Jesus' gift, which is demonstrated through an act of love, is the forgiveness of sin. Purpose, meaning, a reason for living — these are all things we desire and search for in life. But despite our search, we still feel empty and unfulfilled. We each have an empty place in our heart, a spiritual void, a "God-shaped vacuum." Possessions won’t fill it, nor will success, relationships, or even religion.

"So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from Him?"
(The Bible - Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

Only through a vibrant relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, can this void be filled. Before such a relationship can be established, we need to face a serious problem we all have.
 

 

Our problem begins with sin, which prevents man from knowing God personally. All humans are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him or experience His presence and love in heaven. This is why we need God's gift of salvation.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

(The Bible - Romans 3:23).

"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"

(The Bible - Jeremiah 17:9)

Humans were first created to have fellowship with God; but, because of their own stubborn self-will, they chose to go their own independent way and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. This sin keeps all men eternally apart from a Holy God.

The Bible makes it very clear:

"...(Those) who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus...will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord..."

(The Bible - 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9)

"The wages of sin is death."

(The Bible - Romans 6:23)

Sin is not just the bad things we do, but an inherent part of who we are. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. King David once wrote;

 

"I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me."

(The Bible - Psalm 51:5)

Because we are born sinners, sinning comes to us naturally. And every problem we experience in society today can be traced back to our refusal to live God’s way.

This diagram illustrates the separation of a God who is holy and man who is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows illustrate that man has continually tried to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, or even multiple religions - but he inevitably fails because of sin. God had to make a way.

 

 

---

 

How then can man have access to God?

 

The answer is found in God's savior. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love. It was Jesus who was sent to pay the price for our sins through His voluntary death on the cross. It was by His death that we are able to have access to God's forgiveness and salvation.

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

(The Bible - John 3:16).

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

(The Bible - John 17:3)

Jesus Christ Died in Our Place & Rose From The Dead. Remember what the Bible said, Sin brings death. So for sinful man to enter heaven the price of death had to be paid. God understood our problem and knew we could not beat it alone. So he lovingly sent his own Son, Jesus Christ, to bridge the chasm of sin that separates us from God. Jesus laid aside his divine privileges and walked the earth as a sinless man while experiencing all the troubles and emotions that we do.

"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin."

(The Bible - Hebrews 4:15)

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

(The Bible - 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Then he was arrested on false charges and killed on a Roman cross. But this was no accident. He did it to suffer the punishment deserved by us all. And then three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death forever.

"God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

(The Bible - Romans 5:8)

"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...

He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..."

(The Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:3-6)

 

 

 

This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. God knew it was the only way we would have access to heaven. This historical act happened about 2,000 years ago and is still being shared with the world today.

 

 

 

Jesus is the Only Way to Heaven. God's plan for your salvation was accomplished only through the actions of His Son, Jesus Christ.

"We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done."

(The Bible - Romans 3:22)

"Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

(The Bible - John 14:6)

"He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls."

(The Bible - 1 Peter 2:24-25)

---

 

It's not enough just to have the knowledge of God's plan.

We read about God's designed plan and now He gives us a choice.

Accept & Trust or Reject & Ignore.

If you choose to accept and receive God's plan of forgiveness, continue to read on. If you choose to refuse and ignore God's plan of salvation then your destination is a place absent from God called Hell.

Accept & Trust. It was in God's design to show us mercy. Salvation is only obtained when an individual believes (trusts in and literally receives) this grace offered by Jesus Christ. The ability to receive forgiveness by faith is given by God Himself and it's through faith by God's grace that humans get to experience His love, forgiveness and go to Heaven.

For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

(The Bible - Romans 10:13)

We Receive Christ Through Faith. The step of faith grants us confirmation through God's Holy Spirit that we have eternal life in heaven and also grants us power to live for Him while on earth.

"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast."

(The Bible - Ephesians 2:8,9)

"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name."

(The Bible - John 1:12)

We receive Jesus Christ through a personal act. Receiving Christ involves trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins. Remember, just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We need to receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.

[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."

(The Bible - Revelation 3:20)

"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."

(The Bible - Romans 10:9-11)

As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you. Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation."

(The Bible - 2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

This is God's desire for you - The plan of salvation now and the hope of a future in Heaven.

Who is your choice to be number one? 

  

 I want to accept Jesus and His gift!      OR      I want to reject Jesus