Why Does Jesus Give us Hope?
HE IS GOD AND HE LOVES YOU.
Jesus said He was God. He proved it by His life, His words, His deeds, and His perfect love. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4–5). “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” (John 3:16).
HE DIED FOR YOU.
Our sin separates us from God, relationally and eternally, and requires the payment of eternal death (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Yet, because Jesus died for you, God's justice is satisfied, and your sin can be forever forgiven. You can be rescued, pardoned, and accepted into God's grace and love by personally receiving what Jesus did on the cross. “...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day…” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). “But God commendeth (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU LIFE.
Here’s how Jesus said it: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life…” (John 3:36). “...I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). An eternal home in Heaven and a personal relationship with God can only be received, never achieved. You can't save yourself, but you can receive salvation as an unspeakable gift from God Himself. He loves you that much!
HE CAN SAVE YOU RIGHT NOW.
Knowing you have a relationship with God and a home in Heaven isn’t about being good or religious. It’s about trust and faith. Everyone is trusting something as an "ultimate thing." The message of the Bible is that Jesus is the only source of ultimate and eternal hope—forgiveness and pardon from sin, acceptance and adoption into God's family, and the promise of eternal life in Heaven. It happens the moment you call out to Jesus and ask Him to be your Saviour. In that moment, He will forgive your sin and give you His gift of eternal life. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
What the Bible Says About Heaven.
There are big questions that haunt all of us. What happens when I die? Where will I spend eternity? The single most important question that you will ever answer is this: "If I were to die today, would I spend eternity in Heaven with God?" Your relationship to Jesus Christ is the central answer to that question.
The Bible tells us in I John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." The simple truth is God wants you to know where you're going! So, here it is in a nutshell:
Recognize Your Condition.
My biggest mistake when I don't know my way is that I don't want to admit that I am lost! This is called pride. In order to find the way to eternal life with God, I must admit I am lost in sin. Romans 5:12 teaches us that since Adam and Eve, the first man and woman on earth, a sin nature has been present in all people. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Sin is any act contrary to God's laws and commandments, and those sins that I have committed separate me from God. Whenever I have been lost, I have paid some type of penalty. I have been late to a special event and, on occasion, I have received a speeding ticket. Sin also has a penalty. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The "wage" or payment for our sin is spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
Religion and Good Works
Are Not the Answer.
Religions try to create their own ways to God. Their systems may seem logical, but they cannot bridge the gap created by our sin. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” In other words, our thoughts and ways are not what matter. God’s Word, the Bible, provides true answers of grace and forgiveness. In Ephesians 2:8-9 the Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Believe and Receive Christ.
In order to have a relationship with God and an eternal home in Heaven, we must stop trusting ourselves, our works and our religions, and place our full trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sin and eternal life. In Roman 10:13 the Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That is a promise directly from God that if you will pray to Him, confess that you are a sinner, ask Him to forgive your sins, and turn to Him alone to be your Saviour; He promises to save you and give you the free gift of eternal life. You can make that decision today by praying from your heart, something like this:
“Lord Jesus, I believe that You are God, that You died for my sin, and that You rose again from the dead. I know that I am a sinner and cannot save myself, and I ask You now to save me from the penalty of my sin, and to be my personal Saviour. Right now, I’m placing my full trust in You alone, and I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank you for keeping Your promise! Amen.”
You'll never regret that decision! If you have just trusted Christ, we would love to know about your decision and give you a Bible and some other materials to help you learn more about that new relationship!
REACH OUT.
Do you have questions about Jesus, the Bible, baptism or life? Jesus has answers, and we are comfortable with your questions. Why not start the journey today? Fill out the form below to schedule a time to talk with our Pastor.
Download a Free E-Book About Salvation.
If God was willing to sit down with you personally and allow you to air your questions, reason through your doubts, and pose any challenge—would you take Him up on His offer? Would you be willing to investigate His claims and understand His purposes? Would you be willing to believe Him? We invite you to take the time to download the e-book Done, and discover God’s love and plan for your life.