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God was able to offer us Heaven as a gift because of who
Jesus was, and what He did.
So the question is, "Who is Jesus?"
Many people have different ideas about who Jesus was.
I would like to know who you think He was.
- "He was a good teacher." you say, "They say he was perfect." - "He was the son of God. He taught us how to live good lives." you reply. - "I don't beleive Jesus was a real person." you say, "He was just a good figurehead the Christians made up, a legend." - "I don't care who he was," you answer, " I'm leaving." Before you leave, I just want you to know that this is REALLY great news! God is offering Eternel Life to us free! He has gone to great expense to give us this gift, and you will not be able to get it unless you know how to RECEIVE it! If you still must go, and you don't know how to receive the gift, I am praying for you to receive it before it becomes too late and God stops offering it. - "Ok," you say, "I will stay. How do I Receive God's gift?" - "I'm leaving, but pray for me if you want to." you say. - You respond with, "I don't want to listen anymore, thanks anyway." If you would like to e-mail me to ask for prayer, or if you would like to talk about what you are reading here please e-mail me. I would be happy to talk with you or pray for anything you need. God loves you, and so do I. - "I will email you by clicking here." you say. - "I would rather not e-mail you, you say, "thanks anyway." Jesus was much more than just a regular person. He was far more than a good moral teacher. In fact, Jesus Himself claimed to be God! And the Bible verifies His claim. I will show this proof as we go on. - "What does the Bible say about Jesus being God?" you ask. - "Ok," you say, "I don't know if I believe Jesus is God, but I will let you show me the proof you think you have." - ["I don't beleive Jesus is God." you respond.] (coming soon) - ["I don't beleive the Bible," you say, "so you can't verify his claim."] (coming soon) - "I don't care who he was," you answer, " I'm leaving." There were a lot of educated people who thought the same as you do a hundred years ago. But in the last hundred years or so we have discovered many evidences that prove that Jesus was a real person, and that what the Bible says He claimed, He actually claimed! Did you know there is more solid historical evidence for the existance of Jesus, than there is for the existance of Abraham Loncoln? I can give you the evidence. If you don't believe me, ask. If you will accept that He did live on this earth 2000 years ago, Can I tell you who the Bible says He is? - "What evidence?" you ask. "I don't believe you." - "If He was real, he was only a regular person." you say. - "Ok, Who does the Bible say He was?" you inquire. - ["I don't believe the Bible is true." you answer.] (coming soon) - "I don't care who he was, I'm leaving." you say. Among the evidence for the Historical Jesus is the fact that all of the New Testiment was written within 60 years of His death. Do you think I could make up a leader for myself who I say died 40 years ago by public execution, and Not have people find proof that I made him up? Or there is the evidence that He is mentioned by nonChristian historians like Josephus, a first century Jewish Historian. Or like one noted historian scolar said, "It would take God to create a fictional person like Jesus" Here is a list of books you can read that are either copies of documents written at the time of Jesus, or reference those documents. Also included in this list are books by current scolars and researchers about the Bible and Jesus. - "Ok," you ask, "Who does the Bible say He was?" - "I don't believe the Bible is true." you answer.] (coming soon) - "I don't care who he was, I'm leaving." you say. The Bible actually says Jesus IS God! He was so entirely man that it was like He was not God, and so completely God that it was as if He was not man at all. He is the infinite God-Man. From the Old Testiment we have hundreds of prophesies attesting to this, and from Jesus Himself, as well as the rest of the new testiment it says He IS God! word WAS God. .... The word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1,14 - "Ok, What does the Bible say He did?" you ask. - ["What evidence do you have that Jesus IS God?" you reply.] (coming soon) - "I don't care what he did," you say, " I'm leaving." "What did HE do?" HE died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins and to purchase for us a place in heaven! He sacrificed Himself in our place. (the Father) has laid on HIM (Jesus Christ) the iniquities of us all" - Isaiah 53:6 You see, God created us to be in a relationship with Him. Fold your hands together. This is how He intended it to be. God is one hand and you are another; folded together and close. Now grab a book and hold it in one hand. That hand is you with all the things you have done wrong. Now try to fold your hands with the book still in your hand. You can't do it! So God, out of Love for us, took the book that each of us have made and laid it upon Jesus as He suffered and died on that cross. Jesus paid for our wrong to take it away. So we will not have to pay for it when we die! Now take the book out of your hand. Do you think you could fold your hands again? God did this so that we can be close with Him again. When God took the book away, He didn't yet restore the relationship with us. There is something WE have to do. Do you know what we have to do? - "We have to fold our hands again." you wisely suggest. We have to fold our hands together again. Now, Jesus has taken the 'book' away from all people. But this does not mean that all people will go to Heaven. When someone gives you a gift, you must open it! The 'Book' is gone, now we have to reach out and grab hold of God's 'hand'. God has already given the gift to everyone who has ever lived, but only those who know how to receive it will get into