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What do you think it takes for someone to get to heaven? Is it luck? Good deeds? Nothing at
all? Or is there something more? The Bible has the real answer to this question. It's a matter of FAITH.
F stands for FORGIVENESS. We cannot have eternal life without God's forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7a
says, "In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."
A is for AVAILABLE. Forgiveness is available for all. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the
world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." But forgiveness
is not automatic. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven," says Matthew 7:21a.
I is for IMPOSSIBLE. It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven because of who He is
and because of who we are. God is loving and just, but His judgment is against sin. James 2:13a says, "Because judgment
without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." We are sinful people. Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
T is for TURN. To turn means to repent. We can repent -- or turn -- from our sin and from ourselves.
"But unless you repent, you too will all perish," Luke 13:3b says. We can also turn to Someone. Trust Christ alone. Romans
10:9 tells us how: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved."
H is for HEAVEN. Heaven is eternal life. Here, that means life "to the full:" "I have come that
they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b)." In the hereafter, it means the promise of heaven: "And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:3)."
So how can a person have God's forgiveness, heaven and eternal life, and Jesus as personal Savior
and Lord? By trusting in Christ and asking Him for forgiveness. Take the step of faith described by another meaning of
FAITH: Forsaking All I Trust Him.
You do this through a simple prayer reflecting your desire for Christ to change your life. You don't
need fancy words--only an honest heart. You can pray something like this:
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my
sin, and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come
into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank you, Lord
Jesus, for saving me. Amen.
Accepting Christ is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure with God! Get to know Him better in
a number of ways:
- Follow Christ's example in baptism.
- Join a church where you can worship God and grow in your faith.
- In your church, get involved in Sunday School and Bible study.
- Begin a daily personal worship experience with God where you study the Bible and pray.
We’d love to hear from you -- Please feel free to ask us any questions you have about becoming
a Christian, or tell us about your decision to follow Jesus Christ. You can email us at faith@holmesoilcompany.com .
If you are not ready to contact us now, you may enjoy viewing this presentation of Jesus Christ's Influence.
http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/plan/start.htm
Joining a local body of believers is one of the most important decisions you make after becoming
a Christian. We would love to have you visit us at The Church at Ross Station. For more info on The Church at Ross
Station visit http://www.rossstation.org , o | 
