Now that you have heard the bad news then the good news (Gospel) and you fully understand it, it’s now time for a response on your part!
It will either be a
Yes: you want to respond to be saved, and receive God’s gift(s)
Or a
No: you do not want to respond to be saved (thus rejecting Jesus’s offer to you and you are going to face God’s wrath)
There is no third option to be mutual! Either yes or no!
But be warned!
Since you didn’t know this information before, from this point on you have now been warned and once you have been warned and understand the situation your in, your decision to what you do based off of what you have heard WILL BE ACCOUND FOR NOW ON!
It’s in fact like Jesus himself was writing all this and warning you himself!
Hebrews 12:25
“…If they (the people Jesus warned on Earth) did not escape (the punishment of sin: HELL!) when they refused him (Jesus) who warned them on earth, how much less will we (people who hear this message right now [which is you!] why he is in heaven by pastors or Christians etc.), if we turn away from him (reject Jesus) who warns us from heaven?”
So you want to carefully decided what you are going to do in response to this, it will be counted if you reject this message and you will NOT be forgiven and face punishment and ultimately Hell!
Why it is still your choice, there is a correct response: the right answer here is to RESPOND TO JESUS!
The Bible commands those who have heard to NOT REJECT the offer!
Hebrews 12:25
“See to it (make sure) that you do not refuse him (Jesus) who speaks.”
The Bible (and I) plead with you be made right with God! Choose to respond!
2 Corinthians 5:20
“We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
Also if you are going to respond:
DON'T WAIT TO DO THIS! DON’T WAIT A WEEK FROM NOW! DON’T EVEN WAIT TO TOMMROW! DO THIS TODAY, RIGHT NOW!
Today is the day of your salvation! Today is the day God’s favor is on you for letting you hear this in your life!
2 Corinthians 6:2
“For he (God) says
(Isaiah 49:8)
‘in the time of my favor heard you, and in the day of my salvation I helped you.’
“I tell you (YOU listening right now!), now is the time of God’s favor (On your life), now is the day of (your) salvation.”
You’ve heard this message today and today God is calling you to get saved and receive his gifts! Don’t wait to do this; it’s THAT serious! Because if you wait to do this later, you don’t know if you will have a later to respond! You could die BEFORE getting right with God and you will risk the punishment for your sins (Hell)! Don’t delay God’s call! Because you don’t know how long you will have to respond!
This IS the MOST important decision IN YOUR LIFE!
Your response you choose to give will be the most important decision of your life! Because this one decision will decide if you will be forgiven and live eternally or be condemned to die in hell!!! This one decision will dictate the rest of your major (and minor) life decisions. They will be characterized by this one decision!!!
What other choice in life is as important is this?!?
You are probably wondering
“So just tell me already!”
So, what do you have to do to receive Jesus's sacrifice in order to be saved?
The same question was asked almost 2,000 years ago by a Roman Jailer to Apostles of Christ:
Acts 16:30-31
“He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’
They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus,’…”
So, there you have it! In order to be saved you need to believe in Jesus!
Jesus says himself in the most famous bible verse: when you believe in him you will be saved!
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him (Jesus) will not perish (be condemned to hell) but have eternal life (be forgiven: saved from punishment!).”
John 6:47 Jesus says once again:
“Truly, truly, (this is the ultimate truth) I say to you, whoever believes(in Jesus) has eternal life (is saved!).”
Mark 16:16 also in
“He who believes …will be saved; …”
And John 6:40
“…everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him will have eternal life,…”
As well as John 3:36
“…Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,…”
Romans 10:9-13
“ If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved(you will be forgiven and not punished!).”
As Scripture says:
(Isaiah 28:16 Paul paraphrasing)
‘Anyone who believes in him (Jesus) will never be put to shame (be judged).’
…
For:
(Joel 2:32)
‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved.’ “
You need to believe Jesus is who he says he is and ask him to save you from punishment, and that will lead to your salvation!
