Are You Prepared to Meet the Real Jesus?
We All Have the Same Dilemma
Every human being, ethnic group, race, or gender finds themselves in this same dilemma. Therefore, there are three questions you would be wise to ask yourself and extremely prudent to answer.
One, why do I need to be saved?
Two, what does it mean for me to be saved?
Three, how am I saved?
I believe Only Jesus plus nothing not only saves you but answers these three questions.
One, you need to be saved because you have two significant problems. You are born with the sin nature of Adam—you are a sinner. You are born spiritually dead—you are separated from God. If you die a sinner spiritually dead, then you will be separated from God for eternity.
Therefore, two things must happen for you to be saved. The cause of death must be eradicated or cured, and the spiritually dead man must be brought back to spiritual life. It only stands to reason that the God who created you can save you from this state of eternal sin and death.
Two, Salvation from sin takes place in the “forgiveness of sins,” and Salvation from eternal death takes place in the “resurrection of the dead.” It is precisely what Jesus did. At the cross of Christ, the cause for death, which is sin, was forgiven. At the resurrection of Jesus, the spiritually dead were restored to spiritual life—the eternal life of Jesus.
There is nothing you can do to save yourself. Nothing rescues you from God’s wrath except Jesus. You are totally dependent on and in desperate need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ. Only Jesus was the incarnation of God--Emanual: God became man and dwelt among us.
Believe or Reject God’s Way to Salvation
Whether the first man Adam would live dependent on God or independent of God was determined by what he believed. After Adam’s sin, all humanity is born in the image and likeness of Adam (Gen 5:1, 3). You are born with a sin nature (Rom 5:12) and are spiritually dead (Eph 2:1). You are also confronted with believing the truth of God or the lie of the devil. Believing is to accept Jesus, and unbelief is to reject Him.
Three, if you don’t believe God’s “Plan of Salvation” in Jesus Christ, you will remain a slave to your sin nature and spend eternity spiritually dead separated from God. This is why you are under God’s wrath. Your fleshly nature is to sin, just like Satan’s nature is to lie. You will live in his domain and by his rules. He cannot tell the truth because it is his very nature to lie.
"You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44).
You will continue to sin because you are a sinner. So, you believe his lies and slide down the dark path from sin, to debauchery, and finally death. A death that separates you from God forever and leaves you in hell, outer darkness, or the lake of fire! Therefore, only Jesus plus nothing can save you.
Likewise, Jesus cannot lie because the truth is His very nature.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
When you believe in Jesus, you receive a new divine nature, your sins are forgiven, you have eternal life and God's wrath is removed forever.
Jesus Is Sufficient
In Jesus, Every Believer Is:
Set Free By His Truth
"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
Born Again By the Seed of His Word
"for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).
Purified From Sin By His Blood
"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
Forgiven By Jesus' Substitutionary Atonement
"But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds, we are healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him. Because He poured out His life unto death and was counted with wrongdoers; yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the wrongdoers" (Isaiah 53:5-6, 12b).
Justified By His Imputed Righteousness
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Saved On the Basis of His Grace
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds" (Titus 2: 11-14).
Reconciled to God By His Mediation
"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Eternally Secure By His Promises
"Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day" (John 6:37-39).
Only Jesus Plus Nothing Saves You!
Our emphasis is that only Jesus plus nothing can save and rescue you from God’s wrath and righteousness judgment. So why is Jesus Christ the only way to be saved from God’s wrath? Why can’t other religious leaders like Confucius, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, Allah, etc. save us? Isn’t it shallow thinking or dogmatic to say Jesus is the only way to God? Some will say this is a narrow approach and that all roads lead to God. Is that true? Are there many truths leading to your Salvation? These are good questions and need to be answered. The answer is straightforward. Jesus Christ is the only way (path, road, access) to God the Father because He is God the Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Jesus is God the Great "I Am"
"I Am" is the name God used in Exodus, Isiah, Revelation, and the gospel of John to reveal His Name.
“And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14).
“I AM” may easily escape our attention, but we should note that these are the same words and construction as Jesus used in the gospel of John and for which the Jews sought to stone Him for claiming to be God! Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God and that's why they crucified Him.
“I, I alone, Am the one who wipes out your wrongdoings for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25).
I Am in Greek is ego eimi, which is a claim to deity. When it is said twice it is for emphasis, I Am God, I Am God! In both cases, it is an emphatic statement about who God is and His uniqueness in all of existence, as the creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
The book Revelation uses the "I Am" statement often. In Revelation 1:8, 17, 18; 2:8; 21:6; & 22:13.
