“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
01
Admit that you’re a sinner.
Romans 3:23
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
The word “gospel” literally means good news! The reason it’s good news is that there is bad news. Romans 3:23 is a foundational reminder that we are all sinners. No one is righteous (Romans 3:10-12), no one is good, and no one keeps the Ten Commandments perfectly. God is holy, and every single human being who has ever lived does not perfectly live up to God’s standard. Whether you’ve sinned once, or are serving a life sentence in prison for murder, whoever fails to keep the whole law in one point is accountable for all of it according to God’s standard (James 2:10).
02
Sin reslults in death.
Romans 6:23a
“For the wages of sin is death…”
The earned payment for sin — all sin — is death. Much like a human court system has a standard of law that if not kept leads to punishment, God has a law and there is punishment for not keeping it. More than that, as human beings who readily admit that we are sinners, we must also admit that we cannot keep God’s law faithfully. Therefore, we all are condemned in God’s court and deserve the wages for our sin: death.
03
Realize that God loves you.
Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
We were unlovable, but He loved us. We were hopeless, but He gives hope. We couldn’t save ourselves, but Christ could. In our spiritually dead and sinful condition (Ephesians 2:1), God chose to show mercy, love, and kindness to us.
If it wasn’t for God sending His Son to deal with sin, we couldn’t be saved from the penalty of sin. That is where the new stop on our journey comes in.
04
Salvation is a free gift from God
Romans 6:23b
“…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.“
But Romans 6:23 also includes good news! In contrast to our inability to keep the law of God and our wages earned by sin, God gives the gracious gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. He died in the sinner’s place. He paid the penalty for sin so the sinner wouldn’t have to. He gave His life so you could live. By “eternal life,” the Bible means that you don’t need to die and end up in hell forever. You don’t have to experience the judgment of God upon sin for all eternity. You can live in heaven with Him for all eternity after this life ends. The Bible teaches that everyone will die (everyone knows this is true) and that after death in this life comes a moment of judgment (Hebrews 9:27). That moment of judgment does not need to end badly.
God has given us a gift. His name is Jesus Christ.
05
The good news.
Romans 8:1
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ…”
This is really good news! If you are “in Christ,” that means you’ve put your faith in Him, believing that He died for you and rose again from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4). Anyone in Christ is not going to be condemned for their sin and will not go to hell. If that’s you, then you don’t need to walk around feeling guilty or shameful over your sin once you’ve believed in Christ because your sin is washed away (1 John 1:7).
06
Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 10:9
“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…”
The final stop is where the rubber meets the road. Do you believe that Jesus is Lord? Do you believe He was the Son of God who died for your sin and rose from the dead? Are you willing to confess your sin, accepting the bad news that you are spiritually bankrupt without God’s help? Are you willing to accept the good news that God has made a way for you to have a relationship with Him and be saved from the penalty of sin, which is His wrath?
Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s power can change you. You don’t have to live a life of brokenness and bondage, you don’t have to be hopeless. Jesus can set you free. Jesus can give you hope.
The question is often asked, how do I know if I’m saved? The simple answer is that if you have truly believed in Jesus Christ and put your faith in Him, God will transform you. The old ways of sin that you used to relish are going to fade, and the new life you live in Christ will dominate your passions (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In a world looking for solutions to the brokenness of human sin, the gospel declares that Jesus is the answer.
Did you make a decision?
Let us know.
If you made a decision today or have further questions do not hesitate to contact us! We will be happy to talk to you.