The central theme of the Bible's New Testament is God's love for you as an individual. This love was revealed through Christ's coming into the world and living among humankind, and through his dying on the cross and rising from the dead. By Christ's death, God offers you forgiveness for your sins, and by his resurrection, the promise of everlasting life. Christ died and rose again for the whole world, but for you to become a Christian is an individual matter. The only way to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is to accept his offer of forgiveness and everlasting life. The following Scriptures show God's part and yours. Read each verse and believe it, for it is the word of God speaking to you. GOD'S LOVE IS REVEALED 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 God loves you and all people. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. He offers you not only an abundant life here and now, but also a life that is eternal--his very own life. HUMANS ARE SINFUL All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 The saying, "Well, we are just human--nobody is perfect," is biblically sound. When we acknowledge this truth, we can see our separation from God, for he is holy. SIN HAS A PENALTY The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 To continue in sin will result in spiritual death, which is separation from God forever. The alternative is to personally receive God's free gift, which is pardon for sin and provision of life everlasting. CHRIST PAID THE PENALTY God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 You may think you must lead a "good" life and do charitable acts before God will love you. This is not true. God loves you even in your sin. He sent Christ to die in your place and to pay the penalty for your sin so that you can be reconciled to him. SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT! By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Grace means undeserved favor. God graciously offers to you what you could never do for yourself. All you need to do is receive it. Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died to provide deliverance from your sins and to give you eternal life. WE MUST RECEIVE CHRIST To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 When you receive Christ--when you accept what he has done for you--you become a child of God. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your life. Invite him in. He is waiting to be received into your life. RECEIVE CHRIST NOW You can invite Jesus Christ into your life right now by praying to God something like the following: Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died in my place to pay the penalty for my sin and that he rose from the dead. I now invite Jesus to come into my life as my Savior. Thank you for making me your child. Help me learn to please you in every part of my life. GOD'S PROMISES FROM HIS WORD Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13 By your belief in Jesus as your Savior and because of God's grace, the following has taken place in your life: your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14); you became a child of God (John 1:12); you were made an heir to all of God's blessings (Romans 8:16-17); and you received everlasting life (1 John 5:12-13)! You became a Christian the moment you received Christ. Don't trust your feelings, for they will change. Take God at his word and believe his promises. Review the Scripture passages whenever doubts arise. You should be able to say with assurance, "I have received Christ. On the authority of God's word, I have eternal life."