Ultimately, God’s Word teaches us several important things:
1. Our Sin
We are all born with a sin nature. Because of our sin, we are unable to have a relationship with God without forgiveness.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 3:23
2. God’s Gift
We can’t earn God’s forgiveness – it must be given. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice so that we could be forgiven.
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
3. Our Response
We must accept this free gift from God by believing that we are sinful, that Jesus is our Savior and committing our lives to Him.
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
4. The Result
When we put our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins, we are immediately forgiven, we are considered God’s child & our relationship with God begins.
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12