“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” – Rom. 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Rom. 6:23
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” . . . “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” – Rev. 20:12, 15
Sin is a word that is found often in the Bible and is associated with evil. Sin is an evil principal that infects and corrupts human nature. Sin makes it easy for people to think evil (sinful) thoughts and do evil things (commit sins). Sin causes people to live their lives with little or no regard for GOD and the teachings of the Bible. But God has made it known in the Bible that there will be a Final Judgment for all those who embrace sin. At that time they will receive the wages of their sins, which will be eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire. The Bible calls this damnation the second death. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). All those, whose sins were not forgiven by God, will then be paid their wages in full retributive wrath from God Almighty, and those wages will be paid out forever! Reader, what a fearful time that will be if you die in your sins!
People die in their sins every day and go into a hopeless eternity, but you don’t have to be one of them! While God will not force you to turn away from your sins and turn to Him for forgiveness, He does warn you of the dangers of sin in His Word, the Holy Bible. He can also warn you through the operation of His Spirit, the HOLY SPIRIT, on your heart and mind (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins. He will help you understand how evil sin really is. Pay attention to His voice when He speaks to your heart and mind, for He can be offended by your unwillingness to listen to His warnings and withdraw his work of conviction from you (Isa. 63:10; 1 Thess. 5:19). The Holy Spirit will not only convict you of sin, He will also help you find forgiveness for your sins through the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
This would be a hopeless world if God had just left us alone in our sins, but He made deliverance from sin’s destructive power and its eternal punishment possible. “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). Reader, God loves you, no matter who you are! He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die a sacrificial death for your sins!
The Bible says that Jesus was “wounded for our (your) transgressions” and “bruised for our (your) iniquities” (Isa 53:5). Jesus took the punishment that you deserve, for all your sins; His blood completely atoned for them. Your sins can now be forgiven through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, and you can receive eternal life instead of eternal damnation (John 5:24; 6:47). God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit will live in you and give you new, spiritual life. There is no other way that God will forgive your sins, but through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Rom. 5:8). The Bible says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7). You are choosing eternal damnation if you refuse God’s offer of forgiveness! Your sins can be forgiven now.
Confess to God that you are in need of His forgiveness. Tell Him that you want to turn away from your sins and surrender your life to Him. (You must really mean this.) Ask Him in the Name of Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and believe that He will forgive them. You will be born again of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual birth. Jesus said to someone seeking truth, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). NOTE: You should be baptized with water after God has forgiven you as a testimony to your repentance and new life in Jesus. Jesus told His followers, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Mt. 28:19).
Be separate from the world and avoid sin like the plague, and, by God’s grace, you will be a holy and fruitful Christian. “Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:22-24). Read the Bible, pray, and attend church, to prevent backsliding.
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