God created every person to live in harmony with Himself.  God has invited humanity into a relationship with Himself—a relationship of love—one of a Father (God) and His child (you).  This was His desire and purpose when He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden.  In their perfected position they walked in intimacy with God, unhindered by imperfections and sin.  Just imagine the sweetness they shared with their Father!  However, this perfect fellowship was soon broken when Adam and Eve sinned, resulting in all of humanity becoming sinful (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12).  Through Adam’s sin, the entire world is now sinful before God and in need of redemption.  You may think “how can I be held guilty because Adam sinned, that doesn’t seem fair.”  It may not seem fair, but it is brilliant. If one man (Adam) could destroy everything through sin, than One man (Jesus) can restore everything.

God invites each person into a relationship with Himself.  If a person is separated from God, how is a relationship with God, possible?  What Adam destroyed through sin in the Garden of Eden, Jesus Christ (God’s Son) has restored!  God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to reconcile every person back to Himself.  Jesus came into the world and lived a perfect and sinless life for thirty-three years.  After this, He was crucified for the sins of all mankind.  Please understand, when Jesus died on the Cross, He was taking away our sinfulness and reconciling us back to God.  Three days later, He arose from the dead!  By doing this, He completely and forever conquered death, offering eternal life to each person.  Put simply, because Jesus lives, you can live too! Jesus makes all things new, He can restore our brokenness, completely and forever forgive all our sin and wrongdoing, erase guilt and shame, give us freedom to really live, daily walk with us through life, eventually ushering us into Paradise to live with Him forever in eternity.  He is so wonderful! He gives life—true life—to anyone who calls on Him!

Jesus tells us “we must be born again!”  Jesus does SO much more than change our behaviors.  He wants to change us completely and totally, we must be reborn!  Each person’s very nature is corrupt with sin and brokenness.  This is why a rebirth—new life—is required.  It should be understood that you do not choose God, He chooses you!  If you are sensing Him calling you in your inner-being, if He is making you aware of your own sinfulness and need of a new life, He is drawing you to Himself.  God will draw each person to the Cross of His Son; Jesus Christ.  It’s at this place you will make a decision for or against Him.  If you are for Him, you will exchange your life for His life, you will totally and freely give yourself to Him.  Jesus will forgive you of every sin and reconcile you to God! It’s important to remember that God’s standard of Holiness is so high that no person will ever be “good enough.”  However, when we commit ourselves to Jesus, God accepts us because Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life on our behalf.  We have all fallen short of God’s standard but through Jesus, you can be born again!

Sadly, some people make a decision against Jesus when God draws them to the Cross.  God’s Word is very clear that if we are not born again we will die in our sins, separated from God.  If we live this life apart from God, we will live the next life apart from Him.  Separation from God in eternity results in going to place called Hell.  This is very real place of torment that offers no escape.  Please understand, God’s desire is for you to live in Heaven with Him for eternity but if you persist in rejecting Him in this life, He will not force Himself upon you in eternity, He will allow you total separation from Himself in Hell.

The greatest deception is for a person to believe they are a Christian when there really not.

Christian, are you really saved?  There are many people who “think” they are saved when this is not reality.  Let us be clear.  No one is saved by doing good things, you will never “earn” God’s forgiveness.  No one can “buy” salvation.  Your “earthly status” will not secure salvation.  The salvation of others will not save you, each person must come to God themselves.  Church attendance, godly friends, church activities, giving money to the church, morality, sincerity, helping others, and even Bible knowledge will not give you eternal life.  A person is saved when they confess their sinfulness to God and place total and complete faith in Jesus Christ alone as their Lord and Savior.  There is no other way.