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The Path To Eternal Life
12Now we (A)have received, not the spirit of (B)the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things
freely given to us by God,
13which things we also speak, (C)not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual
thoughts with spiritual words.
14But a (D)natural man (E)does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are (F)foolishness to him; and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)
In the above scriptural reference, the Apostle Paul made it clear that God reveals himself through His Son Jesus Christ -
and followers of Christ have (or at least should have) a fundamental understanding of “spiritual thoughts and words”.
If you have arrived at this blog and you have not accepted Christ as your Savior in repentance of your sins, then I humbly
ask that you read the entire article below:
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The Bible presents a clear path to eternal life. First, we must recognize that we have sinned against God: “For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We have all done things that are displeasing to God,
which makes us deserving of punishment. Since all our sins are ultimately against an eternal God, only an eternal punishment
is sufficient. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”
(Romans 6:23).
However, Jesus Christ, the sinless (1 Peter 2:22), eternal Son of God became a man (John 1:1,14) and died to pay our penalty.
“God demonstrates His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus
Christ died on the cross (John 19:31-42), taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). Three days later He
rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving His victory over sin and death. “In His great mercy He has given
us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
By faith, we must change our mindset regarding Christ - who He is, what He did, and why - for salvation (Acts 3:19). If we
place our faith in Him, trusting His death on the cross to pay for our sins, we will be forgiven and receive the promise of
eternal life in heaven. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in
Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Faith alone in the finished
work of Christ on the cross is the only true path to eternal life! “For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith - and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer
will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God
your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation.
“God, I know that I have sinned against you and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve
so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace
and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!”
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***ST NOTE*** That prayer is “OK”, but I sincerely believe that you must (1) acknowledge your sin-state [recognize
that you are a sinner who deserves eternal damnation apart from the blood of Jesus Christ], (2) acknowledge your belief that
Jesus is the Son of God [sent as flesh & blood into the world to save the lost, that He died, was buried, and rose again -
and sits at the right hand of God interceding on your behalf]. (3) repent of your former sins [ask for God's forgiveness and
commit to turning away from your old lifestyle], (4) accept God’s gift of salvation [and believe that you've "turned
the page" on your old lifestyle, never to return again].
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Congratulations! You have made a life-changing decision! Perhaps you are asking, “Now what? How do I begin my journey
with God?” The five steps mentioned below will give you direction from the Bible. When you have questions on your journey,
please visit www.GotQuestions.org.
1. Make sure you understand salvation.
1 John 5:13 tells us, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that
you have eternal life.” God wants us to understand salvation. God wants us to have the confidence of knowing for sure
that we are saved. Briefly, let’s go over the key points of salvation:
* We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God (Romans 3:23).
* Because of our sin, we deserve to be punished with eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23).
* Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died in our place, taking
the punishment that we deserved. His resurrection proved that Jesus’ death was sufficient to pay for our sins.
* God grants forgiveness and salvation to all those who place their faith in Jesus – trusting His death as the payment
for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1).
That is the message of salvation! If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are saved! All of your
sins are forgiven, and God promises to never leave you or forsake you (Romans 8:38-39; Matthew 28:20). Remember, your salvation
is secure in Jesus Christ (John 10:28-29). If you are trusting in Jesus alone as your Savior, you can have confidence that
you will spend eternity with God in heaven!
2. Find a good church that teaches the Bible.
Don’t think of the church as a building. The church is the people. It is very important that believers in Jesus Christ
fellowship with one another. That is one of the primary purposes of the church. Now that you have placed your faith in Jesus
Christ, we strongly encourage you to find a Bible-believing church in your area and speak to the pastor. Let him know about
your new faith in Jesus Christ.
A second purpose of the church is to teach the Bible. You can learn how to apply God’s instructions to your life. Understanding
the Bible is key to living a successful and powerful Christian life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.”
A third purpose of the church is worship. Worship is thanking God for all He has done! God has saved us. God loves us. God
provides for us. God guides and directs us. How could we not thank Him? God is holy, righteous, loving, merciful, and full
of grace. Revelation 4:11 declares, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you
created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
3. Set aside time each day to focus on God.
It is very important for us to spend time each day focusing on God. Some people call this a “quiet time.” Others
call it “devotions,” because it is a time when we devote ourselves to God. Some prefer to set aside time in the
mornings, while others prefer the evenings. It does not matter what you call this time or when you do it. What matters is
that you regularly spend time with God. What events make up our time with God?
* Prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. Talk to God about your concerns and problems. Ask God to give you wisdom and
guidance. Ask God to provide for your needs. Tell God how much you love Him and how much you appreciate all He does for you.
That is what prayer is all about.
* Bible Reading. In addition to being taught the Bible in church, Sunday School, and/or Bible studies – you need
to be reading the Bible for yourself. The Bible contains everything you need to know in order to live a successful Christian
life. It contains God’s guidance for how to make wise decisions, how to know God’s will, how to minister to others,
and how to grow spiritually. The Bible is God’s Word to us. The Bible is essentially God’s instruction manual
for how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him and satisfying to us.
4. Develop relationships with people who can help you spiritually.
1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” The Bible
is full of warnings about the influence “bad” people can have on us. Spending time with those who engage in sinful
activities will cause us to be tempted by those activities. The character of those we are around will “rub off”
on us. That is why it is so important to surround ourselves with other people who love the Lord and are committed to Him.
Try to find a friend or two, perhaps from your church, who can help you and encourage you (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24). Ask your
friends to keep you accountable in regard to your quiet time, your activities, and your walk with God. Ask if you can do the
same for them. This does not mean you have to give up all your friends who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Continue
to be their friend and love them. Simply let them know that Jesus has changed your life and you cannot do all the same things
you used to do. Ask God to give you opportunities to share Jesus with your friends.
5. Be baptized.
Many people have a misunderstanding of baptism. The word “baptize” means to immerse in water. Baptism is the Biblical
way of publicly proclaiming your new faith in Christ and your commitment to follow Him. The action of being immersed in the
water illustrates being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection. Being
baptized is identifying yourself with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism is not what saves you. Baptism does not wash away your sins. Baptism is simply a step of obedience, a public proclamation
of your faith in Christ alone for salvation. Baptism is important because it is a step of obedience – publicly declaring
faith in Christ and your commitment to Him. If you are ready to be baptized, you should speak with a pastor.
***Courtesy of GotQuestions.org***
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