 
The Plan of SalvationAt nearly every sporting event in America, someone is holding a huge banner boldly displaying John 3:16. What is it and what does it mean? Perhaps the most famous verse in Scripture, it holds the key to everything you'll be learning here:
Read it. Say it. Repeat it. Recite it over and over again and memorize it because it summarizes the Truth of what you are about to learn. The fact of the matter is that God is holy. That's not nearly so simple a statement as it may seem. One thing you will learn as you strive to grow in your knowledge of God is that He cannot be defined (or confined) in human terms. When we say "God is Holy," we mean that not only is He Himself free from sin and unable to sin, He cannot even tolerate sin or be in its presence. Reflect on this statement for a moment. I hope its significance will become clear to you. It is the reason for the need to be saved. Scriptures teach that we are all sinners:
So if God cannot be in the presence of sin and we are all sinners, what hope is there? Left at that, there would be no hope. But God loves us—saved and unsaved alike—and has provided a way for us to become "right" with Him in order that we might have a personal relationship with Him.
2 Peter 3:9 — "… not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." In order to illustrate His holiness in Old Testament times, God directed an intricate and detailed system for offering sacrifices to atone for one's sins. The sacrifices involved symbolically transferring ones' sins to an innocent, perfect and blemishless male animal and then killing the animal who now held their guilt. The gruesomeness of the act of killing (and imagine if you will what Israel's altars must have looked like because everyone had to sacrifice an animal for their own sins) was supposed to be a true-to-life illustration of how abhorrent God finds sin. Jesus was a perfect, sinless and blemishless male who took our guilt—the whole guilt of all humankind—on Himself. At the moment He did that, you and I had the opportunity to be cleansed from our sins merely by believing that God sent His Son—Jesus—to serve as our one time and everlasting sacrifice in order to wipe away our sins from His view.
How Do You Become A Child Of God? You can't earn a right-standing with God of your own accord; if you could, Jesus wouldn't have had to suffer and die. You simply have to have faith that accepting this free gift from God is all that is required to become a child of God. Yet another stumbling block for some who feel they must do something in return for this gift (which, of course, means it isn't really a gift at all). Scriptures tell us that "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6.) If you need more proof that you can't do anything to become right with God, see Ephesians 2:8,9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—-not by works, so that no one can boast." So complete is our salvation experience that once we become children of God, He no longer sees our sinfulness! "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9). If you think about it, though, that only makes sense in light of what I explained about us not being able to approach a Holy God. If He could see our sinfulness, we couldn't approach Him. God has given us a free will and so we can freely choose to accept this free and wonderful gift He makes available for the asking. If you believe you're at this point and are not sure what step to take next, and you believe you're ready to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, so you will be saved! review this prayer and say it yourself (or words to the same effect):
Whether you said this prayer just this moment or a lifetime ago, the Lord has bestowed on you some further gifts that come with salvation:
Whether Jesus returns in a moment or it is still generations away and we experience a physical death departing these physical and flawed bodies here on earth, we have the assurance of knowing that our eternity will be spent in the very presence of God always and forever.
God sent His Holy Spirit to indwell in us.
If you find yourself straying to such thoughts as, "This is too easy …" "I've sinned too much …" "I'm not that bad a sinner …" or any such notion, know that these thoughts are planted in your mind by Satan as he aims to torment you and thwart your walk with God. It is true that the Way to Eternal Life is easy. It's a gift! It's a mystery why so many reject it. You can't do anything to earn it, so banish that notion from your head. Reread Romans 10:9,10 and Ephesians 2:8,9 for assurance. If, on the other hand, you believe you've sinned too much to be saved, you don't understand the power and majesty, grace and mercy of our God. 1 John 1:9 assures you that there is no sin so great that He won't forgive—if you ask.
If you're struggling to find a reason why a loving God would allow suffering in this world, remember that sin is our choice and Satan is, in fact, the "prince of this world." Beyond that, I will freely admit that I don't know why some tragedies strike. But this much I do know:
An absolute God speaks in absolute terms and when He says that He causes ALL THINGS to work together for good to those who love Him, He means that ALL THINGS—including the worst of your circumstances—will work together for good to those who love Him. How will it manifest itself? I don't know. But what a great way to begin building a solid foundation of prayer and fellowship with the Lord your God—go to Him in prayer and ask (understanding first that God does not hear the prayers of the unsaved: John 9:31 — "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him." So before you can approach the True and Living God, you need to "make yourself right" with Him—again, by confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9)). There is volumes more I could say, but my aim here is to give you the crucial information you need right now. I look forward to hearing from you.
The Members of Westside Baptist Church
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