The foundation of the Christian life is our faith in the Good News of God’s grace. The Living and True God is a God of justice and of mercy. Every person at one time bears the guilt of sinful rebellion against God and is separated by that sin from a relationship with Him.
God’s holy justice requires punishment for human sin, but out of His love and mercy He gave His Son Jesus Christ to become our Savior. Christ became a man to fulfill the righteous requirements of God’s Law on our behalf and to bear the punishment of the sins of human beings through His death on Calvary’s cross, so that we can be forgiven and adopted into God’s eternal family.
Contrary to much of popular belief, we cannot earn the forgiveness of God by being good enough to merit these blessings. The Bible teaches that, as sinners, we can never be good enough on our own merit. But God offers us these benefits as a free gift, purchased in love by the holy life and the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.
We accept this gift by placing our faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, and trusting in His death as the means of our forgiveness and acceptance by God, receiving Him as our Savior and Lord. You may express this by praying a prayer in faith like the one that follows:
Dear Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son and that He became a human being, shed His blood, and died on the cross to pay the penalty and clean away the sin that has separated me from You. I believe that He rose bodily from the dead to give me new life.
Lord Jesus, I invite You and ask You to come into my heart. I confess my sins and ask You to forgive me. I accept You as my Savior and Lord. I want to turn away from my sins and pray that Your Holy Spirit will help me follow Your way. I believe that You have come and are living in me right now. Thank You, Lord. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
If you acknowledged Jesus as your Savior and Lord today, please contact the church office at 423-283-4643.