"I Am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. The Jewish rabbis used to say that God was the Aleph and Tov – the first and last letters in the Hebrew alphabet. It means God is over everything, there is nothing outside His sovereignty, understanding, or capacity. There is no time that exceeds His domain. He is not subject to the limitations of time, as we know it. Why, because He is God.
The key points here are that Christ is Deity and He dwells in the eternal present, and is not subject to the limitations of time, having created it as a basic aspect of the present universe, nor does He change in time.
"The Jews answered, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but blasphemy and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” (John 10:33)
Seven "I Am" Statements of Jesus
In the Gospel of John, there are seven times Jesus says, "I Am," referring that He is God and offers graces, blessings, forgiveness, and eternal life to those who believe in Him. He uses metaphors with common items to emphasize His divine nature and Godhead. Each of these “I am” proclamations furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world and to us today as born-again Christians.
1) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty" (John 6;35).
"I Am the Bread of Life." Jesus establishes a pattern that continues through John’s gospel—Jesus makes a statement about who He is, and He backs it up with something He does. In this case, Jesus states that He is the bread of life just after He had fed the 5,000 in the wilderness. At the same time, He contrasts what He can do with what Moses had done for their ancestors: “Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die”.
2) "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12).
“"I Am the light of the world." This comes right before He heals a man born blind. Jesus not only says He is the light; He proves it. Jesus’ words and actions echo Genesis 1:3, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
3) "So, Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:7-9).
"I Am the door." This “I am” statement stresses that no one can enter the kingdom of heaven by any other means than Christ Himself. Jesus’ words in this passage are couched in the imagery of a sheepfold. He is the one and only way to enter the fold. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber”.
4) “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11-15).
"I Am the Good Shepherd" portrays Jesus' great love and care. He is the One who willingly protects His flock even to the point of death. When Jesus called Himself the good shepherd, He unmistakably took for Himself one of God’s titles in the Old Testament: “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1).
5) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies" (John 11:25).
"I Am the Resurrection and the Life" was made immediately before raising Lazarus from the dead. Again, we see that Jesus’ teaching was not just empty talk; when He made a claim, He substantiated it with action. He holds “the keys of death and the grave” (Revelation 1:18). In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus showed how He can fulfill Yahweh’s promise to ancient Israel: “[God’s] dead shall live; their bodies shall rise” (Isaiah 26:19). Apart from Jesus, there is neither resurrection nor eternal life.
6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
"I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." Jesus is not merely one way among many ways to God; He is the only way. Scripture said that “The very essence of [God’s] words is truth” (Psalm 119:160), and here is Jesus proclaiming that He is the truth—confirming His identity as the Word of God. And Jesus alone is the source of life; He is the Creator and Sustainer of all life and the Giver of eternal life.
7) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:1, 5).
"I Am the True Vine." The final metaphorical “I am” statement in the Gospel of John emphasizes the sustaining power of Christ. We are the branches, and He is the vine. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it is joined in vital union with the vine, only those who are joined to Christ and receive their power from Him produce fruit in the Christian life.
Jesus is God
All others were mere men. Were they religious men, probably; wise men, possibly; men sent from God in heaven, no. Only Jesus is God.
He was not just a good man though He was.
Jesus was not just a prophet though He was.
He was not just a great teacher or Jewish Rabbi though He was.
Jesus was God before He came to earth. He was fully God and fully man while He walked on this earth. He is God right now in heaven. Therefore, Jesus says,
"I Am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’…And He laid His right hand upon me (Apostle John) saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I Am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead and, behold, I Am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades (Hell)” (Revelation 1:8,17,18).
The Exclusivity of Jesus
Peter said, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Paul said, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"(1 Timothy 2:5).
Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life, No One comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Lunatic or God?
It is why C.S. Lewis wrote the following, in his book Mere Christianity,
"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man Jesus was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool (as the Romans did), or you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon (as the Jews did), or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God (as all Christians do). But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
YOU MUST DECIDE
Is Jesus God?
Only Jesus came from Heaven. Only Jesus lived a perfect life without sin. He took all the sins of the world upon Himself. Only Jesus died on the cross for all sins, past—present —future. He descended into hell to defeat death. Only Jesus rose from the dead. He ascended back into heaven. Only Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father.
At the cross of Christ, all man’s sins were forgiven. At the resurrection of Christ, all humanity was restored to eternal life—reconciled to God. God is calling you to Himself. It is a free gift, but you must respond!
"Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 4:7). "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling (to Jews) and a rock of offense (to Gentiles), and he who believes in Jesus will not be disappointed" (Rom 9:33).
The appropriate response to the calling of God is to believe by faith in Jesus.
Do You Believe In Jesus?
Accept Jesus and Escape God's Wrath
Accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior is more than saying a prayer. The following tells you how and why!
In my personal testimony, I say all I ever taught my kids was Jesus. That only Jesus plus nothing can save you. If anyone adds anything to Jesus it is no longer the good news of Jesus Christ. Well, Jesus is all I ever teach to anyone even to this day. I can’t separate Jesus from any part of the Holy Scriptures. He is all in all. He is the manifestation of God’s grace, truth, and light. He is the manifestation of God’s love and mercy. So, this blog is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ. Believe in Jesus, and the gift of salvation and grace is yours, forever and ever and ever. Even though the following Scripture is for the Jewish nation, it also applies to every born-again Christian.
“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).
Salvation, grace, and faith are all free gifts from God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
This message is manifested to us through the works of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the gospel, the good news, and all that we will ever need for forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and godliness. Jesus is the absolute and perfect expression of the Father in heaven.
You Must Believe the Biblical Jesus!
To continue our discussion on “who is Jesus?” and why only Jesus plus nothing save you we will now consult how the Bible describes Jesus' Deity. God’s Word is clear about the essence, character, and purpose of Jesus Christ, the promised and foretold Jewish Messiah. Why do we go to the Bible? The Bible is God-breathed and given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, what does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?
This is not an exhaustive list, just enough to give you a hint of His Majesty. Jesus was God in heaven (in unity with the Trinity) who created the world. Not only did He create but He holds all things together. He is the light that dissipates the darkness. Jesus became flesh and lived among His creation (Emmanuel-God with us). He brought grace (love and mercy) and truth to a dying world. Jesus explained the radiance of God the Father and is the exact representation of His nature. He literally is the image of God. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is mankind’s salvation and eternal life. Is it any wonder that all believers live, move, and exist in Him?
Jesus Is God In Heaven
"In the beginning, was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it” (John 1: 1-5).
Jesus Is God Made Flesh
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior because He existed before me.’” For of His fullness, we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1:14-18).
Jesus Is God’s Authority
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Jesus Is the Creator of ALL Things
"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together. (Colossians 1:13-17).
Jesus Is Our Faith
"But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined to the faith that was destined to be revealed. Therefore, the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:22-26).
Jesus Is Grace
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2: 4-7).
Jesus Is Your Life
"for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ (Acts 17:28).
Jesus Is the Glory of God the Father
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-4).
Jesus Is Your Salvation
"and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31).
Jesus Is Your Eternal Life
"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
Jesus Is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity
"who are chosen. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, [a]to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you" (1 Peter 1:1b, 2).
How Are Christians Saved?
"But as many, as received Him, to them, He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
By God's Grace Alone, not of Works
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph 2: 8-9).
Through Faith in Christ Alone
"The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).
From Sin's Punishment and Power
"in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1: 8-9).
Because of God's Love and Mercy
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
On the Bases of Jesus Christ's Death and Resurrection
"Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
At the Moment of Faith
"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Throughout All Eternity
"And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:9).
Are There Steps You Can Take to Demonstrate Faith in Jesus?
Therefore, search your heart and see if God is calling you to receive His Son Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
TODAY DON'T HARDEN YOUR HEART
"Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 4:7).
REALIZE GOD LOVES YOU
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
ADMIT YOU ARE A SINNER
"For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
YOU ARE DEAD IN YOUR SIN
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
SEE YOU ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD SPIRITUALLY DEAD
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins (spiritual death), in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2).
BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR YOU
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners (unforgiven and spiritually dead), Christ died for us. Much more than, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:6,8,9).
JESUS SAVES YOU FROM SIN AND DEATH
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)
CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in justification (righteousness), and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation" (Romans 10:8-10).
CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
"For the Scripture says, whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame (disappointed). For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:8-11).
Respond to God's Call
Now is the time to respond to God’s calling. All that is necessary is to believe and have faith in Jesus the savior of the world. God is calling you to pray and be thankful. God is the only one who can save you. He does so according to His sovereign will and purposes. He calls His children to run to the living waters and drink freely. He offers Salvation as a free gift of His choosing. He is now calling you to respond to His initiation of grace and love through confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart. God the Father draws you to Jesus. Jesus sets you free from sin and death. God the Holy Spirit gives you life, eternal life. You now can by faith trust in what the Triune God has done for you. If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repeat the following prayer. All praise and glory to God Almighty!
