The following will clarify the truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.
The good news comes to us through the Bible, which is God’s message to all mankind. In it we find that God is sovereign—He does whatever He chooses and no one can stop Him. But He is also good—all that He does He does for good reason. All that He requires of us, or forbids us, is for our good. He created us specifically to enjoy knowing Him.
Unfortunately, Adam and Eve, our first parents, doubted God’s goodness and so they disobeyed His commandment. They sinned. And because God is good, He had to punish them for their sin. That punishment was death. Thus Adam and Eve brought sin and death upon themselves and on us, their descendants. We all continue to sin and be sinned against.
Our sinfulness now corrupts everything we do. We break God’s laws even though we know it is wrong. We curse and lie and cheat and steal and lust and hate. The Bible says we are dead in sin. Unless God rescues us we will be lost in sin and death forever in the anguish of eternal hell.
However, because God is good, He is also merciful. In mercy God sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins by dying for us on the cross. Why did Jesus have to die? Because God has to be absolutely just. Someone has to die for what we have done and Jesus agreed to do so. His perfect life was sacrificed in death to pay the debts of all who trust in Him. In doing so, Jesus not only took our punishment, He also gave us His reward. God treats all who trust in Jesus as if they had never sinned, and He gives them a new life.
How can we know for certain that God’s plan to save us actually worked? Because three days after Jesus died, God raised Him from the dead. This was proof that His death satisfied all the demands of God’s justice. Jesus is alive and He is Lord!
Today, if you put your trust in Jesus Christ to save you, you will be born again into this new life. When that happens, all your sins will be forgiven. You will receive God’s Holy Spirit in your heart and He will begin to change your deepest desires. You will no longer enjoy sin. You will prefer doing what pleases God. You will find your greatest joy in just knowing God, worshiping Him, learning from the Bible, talking with God in prayer and telling others what God has done for you. You will love others; forgiving those who hurt you and helping those who need you, especially fellow members of God’s eternal family, the Church. And when you die, you will go to be with God in heaven forever.
All this happens to those who are born again. It is the evidence that one is spiritually alive. So, if none of this is happening in your life, you are still dead in your sins and you need to be saved! Admit the truth. Repent! Ask Jesus to save you and He will! That is good news!
(above borrowed from http://www.hofcc.org/content/view/32/30/ )
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To deepen this relationship you should:
- By faith and the power of the Holy Spirit obey Christ. Do what the Bible says.
- Therefore, you need to read your Bible every day to know Christ better.
- Talk to God in prayer every day – this is an incredible privilege we have to talk with our Father.
- Tell others about Christ. Worship, walk with, and work for Christ with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
- As Christ’s representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.
If we can help you in your new life in Jesus Christ, please contact us (780-542-4774) or talk to one of our pastors or church board leaders after the Sunday service at the front of the auditorium.