God's Free Gift is Salvation and Eternal Life

What must you do to be saved?
Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

What does it mean to ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ’ and why do I need this method?
Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ means to believe the gospel of the grace of God. This is God’s power to salvation.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

What is the gospel of the Grace of God?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Why did Christ die for our sins?
- Because we are all sinners
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
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:
- What is sin?
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Have you ever transgressed or broken any of God’s laws?
- Have you ever taken God’s name in vain?
Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
- Have you ever done anything to dishonor your mother and father such as lying to them or be disobedient?
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
- Have you ever looked on a member of the opposite sex with lust?
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
- Have you ever told a lie?
Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
- Have you always put God first in your life?
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- Have you ever coveted anything that another person had or were envious that they had it and you didn’t?
Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Just as the secular legal system has punishment for breaking laws, so God has a punishment for breaking his law.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Luke 16:22-24 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

BUT

God does not want you or any other person to go to hell…
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ...because hell was not created for mankind.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

But because we have all sinned and are all worthy of this penalty, it had to be paid in order for you to obtain the salvation.
God manifested his love for you by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your sin so you would not have to suffer torment in hell or the second death. Jesus Christ was able to make the payment for your sin because he was sinless.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Not only did Jesus pay for your sins, but because of his substitutionary atonement, your sins (past, present, and future) have been forgiven.
Romans 4:7-8 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Why was Jesus raised from the dead?
Because God raised Jesus from the dead, he cannot only impute righteousness to the sinner (take the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and apply it to your record), God can actually justify the sinner since the full payment to obtain God’s perfect righteousness was made; and once justified, you can have peace with God.
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

What does all this mean?
It means God has a plan for mankind to obtain salvation from the punishment of hell and it is available to all…including YOU!
John 3:15-17 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Romans 3:22-26 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In fact, God has commanded you to repent and believe on his Son.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Do I still need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if…
- I’m a good person? – Yes. You may be a “good” person by the world’s standards, however compared to how good Jesus was, you are not a good person. Jesus Christ was sinless, so if you have sinned one time you are not good in God’s eyes.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
- I’m a religious person (been baptized, go to church, give to the poor, etc.)? – Yes!
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Is there really only one way to be saved, isn’t that kind of narrow minded?
- Yes, and yes!
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

But isn’t there some work involved? No!
John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

You CAN be saved TODAY: will you receive His gift?
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

To accept this free gift, heed the following verses…
Romans 10:8-10 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
…and pray:
“God, I know I’m a sinner. I believe that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be my substitute and pay the debt for my sins. I believe his shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection was for me. I now call upon you, Lord, to apply His payment to my account to save me from hell, forgive me of my sins, and make me just in your eyes. I gladly accept the gift of salvation and eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer with a believing heart asking the Lord to save you, He did!
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

You can be sure that now you are part of the family of God, you will always be part of the family of God and NOTHING you do or anyone else does can change this fact.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave themme, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.