Consider the evil, wickedness, immorality, corruption, lawlessness, hatred, and injustice in the world. And things will not get better. This is exactly what has happened since Adam, the first man God created sinned. The Bible says, “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12).
As a result, “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13). No one should be surprised. Jesus said, “Many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:10-12).
God has provided the only way for sinful man to be forgiven of his sins. The Bible says, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Eternal life begins as soon as a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, and it continues after physical death in heaven.
Who gave for us His well-beloved Son,
The gift of gifts, all other gifts in one —
Blessed be God, our God!
—Horatius Bonar (1808-18
A Christian is someone who places his or her personal faith in Jesus Christ—God’s only Son—as their Savior. Salvation is unearned, undeserved, and cannot be bought. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. There is absolutely no other way to go to heaven.
The Bible teaches “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “In Christ” means the Christian receives a new nature because the old Adamic sinful nature a person is born with is passed away. Also, that person’s body becomes “a temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit produces holiness in a person to live a Godly life.
First Corinthians 6:19,20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” And Romans 8:16 tells us, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” This means the Holy Spirit is with us all the time to teach and guide us in the Christian way of living.
The Bible also says “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). In accordance with the Scriptures means it was definitely God’s will and in God’s plans that Christ would die for our sins.
Isaiah 53:5,6 says Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
A Christian believes that the Holy Bible (the Scriptures) is the means God uses to communicate His message of Salvation to all mankind. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
The Scriptures originated with God and not by the will of man. And God selected about 40 human authors to write the sixty-six books of the Bible. The proof of this is “that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20,21). The Scriptures are referred to as “God’s Word,“ meaning God alone is the divine author.
There are good reasons for being a Christian. It is the Lord Jesus who saves, keeps, and satisfies all who puts their faith in Him. Also, He will never leave us or forsake us. He promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). Unlike man, Jesus is trustworthy. He keeps His word. We can confidently believe what He says, and claim His promises.
Why be a Christian means being prepared to meet Jesus when He returns. He makes a promise of His personal return for Christians, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3).
No mortal man knows the hour or the day when Jesus will return. We are certain that He is coming back because He said so “I will come again and will take you to myself.”
If you are not yet a Christian, why not ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you? Jesus promised, “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37). And “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.” (Romans 10:9,10). This will be the most important decision you’ll ever make. May the Lord grant it for His name’s sake. Amen.