The Christian life
Many people who visit our office or website realize that we embrace the Christian Faith and run our business according to the Golden Rule. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon for friends or patients to wonder or even ask, “What is it that gives you such peace of mind and happiness in life?” It is for this reason that I would like to answer this question for you.
There is more to living the Christian life than following the Golden Rule which says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. The Christian life isn’t a religion of do’s and don’ts. It is about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and honoring Him in all we do and say. It is about discovering our purpose in life along with gaining courage to face life’s battles. Most importantly, it is about victorious living and enjoying God and His family forever.
Therefore, the real question is:
“Do you know with 100% certainty, that if you died today, you would go to heaven?
The question is not: do you go to church, or are you a good person? The question is: Do you know, without a doubt, 100% for sure, that you will go to heaven when you die? The simple truth is this; it doesn’t matter how well we follow the principles of Christianity and the Golden Rule when we die. God says that Salvation is a Gift to receive, not one to be worked out by our good behavior, church membership, or some special favor we offer to God.
If it were possible to be absolutely sure that all of your sins against God are forgiven and that you could be sure of going to heaven when you die; would that be a conversation you would want to have? If yes, then read on…
Warning: What I am about to show you may be something you never thought possible before today and something that could change your life forever!
Why Do I Need To Be Saved?
We all are born with a nature to sin. Committing a sin is simply missing God’s requirement of perfect holiness. The 10 Commandments give us the 10 core areas where we all have sinned. The Bible also says, “There is none righteous, no, not one”, Romans 3:10. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23. This means that no one does everything right and we all come up short meeting God’s requirement of “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy”, Lev. 19:2. In other words, no one is perfect, right?
If we want to go to heaven when we die we must accept personal responsibility for our thoughts, words, and actions, along with admitting we need God’s help. Having sexual thoughts about someone other than our spouse is sin, and failure to do what God wants us to do is sin. The church in America has made sin a minor “shortcoming” with no real consequence. However, it is most important for all of us to first admit our guilt of sin, because sin has very serious, potentially eternal consequences. My pastor says, “we can choose our sin, but we can’t choose the consequences”.
What Is The Consequence Of My Sin?
Romans 6:23 of the New Testament says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Death and Life are mentioned in this Bible verse and both of these speak of eternal existence. There is eternal existence in death, which is eternal suffering for sin apart from God and the other is eternal life in Heaven through forgiveness, as a gift of God. Consider these two eternal destinations a little further:
• The first part of this verse speaks of death as the consequence of sin. This death is not the death of the body. God said to Adam, “the day you eat of it you shall surely die”, Genesis 2:17. Adam sinned but his body didn’t die that day. In fact, he lived for many more years; however, the connection from his spirit to God’s Spirit did die that day. Adam could no longer hear God in his spirit; therefore, God had to speak to him through his ears with words, to give him the message of salvation. It is equally true today that sin causes our separation from God and God uses words to reach us with His message of forgiveness and salvation. The ultimate separation from God is in the Lake of Fire where there is total isolation and eternal pain, with no one remembering that you are in a place of torment.
• The second part of this verse mentions God’s “gift” of Eternal Life. It is for this reason that Jesus said in John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (to die in our place), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Again, the Bible says “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”, Romans 5:8. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”, I Peter 3:9.
Read these verses again. Is it clear that God loves each one of us and doesn’t want anyone to experience eternal punishment? In order to save us, God sent Jesus to live a perfect life and take our punishment for sin. It was God’s Love for us that moved Him to require the death of His perfect son in our place. Amazingly, Jesus’ life was not taken from Him; rather He gladly laid down His life out of perfect love. Yes, Jesus lived the perfect life and then willingly became the perfect sacrifice for everyone who would receive His love.
God Has A Plan To Overcome The Sin Problem!
If a person understands and acknowledges that he is a sinner, and he hears the truth that Christ died in his place on the cross, then he must make a decision. Either he will reject God’s gift of salvation and receive the consequences of sin, or he will accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and begin a new life. What must a person do to accept this gift? Simply receive Jesus into your heart by faith! The Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:12. “Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ And You Will Be Saved, You And Your Family.” Acts 16:31
What must we do in order to be saved?
