put your faith in Him and follow Him. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
If you have turned to God today, please contact us and we'll help you with the tools you will need to walk with God every day of your life. There's nothing more important than that.
Good News of Jesus Christ
Longer Version
The Bible is amazing. It can connect you with god and change your life. It has the answers to life's most difficult questions, like, "Why am I here?" and "What happens after I die?" We tend to live as if these questions don't matter, but they do. We tend to live as if what we can see and touch is all that matters, but 100 years from now it won't matter what you owned. What will matter is what you did about Jesus Christ.
Is it possible to know where you will spend eternity? Yes. And it's probably simpler than you think, because it has nothing to do with trying to earn God's favor by living a good life. The Bible teaches this: "For by grace [God's free kindness] are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the free gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). In other words, we can escape Hell because God's kindness when we simply place our faith in Christ. It's not by the good works we can accumulate. We cannot earn eternal life in Heaven; it's a gift, and gifts are always free.
No Margin for Error
Stop and think about "forever" for a moment. It's hard to imagine, isn't it? You need to know that the choices you make about God have "forever" consequences. There's no margin for error, and belief in the wrong thing cannot be corrected after death. That's sobering. Here's what you must do to have your sins forgiven. As you'll see, it has nothing to do with good works.
Admit
The Bible teaches that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). It also teaches that "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Have you ever lied? stolen? cheated? lusted? We must all admit we are sinners. Here's another way to look at it. Man does not just have problems; he is the problem, because he is a sinner. Have you noticed how hard it is to stop sinning? That's a powerful reminder of the sinful nature that's in all of us. So, you have sinned, and sin always brings judgment unless you have a Savior.
Turn
"God...commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30). What does this mean? To repent is to have a change of mind that leads to a change of direction as if you were walking down the street one way, then turned and walked the other. Repentance is turning from your own way to go God's way. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). If you decide to turn to God as He has commanded, you will find that He will help you to walk in His ways. If you choose not to repent, please remember that the choices you make about God have "forever" consequences.
Believe
Jesus Christ was put to death on a cross. Though He had never sinned, He suffered God's wrath for your sins - in your place - and then rose from the dead, showing His power over death. Jesus' death appeased the wrath of God against sin and satisfied His justice. Your sin had to be punished; either you had to take the wrath of God, or someone had to take it for you. Jesus took it.
If we could do good things to get into Heaven on our own, Jesus Christ would not have had to die, right? But, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). This verse explains that we escape judgment and gain eternal life by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Then what is faith? Faith is simply our positive response to what God says. God wants you to turn from your own way and put your faith in Him and follow Him. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
Why Admit, Turn, and Believe?
Because God's wrath against sin is real, and because Hell is real. Revelation 20:15 candidly reveals this truth about a future judgment: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Remember, there's no margin for error, and belief in the wrong thing cannot be corrected after death. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). God laid out a wonderful, loving plan to provide a way of escape. Will you take it today?
What Should You Do Next?
If you sincerely and humbly pray the following prayer, of something similar, God will forgive your sins and give you eternal life. It's not the exact wording you use that matters, but the attitude of your heart. You must be ready and willing to give your heart and soul to God.
Pray: "Dear God, I admit that I'm a sinner. I need Your forgiveness. I want to turn from my own way to You. I believer Jesus Christ died in my place, for my sins, and rose again from the dead. I call upon You and ask You to save me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
God simply wants you to turn to Him and believe Him with a genuine heart. Will you call on Him today?