Denying your need for God is dangerous. Why? Because your heart is indifferent to the things of God and you are cut off from Him. Unless you have a change of heart, you will eventually reach a point where spiritual rigor mortis sets in. Living in sin apart from God may be pleasurable for a while, but it brings with it deadly, spiritual consequences. From time to time, you may long to be free from the deceptive, attractiveness of sin, but you find yourself trapped in a vicious circle. The Bible warns us in Proverbs 14:12:

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

What is Sin? Sin is anything that offends a holy and just God. Sin separates you from God forever. Yet God has an answer to sin—an answer only the God of love and forgiveness could give. All men and women are spiritually helpless, dead in their sins, unable to stand before the eternal God. But God in His infinite mercy and love willingly sacrificed His Son, Jesus, as the perfect substitute for sin.

Who is Jesus? Jesus Christ is fully God, yet He chose to be a substitute, a sacrifice for all sins, by being condemned to an innocent death. While on the cross, God poured out His wrath, or anger, on Jesus for your sins against God. Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted by God because of His sinless life. He was then raised from the dead and appointed by God to judge the world. The purpose of His life, as both God and man, was to pay the final price for your sins, and in doing so, bridge the gulf of sin which separates you from God. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, you are given an opportunity by faith to receive salvation and eternal life.

What is Faith? Faith is trusting Christ, as an act of your will, thereby allowing you to cross over the gulf of sin which separates you from God. Faith is not just having an intellectual understanding that the bridge is there, nor is faith just an emotional response to a message about Christ as the only way to reach God. Instead faith is placing your full trust in Christ for salvation and eternal life. Through such faith, you will understand that merely listening to God’s Word is not enough, as listening without doing is dead faith. Dead faith deceives you into thinking you have been saved, but it’s only a pretense of knowing Christ and will end in your eternal separation from God and an everlasting destruction. As long as you live, you’ll never satisfy the righteous, or blameless, standards of God. God’s righteousness is something that never changes, for in itself, it is unchangeable perfection. Only by faith in the person of Jesus Christ will you take on His righteousness for yourself.

Salvation is not in your church, nor in any religious system, not even in your own good life, but only through faith in Christ. It’s impossible to earn salvation through good works. Good works will never replace the willing, sacrificial death of Jesus.

So what? God holds you responsible to receive Christ as your Savior. You must repent of your sins while there is still time. If you choose to do nothing, you will perish. The question is not if you believe in God. Even the devil believes in God and trembles. The question is much more personal. Will you believe that Jesus is the Christ and that your sins are fully paid for by His saving work on the cross? By yourself, you are not capable of changing your life before coming to faith in Christ. The power to change is not in you but only in Him. Once you’ve placed your full trust in Jesus, you will come to know real forgiveness for your sins as you begin your new life as a Christian. This means not only having faith to begin a new life but also having a sense of dependence on Him.

I’ll just wait and see. Don’t be deceived into thinking you can wait to repent later. Tomorrow carries with it no guarantees. Waiting for tomorrow is like chasing the wind. It always seems to be an arm’s length away. Never put off your decision to place your faith in Christ for such indifference means you have rejected Him—and on the Day of Judgment, God will reject you.

How to become a Christian

ADMIT that sin separates you from a holy and just God. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

BELIEVE that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead as full payment for your sins. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

REPENT with Godly sorrow, turning away from your sins in order to become a new person in Christ. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

CONFESS to all that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

No, you can’t wait! Waiting is dangerous. If it’s out of sight, it’s usually out of mind. The “busyness” of the world will spiritually blind you. If you choose to ignore or indefinitely postpone God’s offer of salvation, you will die in your sins, eternally separated from God with only a fearful expectation of His judgment and an everlasting destruction.

Yet don’t be deceived. Remember that Jesus says, Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven! There are many who know of Jesus, yet they have not prayed to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. It’s not head knowledge but heart faith.

Joining a church to promote your business or to gain new friends is selfishly motivated. After receiving Christ, join a church where the Bible is taught and then attend church regularly. You should meet with other Christians who encourage each other in their faith. Study your Bible and learn to pray daily.

A Prayer of Repentance. If at this time, you feel convicted by God’s Spirit to become a Christian, you should pray a sinner’s prayer of repentance asking God to forgive your sins and to change your life. Once spoken from your heart, your salvation is secure forever. Because of disobedience, you may lose the joy and assurance of your salvation, but you will never lose salvation itself. Your obedience begins at the cross of Jesus. Why not pray this prayer right now, and begin your personal walk with Christ today:

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. Ephesians 2:8-9

The quagmire of sin. Sin over time will only produce misery. The consequences of sin are unavoidable. Sadly, even Christians still sin, yet a Christian has God’s help to overcome his weaknesses. The key for a Christian who sins is to recognize his or her sin, be willing to change, and then ask God through Christ to forgive those sins. You can know freedom from the power of sin but only after genuine repentance and continual reliance on God's Holy Spirit!

If you have prayed this prayer, unite with other believers in a Bible-believing and teaching church. Pray to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. In obedience, share your faith with others! Thank you for visiting us on-line. You can also e-mail us at Bible Pathway Ministries, Attn: The Christian Way, P.O. Box 20123, Murfreesboro TN 37129.