His invitation is clear. Come to Him and receive God’s gift of salvation by faith! It says in the book of Revelation 3:20, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.” In the same way, Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks, seeking entrance into your life. The Prophet Isaiah says, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus is ready to accept you “as you are” if you will receive Him as He is, the Savior and Lord of your life. Do you want God’s forgiveness and the gift of Eternal Life?
How do I receive Him?
Pray this prayer of faith from your heart and trust Him to forgive all of your sins and make you a new person. Your prayer should be something like this: “LORD JESUS I know that I am a sinner and I admit it. I am ashamed and I am sorry for my wrong behavior and ask you to forgive me for my sinfulness and save my soul from eternal punishment. I accept the Bible’s message that You, and You alone, died for me to pay the price for my sins. I should be punished for my sin but I am asking for your love, mercy, and forgiveness instead. I am grateful that you are offering this gift to me so freely. Thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and saving me. I believe you have entered my life and now I am your child. Please make me the person that You want me to become, and use me for Your glory. I pray this in the name of Jesus.”
Now claim the promise of Romans 10:9,10 “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 one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
If you just prayed this prayer and really meant it, Jesus Christ has now taken residence in your heart! Not only that, but He has forgiven you of all your sin. The Bible tells us, “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. God also promises, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions (Sins) from us” Psalms 103:12.
What is next now that I am saved?
Now that you have become a Christian believer, what do you do next? Here are some things that can help you as you increase your knowledge of and your love for our Lord Jesus Christ:
1) Read Your Bible. If you don’t have one, please get one. Many churches give them away for free or just buy one. There are Bibles available at www.christianbook.com. My suggestion is to start in the New Testament and read the Gospel of John. Satan will try to discourage you and stop you from reading and understanding the Bible. It is important for you to learn about God in order to understand His ways which will be a foundational pillar to your new faith. Jesus said, “Learn of me…” – we accomplish this by reading and memorizing Scripture.
2) Talk to God. Prayer is our communication with God and is the second foundational pillar necessary to growth in your faith. Our Heavenly Father wants you to speak to Him daily. The scripture says, “pray without ceasing”. Praise Him in your prayers, pray for your friends, family, those that don’t know Jesus, your leaders, and even your enemies! The Lord wants us to “cast our cares” on Him – when you are having trouble, talk to the Lord and read your Bible. If you truly know God, you will want to talk with God and He will talk with you. It is truly a supernatural relationship of perfect love.
3) Find a Church Home. The third foundational pillar is a Church Family. Join a Church that believes, teaches, and follows the Bible. God wants us to be actively involved in a church (others who believe in Jesus Christ) where there is Godly friendship and fellowship. We will be spending eternity with others who have believed and trusted in Him, so let’s get acquainted now. Guard yourself from individuals and personalities who would hinder you from attending church, but rather go to church to learn about Jesus, worship Him, and be in His service. Keep in mind that some Christians have grown more than others, so find a mature Christian to help you grow and mature in your new faith.
After we have been “born from above”, Scripture tells us that we are to seek holiness by following the Lord’s words and commandments. Jesus’ commandments are found in the New Testament, and if we love Him, we will obey Him. The first commandment He gives is twofold: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength (2) and love your neighbor as yourself. The Lord Jesus taught much on this in the Bible.
The next commandment is for you to be baptized. “Those who gladly received his word were baptized…” The God who created the world created you also and saved you. He has a plan for your life and you will need to seek Him to discover your destiny. Continue to read, memorize God’s commandments throughout the Bible, and follow them. You will be amazed how God will enable you to grow in the strength of the Christian life; furthermore, you will find and fulfill His awesome plan for you.
Once you have made this personal decision to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, please contact me and let me share in your excitement and new faith. Please tell other people as well, especially those who do not know Christ Jesus as Lord, and get ready to see life from a new perspective. Also, be prepared for a major spiritual battle. Arm yourself as outlined is Ephesians 6: 10-18.
God bless you in your new life, and I look forward to seeing you in the sky one glorious day.
Thank you,
Noel Fuller
Office (803) 324-2919
Toll Free (800) 324-4898
“Now then, we are Ambassadors for Christ… For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”. (2 Corinthians 5:20,21)
