Jesus Christ once said, “You are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
Ask yourself this question: “Am I perfect?” That is the mark you must hit if you hope to ever go to heaven.
If you are honest, your answer is, “No, I am not perfect.” Everyone’s answer is “No” because no one is perfect except God, and that is why the Bible says that you are a sinner.
The word that the Bible uses for sin is the Greek word “harmatia,” which means to miss the mark. Try as hard as you may, you will never be perfect; you will always miss the mark. That is why the Bible says “There is none righteous, no, not one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10 & 23).
What is the problem with sin? “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Death involves more than just physical death; it involves spiritual death as well. You are born physically alive, but you are born spiritually dead. You are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). If you die physically while you are still dead spiritually, you will be lost for all eternity.
Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:3). He was talking to someone who was physically alive but spiritually dead about being born spiritually. Just after Jesus said you must be born again He told you how this can be accomplished: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
If you honestly acknowledge that you are a sinner and you accept the promise that Jesus Christ died for your sins, you have a decision to make. Either you must reject Jesus and remain spiritually dead, or you must receive Jesus and be born again.
How do you receive Jesus? Salvation is by God’s grace; it is a gift. Like any gift, you simply take it! Jesus invites you to “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me… for My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
His invitation to receive salvation is clear. You must come to Jesus by faith. All that remains is your response. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Jesus is saying to you, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Jesus is standing at the door of your heart knocking. Won’t you invite Him in? Pray a prayer like this one: “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. I know I am a sinner. I believe you died on the cross for my sins, and that you rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me.
Fill me with your Holy Spirit and cause me to be born again. Amen.”
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