Salvation is free and cannot be earned:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:8-9)(ESV).
Why are we separated from God?
- Sin is anything contrary to God’s perfect standards of righteousness. It includes actions, words, and thoughts.
- Everyone is a sinner as a result of the sin of Adam. No one is righteous or good in God’s eyes.
- The consequence of sin is eternal separation from God.
- There is a solution to the problem.
Put another way, God is perfect and holy and He requires nothing less than His own perfection. But, we are not able to attain His holiness. He doesn’t lie, cheat, or steal, but we do. Therefore, there is a judgment upon us because we have broken the Law of God. This judgment is eternal separation from him. However, God the Father loves us so much that He sent God the Son, Jesus, who died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. He died on the cross and physically rose from the dead three days later. This proves that His sacrifice was acceptable to the Father. Therefore, if you want to receive what Jesus has done to remove the wrath of God the Father, then you must receive Him and His sacrifice by faith.
Paul defines the core facts of the message in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…
Are you tired of living as a slave to sin and ready to turn your life over to Jesus?
The Gospel (a free gift from God):
1) Romans 3:23 ESV (The issue of Sin) – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
2) Romans 6:23 ESV (The penalty of sin) – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
3) John 3:3 ESV (How to enter a relationship with Christ) – Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4) John 14:6 ESV (The narrowness of the Gospel) – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
5) Romans 10:9-11 ESV (Anyone can be saved) – because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
6) 2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV (We must turn from/turn to) – and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
7) Revelation 3:20 ESV (A choice to accept or reject) – Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Faith and Farm 