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Dear Heavenly Father, I now see that I am a sinner, that I cannot save myself, and that I need a Savior. I repent of believing that I could be saved in any way other than Jesus (works, religion, anything). I am also spiritually dead separated from God under His wrath. I believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was God in heaven. He came to earth to identify with His creation as “Emmanuel,” God with us. Jesus was born of a virgin making Him fully human. He was conceived by God the Holy Spirit, making Him fully God. Jesus lived a perfect life, tempted in every way, yet without sin. He died on the cross as a substitute for my sins, giving me complete and total forgiveness (past, present, future). He rose from the grave, defeating death and giving me eternal life. Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for all who believe by faith in Him. And He will come again to judge the world of unbelief. I believe by faith that Jesus is my only savior and my only way to God the Father and heaven. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus’ glorious and saving name, I pray amen.
Four Kinds of Soil or Conditions of the Hearts
There is no magic in saying this prayer or any prayer of Salvation. It is only a way to confess with your mouth and demonstrate that you believe only in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. In fact, it can lead to what many call "easy believe-ism." The truth is that many say this prayer and believe they are saved but they are not. What saves you is Jesus and a personal encounter with Him. God the Father draws you to Jesus and God the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin, a need for a Savior, and convinces you that He is real, and the ONLY way, truth, and life. This is a born-again and regenerated experience.
So how are people who say a prayer, thinking they are sincere, aren't? I believe the Parable of the Sower is the answer. It's all about hearing God's Word and believing by faith from the heart. "For with the heart, a person believes" (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) in Jesus resulting in righteousness, justification, and Salvation.
In the Parable of the Sower Jesus reveals four ways we hear God's Word and four ways it is lived out by the depths of one's believing or unbelieving heart. To summarize the point of the Parable of the Sower is that your belief and reception of God’s Word is determined by the condition of your heart.
“Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately because they had no depth of soil. But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much. The one who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:3-9).
Now Jesus explains the parable.
“Listen then to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much” (Matthew 13:18-23).
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance" (Luke 8:15).
Therefore, Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower highlights four different responses to the gospel. The seed is “the word of the kingdom.”
The hard ground represents someone whose heart is hardened by sin; he hears but does not understand the Word, and Satan plucks the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression.
The stony ground pictures a man who professes delight with the Word; however, his heart is not changed, and when trouble arises, his so-called faith quickly disappears.
The thorny ground depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; the things of this world take his time and attention away from the Word, and he ends up having no time for it.
The good ground portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word—and then allows the Word to accomplish its result in his life. The man represented by the “good ground” is the only one of the four who is truly saved, because salvation’s proof is fruit (Matthew 3:7-8, 7:15-20).
Simply put, your heart determines what and how you believe by faith. The bad grounds are where the heart is hardened by sin, and Satan plucks away the message of the word. Also, the heart is not changed, and faith disappears quickly. The heart is distracted from the world by riches, pleasures, and lusts and steals our time and attention. It is where the heart is dull preventing the Word from making an impression. The only hearts that hear, understand, and receive the Word are truly saved that bear fruit.
What Happens When You Are Saved?
It's important to examine your heart and understand that there are no formulas or shortcuts to Salvation. You must believe in Jesus Christ by faith. He is the object of and reason for your faith. When this happens and only God knows the following transformation will take place. The following are just a few changes that take place when you truly believe and are born again.
You will be born again and regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will immediately reside in you.
All your sins past, present, and future are forgiven.
You are justified, the righteousness of God is imputed to you.
You are spiritually and eternally alive in Christ Jesus.
Jesus lives in you, and you live in Christ.
There is no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus.
You will live forever in the presence of the Holy Trinity.
Nothing can separate you from the love of God.
Prayer of Thanks
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your “great love” and that you are “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), to me and all who love you. “Because of Your great love (loving-kindness, mercies) I am not consumed, for Your compassion will never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” Lord unto me (Lam 3:22, 23). Father God, it is of great comfort to me that Your plans for me are “plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future” (Jer 29:11), that when I am faithless You remain faithful (2 Tim 2:11), and that nothing can separate me from Your love (Rom. 8:39). I ask right now Father that “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10) in my new life. That you would open my eyes and that I might see the Salvation of the Lord in my daily walk. Thank You, Father, for saving me from my sins and giving me eternal life in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. I pray in Jesus’ loving and saving name. Amen.
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