Grace Baptist Church

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Eph 2:8 1. Acknowledge the Problem: We have all sinned, and that sin separates us from God No matter how good you think you are, no matter how many good things you try to do, it is still not good enough to get into heaven; it can't be earned but is a gift. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man." Mark 7:20-23 2. Discover the Solution: Jesus The only way for God to bridge the gap between Himself and us is through His Son, Jesus Christ. His death was a substitute for us; He paid the penalty for our sins. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." I Peter 3:18 "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 3. Respond: Believe, Repent, Confess, Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior To be saved, we must believe that Jesus is Lord and believe that He died for our sins. This confession acknowledges before God that we are unable to attain righteousness on our own and that we accept His plan for our lives. "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." Acts 16:31 "Yet to all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38 "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" Luke 5:32 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 Pray this prayer with sincerity of heart "Dear God, I believe in you and that your Son, Jesus Christ, is Lord. I believe in His sacrifice for my sins and His resurrection from the dead. I repent and ask forgiveness for my sins and I'm deciding now to follow you. Please, come into my life through the gift of your Holy Spirit. It is in the Lord Jesus' name that I ask and receive, Amen." The Bible says doing these things with sincerity means you are a Christian (Christ follower) and will have eternal life in heaven. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:13 Use caution in trusting your feelings, as feelings change. Stand on God's promises- they never change. Recommended Growth Steps Pray - you talk to God "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" - Ephesians 6:8 "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." - 1 Timothy 2:8 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" - Matthew 7:7 Read your Bible - God talks to you "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" - 2 Timothy 3:16 Join a church; encourage and support other Christians "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17 Share your faith in Christ with non-Christians "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord..." - 2 Timothy 1:8 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15