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
God’s grace goes out to everyone, therefore scripture says that whosoever (anyone in the world) believes in Jesus Christ (God in the flesh – John 1:14) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The common belief today is that good people go to heaven, and bad people go to hell. This is contrary to scripture because scripture tells the truth that all have sinned before God. We are all guilty of sin, and the wages of sin is death.
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; – Romans 3:26
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 6:23
I realise that these are some difficult verses to read and believe, but God has said this in His word and God cannot lie.
in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; – Titus 1:2
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged – John 16:7-11
God the Father (the first person of the Trinity), co-equal with the Son and the Holy Spirit, will save whosoever believeth in His Son, Jesus Christ (the second person of the Trinity), co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The work of the Son of God, Jesus is that He died for all sin on the cross. He was buried and rose from the grave. To believe on His finished work is to believe that he has paid for your sin debt. When you place your faith in Him, he gives you the free gift of eternal life. The believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity), co-equal with the Father and the Son, who seals the believer until the day of redemption. We need the righteousness of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30
in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; – Ephesians 1:14
Remember that only God can forgive sin, and Jesus Christ forgave sin. The pharisees knew the law of Moses and they knew that only God could forgive sin, but Jesus forgave a man of his sins when he told him to rise and take up by bed and walk.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house – Matthew 9:2-7
Jesus, the Son of man has the power on earth to forgive sins. This is clear evidence of Jesus’s deity. Notice in Matthew 9:4 of the omniscience of Jesus in knowing the thoughts of the pharisees. If Jesus was not God, how could he know this? No one has the power to read another person’s thoughts, but God knows everything. We cannot hide our thoughts from God.
Let’s not judge one another by the works of this life, because we are all guilty by God’s Holy standard. Yes, there are murderers, child molesters, homosexuals, gossipers, slanderers, drunkards, thieves, adulterers, drug dealers, greediness, haters, idolaters, mockers, scoffers, despisers of God…the list goes on and on.
The good news is that whosoever comes to God and admits to God that they are a sinner in need of a saviour, can be saved. God will save them immediately. This is the power of the gospel and it goes out to everybody in this world. God is gracious and loving, not a monster who sends people to hell like the calvinists teach. People send themselves to hell by unbelief in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:18
Human works cannot pay for sin and as much as this world says that sincerity can save us clearly they do not know what God’s word says about the severity of sin. If good works could save us, why did Jesus have to die that horrible death. Why did Jesus have to become sin for us, who knew no sin. God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, died for us. God knew that there would be those who despised him, who mocked him, who laughed and judged, but God still died for these sinners because of His amazing love for the world (mankind).
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him – 2 Corinthians 5:21
There is no special prayer that needs to be said before we come to God. God does not expect that we clean up our lives before we come to Him. God just wants us to admit our need for Him. To repent (to change our mind about God) and believe in Christ’s finished work for the free gift of salvation.
We receive justification with God through the righteousness of Christ, and sanctification is a daily process where we should fellowship with God through gratitude for what He has done for us. However, this is a choice that will end in a forfeiting of rewards in heaven, and lack of blessings in this life. To be effective for God in this life and the next is to walk in obedience with Him. Choosing discipleship is never an easy choice because the world is distracting and persecution is not nice to receive, but just think about what Christ has done for us. When we spend time in the Word of God, the world and its distraction dim in comparison. There is an amazing peace of God that this world just cannot give.
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? – Hebrews 9:14
Having dead works is to believe in and trust in self for salvation, but scripture is clear that works have no merit when it comes to salvation. Do not believe in human goodness. Trust in the goodness of God through Christ’s work.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation can never be lost, because scripture says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. It is Christ who saves us, not we who save ourselves. Rest in Him, and then every day remind yourself of who you are in Him, and grow in grace to serve the Living God.
But growingrace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen – 2 Peter 3:18
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10
Nobody can say that God is cruel and unloving. God has shown His awesome love for us by coming in the flesh as Jesus Christ and dying a horrible cruel death for all of mankind’s sin, and through faith in Christ we too can receive the righteousness of God and have eternal rest in Him. Do you want to read a love story written to mankind. Read the Holy Bible.
