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I am a sinner.
Sin is anything contrary to the
nature of God. Every person is born a sinner, and every person commits
sin. God is holy and hates sin. Because He is just, He must punish sin.
The punishment for sin is eternal separation from God.
God's Word says: "... all have sinned ..." (Romans 3:23); "For the wages of sin is death …" (Romans 6:23a).
I am incapable of saving myself.
Because
I am born in sin, no action of mine can accomplish anything toward my
salvation. I cannot get to heaven by being good, attending church,
praying or anything else. I am helpless and unable to make myself
worthy of heaven.
God says: "He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:5a).
Only God can save me because only God is sinless.
God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to be my Savior by paying the penalty of death for my sin in my place. "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)
My salvation was accomplished on the cross.
Jesus
paid for all my sin by dying, shedding His blood and rising from the
grave. His blood paid my penalty. His resurrection defeated death. He
is now in heaven, interceding for me before God. "Christ also
suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned,
but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God." (1
Peter 3:18a).
I can only be saved by trusting that what Jesus Christ did on the cross is sufficient to save me.
Believing
is trusting what God did for me. I can add nothing to my salvation.
When I believe that His death was a complete payment for me, He gives
me eternal life.
"…Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31)
"And
all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those who reject the
Son will never experience eternal life, for God's wrath remains on
them." (John 3:36)
Once I am saved, I am saved for eternity.
Once saved, I cannot lose my salvation. No creature or thing can take it away from me. I cannot lose it by any action of my own.
God says: "… I give them eternal life; and they will never perish." (John 10:28)
"For
God so loved the world, that He gave only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) |
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