Are you experiencing God's grace? God's grace was made possible through His Son, Jesus. Let's take a closer look at the word GRACE.
G stands for God.
God is the creator of all things, therefore, He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).
God loved us so much that He created human beings as the crowing jewel of His creation. We were created in the image of God Himself! "So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female" (Genesis 1:27).
R stands for Rebellion.
After God created the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), they willfully chose to rebel against God's directions. Through them, sin entered into the world. "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).
Clearly, all of us fall far short of living up to God's perfect image. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Because sin separates us from God, the consequences are tragic. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
A stands for Atonement.
Yet, God provided a way to overcome the separation. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus into the world to be our atonement. Atonement means "to repair a broken relationship." "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
C stands for Conversion.
Jesus died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but to receive his sacrificial gift, we must trust him alone for salvation. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
In addition to believing in Jesus, we must turn from our sins (repent) and make him the top priority of our lives by living obediently to his commands. "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will perish as well" (Luke 13:3). "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15).
God offers the gift of salvation (GRACE) to those who ask for forgiveness, believing (faith) that Christ can save them. "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift-not from works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
E stands for Eternal Life.
The gift of salvation leads to eternal life, which means that we will live forever in a place called heaven with God. "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24).
Tragically, for those who do not believe in Jesus, the consequences are devastating. "The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12).
Are you ready to follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord?
If so, then you must repent of your sins and place your faith in Jesus alone. You must believe that He lived, died, and rose again for your salvation. You must commit your life to Him as your Savior and Lord. If you are ready, then trust in Him right now.
Go to God in prayer.
Praying is simply talking to God. Admit to God that you are a sinner, and that you need Him to forgive you. Ask Him to have mercy on you and to extend His saving grace to you. Thank Him for sending Jesus to your penalty on the cross. Thank Him for raising Jesus from the dead, so you might have eternal life. Tell Him that you are making Christ the top priority in your life. Ask Him to help you turn from your sins, and to fill you with the Holy Spirit of Christ, so that your life will bring glory and honor to Him.
The next step.
As soon as possible, locate a church that glorifies Jesus and teaches the Bible, and share with the pastor that you have accepted Jesus as your Savior. Ask the pastor to explain baptism to you, and then follow up by being baptized. If you have any questions, you can contact our church office for further guidance.
This information was adapted from Experiencing God's Grace, a publication of The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Scripture taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 2004.
