Sin is what separates us from a holy God (Isaiah 59:2). It has us on the path of eternal destruction (Luke 13:2-5). We all have sinned and fall short to the glory of a holy God (Romans 3:23). Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the Law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).

When people are asked if they think they are a good person, they will likely respond by saying "Yes!", but when we test ourselves to the Ten Commandments (God's moral Law. See: Exodus 20:1-17) we can clearly see that we are not good at all. We make the mistake of judging ourselves by our own standards, and not by the standards of a holy God who is completely just. Some common examples of sins we commit include using God's name in vain, sexual immorality, lust, lying, stealing, hatred, mistreating others, vanity, envy, greed, idolatry, divination etc. (Proverbs 6:16-19, Galatians 5:19-21). But we can also sin in the privacy of our own thoughts. God sees everything and His moral standard extends to our thoughts, fantasies and attitudes (Matthew 5:28; 1 John 3:15).

God is holy and righteous and the moral Law demanded payment for sin. If we would stand in court for a crime, we will be judged according to that crime. The judge won't let us free simply because we also have done some good things in our lives. Justice requiers a punishment for crimes. The same counts for sin. A holy God can not turn a blind eye on sin or He would not be just. We can not enjoy fellowship with God when we are still under the weight of our sins, guilty before a holy God. All sins are equal to God in that any and every sin will keep one out of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 21:8). We will not go to heaven by default (Matthew 5:20), neither are we children of God by default. We are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).

We are born with sin and personally choose to sin (Psalm 51:5; Ecclesiastes 7:20). Sin begins in the heart (Matthew 12:34; 15:18-19). Sin is what makes us unsaved. We will never be able to save ourselves because we're all infected and enslaved by sin (Isaiah 64:6; John 8:34; Romans 5:12). That is why we need a Savior (Romans 8:3). A holy God has to punish sin because He is just. However, God is also loving (1 John 4:16) and does not desire anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). God provided the Way for us sinners to be saved (Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 31:31-34; Galatians 3:14). A Savior who paid our ransom to free us from sin, death, and hell. His name is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb without blemish (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:14), was fully man and fully God in His identity (John 1:1; 10:30; Philippians 2:6-11). He is without sin and lived a perfect life to fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law that we fail to abide by (1 Peter 2:22). He took on the punishment you and I deserve and paid our debt on the cross (Isaiah 53:5; 1 John 2:2) and when we repent (Luke 24:46-48; Acts 17:30) and we accept Jesus Christ and believe in Him, God sees no longer our sins but sees Christ's righteousness covering us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We are dead in our sins. We are debtors with a debt we cannot pay. But God in His love and mercy made us who believe in Jesus Christ alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5), having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). Before Jesus Christ died on the cross, He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). An accounting term, meaning "paid in full". Justice was fully satisfied with payment through the blood shed by Jesus on the cross (Romans 5:8-9). That is why Scripture tells us that we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18–19).

At the cross God demonstrated that He is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25-26). Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ we will be adopted into God's family and become children of God (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; 4:5; Ephesians 1:4-5). Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again on the third day to reconcile us to God. Jesus’ victory over sin was also a victory over death. He did not remain in the grave (Luke 24:46-47). Over five hundred witnesses saw the resurrected Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ finished His work of redemption, atonement, and reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11).

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 (Romans 10:9-10). If you repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven (John 5:24). Biblical repentance involves a complete and irreversible change of mind, heart, and actions (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20). Repentance is recognizing that our sins are offensive to God (Luke 13:5). Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ without first changing your mind about your sin and about who Jesus is and what He has done (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance is necessary so that we are no longer slaves of sin but become servants of righteousness (Romans 6:17-18).

At the moment of salvation we'll receive the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-26; Acts 2:38). Only those who are born again, born of the Spirit will enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-7), have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God (Romans 8:14-17). Physical birth provides us with a sinful human nature; spiritual rebirth provides us with a new nature (Ephesians 4:24). Being born again is an act of God (Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3). All of salvation, including repentance and faith, is a result of God drawing us, opening our eyes, and changing our hearts (1 Corinthians 1:30). God's goodness is meant to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4).

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive the greatest gift of all. The salvation of our soul (1 Peter 1:8-9). We can not do anything to earn it and we do not deserve it. It is a gift of God: “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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are still under the weight of your sins, guilty before a holy God (John 3:36) and will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might (Matthew 10:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:15). God loves us so much that He provided the means for our salvation, but if we reject His gift of eternal life, we will face the eternal consequences of that decision (Matthew 25:46).

Repent and put your faith in the Biblical Jesus Christ alone. 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).

Tomorrow isn't promised. Turn to Christ today.

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