Hi there, first off, I want to thank you for your pursuit of truth.
It is a sign of humility to look into things you have heard about.
I am encouraged to know that someone has piqued your interest in the Lord.
Let’s get right to it!
Here are some references from the Bible on this topic:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 NKJV
What should we understand from these two verses?
- Everyone has dropped the ball
- Dropping the ball leads to the death penalty
- God had an answer for those who have dropped the ball
- God’s answer is Jesus
Okay, so we have all dropped the ball and God extends to us a gift in Jesus.
How do we receive this gift and how do we escape the pitfalls of dropping the ball?
Let’s take another look at what the Bible says:
that 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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
What does that mean?
Salvation is connected to things we confess and things we believe.
In other words, in order to receive the gift God has provided, we have to believe Jesus has an answer for our dropped ball and we have to use our words to get in on this gift.
We see a really cool example of people who wanted in on this gift.
Check out this story:
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:36-38 NKJV
Notice here that when these men heard what God has offered in Jesus, they asked Peter how they can receive this gift.
Peter uses a key word in his address to them. He says they should “repent”
“Repent” is likely a word you don’t hear much these days.
In short, “repent” means to change your mind.
To tie this story together with the “confessing what you believe” principle, we find here a deeper understanding.
To be “saved” you must believe something about Jesus that effects the way you think. Then you must use your own words to acknowledge that Jesus is the answer you have been looking for.
No article online can determine for you what you believe, think and speak.
This is a very personal decision.
What do you believe about Jesus?
What do you think about your life without Jesus?
Who do you say Jesus is?
If you believe Jesus is Lord and the gift of God…
If you think that your life is in danger of the death penalty without Jesus…
If you say in your heart that Jesus has an answer for your dropped ball…
I encourage you to call upon the Lord Jesus!
For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13 NKJV
