Salvation
The story of Jesus Christ starts with our need for a Savior. The Bible tells us that no one is righteous, meaning that everyone sins (Romans 3:32). No matter how hard we try, even the best of us cannot live a perfect life! Unfortunately, the Bible also tells us that there is a consequence for sin. The penalty for sin is death. (Romans 6:23). The world classifies sin, but God doesn’t see it that way. All sin, from lying to murder, has the same consequence: death. And it gets worse; sin’s penalty isn’t just death on this earth. The consequence of sin is death forever, meaning eternal separation from God. See, the real problem with sin is that it separates us from God. God is perfect and our sin disqualifies us from experiencing His perfection in heaven. So, since we are all sinners that means we all deserve to die and be separated from God forever. That’s what hell is – an eternity without God.
But here’s the catch: God loves us, every single one of us. And He doesn’t want to be separated from us by our sin. God wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to know Him. That’s why He sent a Savior. That’s why He sent Jesus.
So because God loved the world and everyone in it, He sent His son Jesus to earth. (John 3:16). Jesus came and lived a perfect life. Unlike anyone else who ever lived, Jesus never sinned. He was perfect and therefore He was the only One who didn’t deserve death. So when Jesus died on the cross, He sacrificed Himself by taking on the sin of the world and paying the consequence of death. Jesus died for our sin, mine and yours. He died for all sin, lying, and murder. Jesus was crucified on a cross, the most horrific death you could imagine, so that you could be free of your sin.
And here’s the Good News: Jesus died for our sins but He didn’t stay dead. Three days after He died and was buried, Jesus defeated death by resurrecting Himself. He conquered death so that anyone who believes in Him and follows Him can have an eternal relationship with God in heaven. Jesus offers life to all who accept Him! (Romans 10:9).
If you’re hearing this story and Good News for the first time, we pray that you’ll reach out to us with any questions you may have. We’d love to pray for you and help you in your faith journey. We’d also encourage you not to take our word for it! Pick up the Bible and check it out. Start in Matthew if you want to read more about Jesus. Ask God to reveal Himself to you and you won’t be disappointed!