The Great Commision

“I've led a good life – why do I have to be worried about my salvation?” “If I'm so lost in sin, what hope do I have of redemption?” “What do I have to do to be saved?” Among many others like them, these are some serious questions that seriously need answering. The very fact of the matter is that, no matter what we do or do not do, we are, as human beings, the inheritors of generations of sin, completely and utterly incapable of providing for our own salvation. In reality, there is only One who is worthy to the task, and that is Jesus Christ Himself. If you have asked of yourself these questions, or others like them, then you, too, have faced the hopelessness of not being able to answer them with 100% certainty. That certainty is found only in the provision God has made for our redemption. Following is the set of "keys" one must use in obtaining that certainty:

• 1. Recognize that God loves you and has a plan for your life – His love includes YOU!
  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. He has new life for you: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" John 10:10.


• 2. Recognize that sin separates you from God and others.
  
  • "Sin" is walking our own way in rebellion against God's will: When we walk away from God, we walk away from life.
  • Everyone has sinned: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.
  • Sin brings death: "For the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23.
  • Our own efforts cannot save us: as sinners we futilely try to find life's true meaning in the wrong ways and places."For it is by grace you have been saved through faith; and this not from yourselves – it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast" Ephesians 2:8-9.


• 3. Recognize that Jesus Christ died and rose again for our sins. Jesus Christ died in our place.
  "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8.
  
  • He is the way to new life. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
  • He gives inner peace. "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1.
  • He gives freedom. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" John 8:36.
  • He gives eternal life. "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.


• 4. Recognize your frailties and shortcomings –  we must repent and ask God for forgiveness.
  
  • Admit and confess your sins to God: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" Proverbs 28:13.
  • Repentance means:
    • To acknowledge your sins.
    • To be sorry for your sins.
    • To confess your sins.
    • To be willing to forsake your sins.
    • To have your life changed by Christ.
  • Forgiveness is promised: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9.


• 5. Recognize Jesus Christ as your only hope for salvation, then place your complete trust in Him, receiving Him as the gift of that salvation.
  
  • Christ is ready: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in" Revelation 3:20.
  • Receive him now: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12.
  • Pray, earnestly and from the deepest depths of, and with the whole of, your heart, this prayer:
    “Lord Jesus, I want to have life. I know that I have sinned. I need Your forgiveness and pardon. I believe that You died and rose again for my sins. I now accept You as my personal Savior. I will forsake my sinful life. I know that Your grace and power will enable me to live for You. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and for giving me a new life.”

We, as Christ's family, fervently hope you have heeded the call of Our Savior, and come before Him in the spirit of the prayer that is written out above.

In this prayer is the true intent of Jesus' ministry, indeed the very apparent point of his life on this Earth: that we believe in and upon Him, repenting of our sin; that we trust in the effective nature of his self-sacrifice as payment for our sin and sins; that we then allow the sanctification (setting apart for God's use) of our lives beyond the moment of our redemption. A deep and abiding commitment to these ideals is crucial to our lives in Jesus Christ.

We must all have help in living a meaningful life in Christ: God specifically intended that we come together in the one-ness of community, in the spirit of His love, with bonds which only He can forge. It is His purpose that we learn to live with and love one another, in this short imperfect life, in preparation for the perfection of our Life in His eternal Kingdom. The following practices and actions help build our faith and help assure the fulfilment of God's Great Purpose in our lives:

• Rest completely assured of Christ's faithfulness in forgiveness.
• Read your Bible and pray daily, knowing that God IS and is the hearer and answerer of earnest prayer.
• Find a concerned, Bible-preaching pastor/minister/preacher.
• Seek out other practicing, Bible-believeing Christians.
• Join and become a vital part of a Bible-preaching church
• Share your faith with others.