“Where Will You Be When You Get Where You Are Going?”
Part 4
For the Nonbeliever “The two choices”
If you don’t have a relationship with God, you now have one of two choices, there is a difference in knowing about God, and KNOWING HIM! The choices are:
Choice 1:
Do Nothing! You can do absolutely nothing and go on in life as always. But you have been warned.
A staggering statistic says one out of one person alive today will someday die!
There was a song in the 1980’s, “If You Die Before You Die” by Benny Hester from his Album: Perfect. And it said this:
“What does it mean, when they say, if you die before you die, then when you die you won’t die?
Can you tell me what it means? It’s not as easy as it seems. What you conclude may not agree. With what it means to me Think about it carefully
If you die before you die, then when you die you won’t die
If you die before you die, then when you die you won’t die
You probably know but think you don’t, say you’ll have but you won’t.
There’s so much here in thirteen words. Maybe it’s absurd.
Or it could be what you thought you heard.
If you die before you die, then when you die you won’t die
If you die before you die. There’s a way, there’s a way,
When you die that you won’t die
What does it mean?”
The Bible teaches that we all are going to die someday and then what.
Die to yourself and accept Christ. Before you die the physical death.
1 Corinthians 15:31 (NKJV) I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Colossians 3:10 (NKJV) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Romans 6:1,2 and 6 (NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 6:10 (NKJV) For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Then you won’t have to die the spiritual death or “The second death”.:
Revelation 2:11 (NKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ‘
Revelation 20:6 (NKJV) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:14-15 (NKJV) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 (NKJV) But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
So, one has to be Born Again!
John 3:1-6 (NKJV) There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
So, we see that if you are born twice then you die once and if you are born only once then you will most assuredly die twice.
Again, if you do nothing someday you will stand before God and face the Second Death! Or you can choose choice number 2 and accept what Christ did for you and inherit eternal life.
Choice 2:
How to Accept Jesus Christ into your Heart!
Can God Forgive Me? Yes! God can forgive any sin, and has forgiven all sin’s, past, present, and any in the future, on Calvary’s Cross. No matter how terrible—cheating, murder, lying, infidelity, gossip, theft, selfishness. All people fail and disobey God. No one measures up. In fact, the Bible says that no one can please God by good deeds. Good deeds aren’t good enough.
You just have to accept Christ as your savior.
1 John 1:8-10 (NLT2) If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
But if we confess, we are sinners, acknowledge Christ has paid for ALL our SIN’S we only die the first death and live forever.
How do we do that? Pray the Sinner’s Prayer.
The Sinner’s Prayer is a Christian name relating to any prayer of repentance, prayed by individuals who believe convicted of the presence of sin in their lives and have the desire to establish or renew a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The Sinner’s Prayer in Scripture
The Sinner’s Prayer is a prayer that is said when someone seeks to repent of their sin, accept God’s forgiveness and state their belief in the life, death, and saving resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sinner’s prayer is sometimes also known as the “salvation prayer” or “Consecration Prayer.” In scripture, there is reference to a process of repentance, faith, and salvation in the book of Romans.
The “Romans” Road to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Problem of Sin
Romans 3:10 As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
The Wages of Sin
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death…”
The Love of God
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The Free Gift of Salvation
Romans 6:23b “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Accepting the Free Gift
Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(13) For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
Millions, if not billions, have established a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through church services, friends, and family guiding them in a salvation prayer. However, it is not solely the words in a prayer that save us eternally. We are “justified by faith” in Jesus and saved by our genuine belief in Him. J.D Greerer describes it well – “It’s not the prayer that saves; it’s the repentance and faith behind the prayer that lays hold of salvation. My concern is that over-emphasizing the prayer has often (though unintentionally) obscured the primary instruments for laying hold of salvation: repentance and faith.”
Just Pray something like this in your own words from the heart.
The Sinner’s Prayer: Examples
How to Pray (Ask Jesus in your heart)
A Simple Sinner’s Prayer
Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.
I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.
You said in the bible that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.
Right now, I confess Jesus as my Lord. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Amen.
Prayer of Salvation
Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner and have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself only. I am sorry, and I repent. I accept that you forgive me.
I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life; I give it to you. From this day forward, help me to live every day for you and in a way that pleases you.
I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you. Amen.
Sinner’s Prayer for Children
Jesus – I know that you made me and want me to obey you with all my heart. I know I have disobeyed and wanted to be my own boss. I have thought and done things against your directions. For this I am sorry. I know that you gave up His (Jesus) life to save me from these sins and make me your child again. I accept your promises and ask you to please save me now and forever. Amen.
Or
All you have to do is Pray and say something like this but in your own words. “God, thank you for sending Jesus to take my place and forgiving me of my wrong doings, so please I accept that forgiveness and help me to live a better life, so He won’t have so much more to pay for, and come and live in my heart, so I can be with you in Heaven someday, Amen””.
Sinner’s Prayer from Scripture
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak
and justified when You judge.
Surely, I have been a sinner from birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me…
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow…
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
Then will I teach transgressors Your ways,
and sinners will turn back to You.”
– (Psalm 51, King David)
The Sinner’s Prayer (by Dr. Ray Pritchard)
Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith, I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer in honest faith, you will want to write down your initials with the prayer along with today’s date as a reminder that you have come to Christ in faith, trusting him as your Lord and Savior.
And please let us know through the contact page. We would love to hear from you. May God richly bless your life.
And as my Grandmother used to say.
“Live for Jesus”
