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Deep down, there’s a place within each of us that is made for one thing—a relationship with God. No matter how hard we try to cover it up or fill it with something else, we will never be satisfied.
Our hearts will remain restless until they find their home with God. That deep, hidden part of you is there, even if you haven’t realized it until now.
But unfortunately, there’s a problem. A barrier exists between God and humankind. It’s called sin—a word that refers to all the ways we fall short of God’s design for humanity.
When the first human beings rebelled against God, sin became a part of the human condition. It has been passed on like a hereditary disease from ancestor to ancestor, all the way down the line to us today.
In the Bible, Romans 3:23 says, “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” And in Romans 6:23, we learn “the wages of sin is death.”*
In other words, all people need to be brought “back from the dead” spiritually. But there’s nothing we can do to remove this barrier of death on our own. No amount of good deeds on our part can change our eternal status.
Even though we sin, God doesn’t begrudge us our lives. In His kindness and mercy, He sustains us—blessing us even when we don’t know it—so we can eventually find the way back to Him. But if we don’t seek Him and His ways, or if we choose to reject Him, our spiritual deaths will be permanent.
We will live apart from God and His goodness in eternity after we physically die. The Bible tells us that eternal life apart from God is to live in darkness, with no hope, no joy, and no love, forever.
God doesn’t want anyone to experience permanent death (2 Peter 3:9). He loved us so much that He devised a plan to free us from the grasp of sin and provide forgiveness for all time.
In the Bible, John 3:16 says, “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Before time began, God has existed in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no division between
these three Persons. Though it’s difficult for us to understand, they are one God.
Jesus Christ is God’s Son, and He is also God.
So when the Bible says, “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,” we see that God really gave Himself.
God knew that we needed to be rescued. He loved us so much that He devised a plan to free us from the grasp of sin and provide forgiveness for all time.
Because humanity failed to live according to God’s standard and had fallen into spiritual death, Jesus humbled Himself and came to earth to live as a man. He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles. But the world rejected Him and crucified Him on a cross.
He died on that cross and was buried in a tomb, but three days later, He rose from the grave.
What the world didn’t realize was that dying on the cross was Jesus’ plan all along. Through His death and resurrection, He removed the barrier between humankind and God. Because He was also God, Jesus conquered sin and death on our behalf so we could truly live.
Jesus’ victory on the cross was for everyone, including you. He offers salvation from sin and death to all people as a gift, but He asks that we give Him our lives in return. How can we do this? By believing in Him, turning from our sins, and asking Him to be the Lord—the ruler and guide—of our lives.
Romans 10:9 says, “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.”
Remember, God is love. He loves you more than anyone else ever has or ever could. In giving your life to Him, you invite His love into every aspect of who you are. Hislove is transforming, and His forgiveness is complete.
God will transform you and make you a new person in Him. You will find the joy-filled life you’ve always longed to have.
There’s no need to put off receiving God’s gift of salvation. You don’t need to clean yourself up first, start behaving better, or anything of the sort before you can become a follower of Jesus. You can take the first step right now.
Open your heart to God and receive Him. He’s ready to receive you. You can pray the following prayer or use your own words.
If you’ve made the decision to become a Christian, we want to help you take the next steps in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
*All Scripture quoted on this page is taken from the New Living Translation Bible.