Heaven. So, How do we receive the gift of eternal life from God? This gift is received by faith. - "What is Faith," you ask, "according to the Bible?" - "I have heard enough," you say, "I don't want any gift that God has for me. I'm leaving." Faith is the key to Heaven. Just like the many keys on a key ring, there are several different kinds of faith. And also like the keys on my key ring, only ONE will open the door to my house. It is the same with faith, only one faith, saving faith , will open the gates of Heaven for you. There are 2 things that people often confuse with saving faith, these are intellectual assent, and temporary (temporal) faith. Intellectual Assent Many people believe that Jesus existed in the same way they believe George Washington or Shakespeare existed. They acknowledge the fact that HE actually lived. They believe God exists. Even Satan has intellectual faith. This is a part of saving faith but knowledge of the facts will not save you. believe and tremble!" James 2:19 Temporal Faith This involves trusting Jesus for finances, health, education, family problems, etc... The one thing all of these things has in common is that they are temporary. When those troubles are over, so is the faith. It is good to trust God for those things, but it is not good enough in and of itself to get us into Heaven. It is not saving faith. - "What is Saving Faith?" you ask. Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our eternal life. Here is an example of what it means to have saving faith. Imagine I am sitting in a chair. I am trusting it to hold me up. Now say there is another chair that will represent Jesus . I can believe it exists (Intellectual assent). I can even trust it to hold some things up, like my wallet (financial needs), eye glasses (physical health), or keys (travel safety). Those would be temporary faith because when I no longer needed help from God for those things, I would pick them up and not trust the chair for them anymore. Now what would it take to trust the chair with my very life? How could I put complete trust for my eternal security into that chair? I would have to get up off the chair I am trusting with my life (me), and sit down on the chair of Jesus. Many people say, in response to the 'What would you say to God' question that I am a good person, I try to do good. Or I follow the Ten commandments, I don't steal, or I go the church. And the key word in all of that is "I". Most people are trusting 'I' (themselves) for eternal life. Saving faith is trusting Jesus Christ for what He already did on the cross to get us into Heaven. When we trust Jesus to get us into Heaven, we don't do good things to try to get in. We do good works out of gratitude. To say 'thank you' to God for what Jesus did. - "Please continue." you say. Someone once said that Faith is like the hand of a beggar reaching out to receive the gift of a king. A number of years ago this beggar reached out a pretty unworthy hand to receive it. I didn't deserve it then and I know I don't deserve it now, but I have it. By the grace of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus, because of His Love, I have it. After receiving God's gift, the rest of my life becomes a p.s. saying "Thank you, Jesus". Does this make sense to you? - "Yes," you say, "It does make sense." - "No," you answer, "It doesn't make sense. I still have questions."] (coming soon) - "I have heard enough, I'm leaving." you respond. Would you like to receive the gift of eternal life? Or would you like me to clarify what receiving eternal life means? Or have you already done this, and accepted Jesus into your life? - "Yes, I would like to receive this gift from God." you reply. - "Please clarify it for me." you ask. - "I have already accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior," you say, "But thank you for explaining to me the certainty of eternal life."] (coming soon) - "No, I would rather not accept the gift of eternal life from God." you answer.] (coming soon) Let me clarify this... What you must do to receive the gift of Eternal Life from God is this: 1) Transfer your trust from yourself to Jesus. This means that you stop relying on the good things you could do to get you into Heaven, and trust that only what Jesus did on the cross will get you in. 2) Recieve the ressurected and living Jesus Christ as your saviour. This means allowing Him to take your sins from you. And once the sins are gone, reaching out your hand to grasp His. The Bible says it like this: door, I will come into him and I will dine with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20 If this is what you want, then I can show you how to pray to receive this gift from God. - "Yes I would like to pray to receive God's gift." you say. - "I have already accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior," you say.] (coming soon) - "No, I would rather not accept the gift of eternal life from God." you answer.] (coming soon) Pray this prayer, not just saying the words, but believing them with all your heart. Telling God whay you really want. And asking to be forgiven for the sins you have in your life. Lord Jesus Christ, I need you. I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe you paid the penalty for my sins on the cross when you died, and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Please enter my life and make me the person you designed me to be. I now give you control over my life. Please forgive my sins and save me. I receive you, Jesus Christ, as my Saviour and Lord. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in you for my Eternal Life. Thank you, Jesus, for your gift. Amen After you've sincerely prayed this prayer, turn to, and read John 6:47 in your Bible. If you trust in, and follow Jesus, you DO have Eternal Life . - "What do I do now that I have God's gift?" you ask. - "Thank You," you respond, "I have to go." |
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