Accepting Christ as Savior

What is being a Christian like in actual experience? Just great? Harder than you thought? Confusing?

Accepting Christ as Savior

Postby Paul » Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:23 pm

A Blood Covenant with Jesus Christ

II Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God.... The Bible was written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors, with a message consistent throughout every chapter and verse. 2,000 years after its completion, the Bible is still the best selling book in history, because its message reflects the reality of life. Isaiah 40:8 — The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

The Bible indicates that evil came into existence due to a revolt in the spiritual world, a cosmic upheaval led by a high level assistant to God, Satan, Isaiah 14:12–20; Ezekiel 28:11–19; Revelation 12:1–9. Many angels allied with Satan in the rebellion, who are now demons, and who still exist as part of a highly organized, spiritual but evil empire, Matthew 12:24–26; John 8:44; Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:8,9. As part of the conflict, Satan devised a scheme against the first human beings, Adam and Eve, who represented all humanity, causing them also to rebel against God, which is known as sin, and which drastically altered all creation and the nature of life, Genesis, chp. 3.

In response to the fallen condition of humanity and the physical universe, God immediately began a plan for history, as revealed through Scripture, that would restore a remnant of people in a relationship to him and cause a rebirth of all creation, Genesis 3:15; Romans 5:12–19; 8:21–23; Revelation 12:10,11; 20:1–3; 21:1.

According to Bible prophecy, God will establish a worldwide kingdom, which will be a physical and political reality, as the crucial event to transform all history. Around 2,000 B.C., God promised a man named Abraham, that his descendants through the line of his son Isaac would form a great nation occupying the land of Israel, Genesis 12:1–9; 13:14–17; 15:1–21; 17:1–22; 22:15–18. Around 1,000 B.C., God promised the second king of Israel, David, that one of his descendants would rule from his throne an eternal kingdom, I Chronicles 17:10-14; Psalm 2:6-8; Psalm 72:1-11.

However, eventually the nation of Israel rejected God and was destroyed. And then, the people began to focus on God's promise of a future anointed king for Israel, but their prophets indicated that this king actually was the son of God, even God himself, and he came to be known as the Messiah, Isaiah 9:6,7; Daniel 7:13,14. However, the mission of the Messiah actually has two main objectives, to occur at two points in time, establishing a body of people through spiritual renewal, and setting in place a world wide political system.

God is holy, morally pure in an absolute sense, and will not tolerate the presence of sin. Adam represented all humanity in his disobedience to God. Due to Adam's sin, humankind fell into a sinful state, the whole earth became corrupted, and death became a part of existence. The fallen condition of humanity means that all people by nature reject God and are not even capable of fulfilling divine moral standards. On dying, all people deserve to go on to eternal suffering, in a spiritual realm created for punishment known as hell.

However, Bible prophecy set out that in order to create spiritually a new humanity, the Messiah at his first appearance on earth would be rejected without cause and crucified — an ancient Roman form of execution, consisting of severe beating and being nailed to a wooden cross until death, Isaiah chp. 53. Jesus Christ suffered this crucifixion as the Messiah, the only sinless man, the son of God, and God himself, to pay the penalty for the disobedience of Adam and all humanity. However, as Christ was sinless, he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, a spiritual state of eternal blessings, Matthew 27:1-28:8; Acts 1:9-11.

Yet, according to prophecy, Christ will return to the earth to set up his political kingdom and to judge everyone who has ever lived, Matthew 16:27; 24:2,30; 25:1-13, 14-30; 31-46; John 14:1-4; Revelation 1:7; chps. 19-22. Until that time, anyone who accepts in covenant with Christ his blood sacrifice as an atonement for personal sin and makes every effort to turn from violating divine moral standards will be forgiven for all wrongdoing, will become a new person in spirit, and will have eternal life in heaven and the kingdom of God to come on earth.

Everyone who denies Christ as the son of God, and God himself, will be rejected by him and condemned. Denying God and the evil which results leads to eternal separation from his presence, judgment on Christ's return, and condemnation to hell. However, God loves people so much, that he paid for their sins himself, but he requires for their salvation, that they acknowledge him and the price he paid for their sin, and that they turn from their old sinful ways and with his help try to follow his moral standards.

Relevant Verses from Scripture —

Leviticus 17:11 — For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Isaiah 6:1 — ... saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims (angels)... and one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Isaiah 53:6,11b — All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

John 3:16 — 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.

Romans 3:24,25 — Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (atonement) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Romans 5:18,19,21 — Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous... That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:16,22,28,29 — The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.... For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain until now... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Romans 10:9,10 — That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Acts 16:14 — And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Would you like to know the eternal God, your anointed savior, Jesus Christ? Say the prayer at the following link.
Prayer of Salvation

M. Paul Webb
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To print this article at home as a tract, a tri-fold brochure, go to the following link for download and instructions. Note also the tracts on critiquing Darwin and proving the Bible as the Word of God.
Salvation Tracts — You Can Print at Home
Paul
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