This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
I Timothy 1:15
I Timothy 1:15 is one of the great gospel, good-news, texts of Scripture. Isaiah 53:6 is another—“All we like sheep have gone astray; “ We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Ofcourse John 3:16—(from Phillips) “ For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost, but should have eternal life.”
Another, Romans 10:9 — (from Phillips) “If you openly admit by your own mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and if you believe in your own heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Thatis good & great news! From yesterday’s seminar on evangelism— Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Illustrated—Let’s say that you were in the hospital dying of cancer. I could come to you and say, “I want to do something for you. We’ll take the cancer cells from your body & place them in mine.” What would happen to me? I would die! What about you? You would live! Why? Because I took the cancer that was causing your death and placed it upon myself, I died as your substitute. That is what the Romans 5:8 verse is stating. Christ took the penalty of my cancerous, deadly sin and placed it on Himself— He is my substitute. His rising the third day proves “it took,” or it was true! His rising from the dead proves that Christ indeed is God.
Part two of this— Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” The word “grace” means undeserved or unmerited favor. “Saved” means to be “rescued or delivered from the penalty of sin.” Now you may wonder, what is faith? “Faith” means “trust.”
For example, you were not present when that chair or bench was made you are sitting on. You
simply sat down upon it with confidence it would hold you. Putting your faith in Christ means trusting Him to save you—not trusting your church membership, your good life, your model family, even your baptism to get you to heaven, but trusting Christ and Him alone. Your trust has to be in the One who died for you and arose. It is then that God gives you heaven as a free gift.
If one believes this good news… this gospel, he or she can simply pray with confidence
something like this— “Dear God, I come to you now. I know that I am a sinner. Nothing I am or
do makes me deserving of heaven. I believe Jesus Christ died for me and rose from the grave.
Right now, I trust Jesus Christ alone as my Savior. Nothing or anyone else, but only Jesus can save me, I am trusting in Jesus Christ alone. Thank-you for the forgiveness of my sins I now have, and the everlasting life in heaven I am to have. In the name of Jesus, amen!”
Per chance you read this and prayed this. We rejoice with you, heaven rejoices with you!
Tell someone in the church about your decision. I or anyone in this church would love to delight with you and welcome you also into the family of God. May you and we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus!
Maranatha!