You are saved because you receive forgiveness of your sins through believing in Jesus:
Acts 10:43
“…everyone who believes in him (Jesus) receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Of course, along with believing this you must believe God is real and he exists!
Hebrews 11:6
“…without faith (belief) it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists.”
And also believing in the Good news (Gospel) as well as the bad news that you just heard:
Mark 1:15 Jesus said
“…believe in the gospel.”
So Believe that the God of the Bible is real, Believe in the bad news of humanity but also in the Good News of Jesus (the gospel) AND finally believe Jesus is who he says he is: That he is the messiah and only son of God, who was the perfect sacrifice and did what the Bible says he did: Was tortured and killed to be a sacrifice of all humanity and was brought back to life on the third day.
Now if you have read this far and genuinely want to be saved at this point, you already believe. So you have done this part!
Next you need to actually ask Jesus to save you!
“Well how do I do that?”
You need to talk to Jesus, but in order to do that you need a way to talk to him: The appropriate way to do that is in prayer, which in this case would be getting alone somewhere and saying his name: “Jesus” like you were speaking to him like he is right there. (Yes, this may be weird for a non-Christian like you who might not be used to it; but bear with it because this is the only way to speak to Jesus and receive his forgiveness!)
You need to ask him to save you from the punishment of your sin and by doing this you should confess your belief in him.
I’m not going to tell you the exact words to say, you need to try to say this in your own words
Because The Bible says:
Philippians 2:12-13
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you (He is Calling you)…”
This means you need to work out exactly what to say and do yourself, because this is YOUR SALVATION this is YOUR LIFE! Not the authors!
But to help you and give you an idea of how to ask, it could go something like this:
“Dear Jesus, I have learned of your truth, and I truly believe it. I believe in God, I believe in your Gospel, and I believe you are Lord, The Messiah, and are the Son of God that died for humanity. I also believe you have the power to save me through your sacrifice. So, I humbly I ask you, right now, to please save me from my punishment through your sacrifice, and I confess you are Lord. In your name Jesus I ask this, Amen.”
Congratulations, according to the Bible you are now saved!
As Jesus says to a woman who believed on him to save her:
Luke 7:50
“Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith(belief) has saved you; go in peace.’ ”
However, Why the Bible does say you can be saved by believing, it also says just believing alone is not necessarily enough
James 2:19 says those who just believe in God are no better than rebellious Demons:
“You believe that there is one God. Good! (Sarcastically here) Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”
Now you might be very confused:
“Wait I though the Bible says I would be saved if I just believe, now its saying that’s not enough?”
This does seem to be a contradiction; however, there are some very big differences here:
In James he speaks of Demons believing God exists (obviously they believe in him they have probably heard him or even seen him!) and he says just believing in the existence of The God of the Bible IS NOT ENOUGH because Demons won’t be saved from their punishment for just believing there is a God! However this is different from Romans and Jesus’s own words, where he talks about believing in Jesus specifically and the person putting their trust in Jesus as their savior, it’s more than just believing in God’s existence it’s believing in Jesus and asking him to save you!
Also “Believe” was the original Greek word “πιστεύω” (pist-yoo'-o) it does mean “believe” but it’s also has a deeper meaning than that, it also means “ to put trust in” and “ be compelled for something.”[1]
This goes along with what the rest of this verse says and the point it’s trying to make:
James 2:14
“What good is it…if someone claims to have faith (belief) but has no deeds (action)? Can such faith save them?”
(He asked this as a rhetorical question: he really wasn’t asking it for an answer but to make a point)
The point is finally made: faith (belief alone) is not enough!
James 2:17
“…faith (Belief) by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead(It does not work).”
So really believing is MORE than just believing alone, it means not only thinking something is real but also to deeply trust in something and be compelled to trust in it. So, not only do you believe in Jesus and ask him to save you, but you trust him and because you trust him you are willing to do what he says.
While believing has saved you there is more Jesus (and God) requires of you to continue the saving process according to the Bible (because while believing does save, it is the beginning of a process to continue getting right with God; as said before not the only step!)
“So, what does Jesus want me to do?”
The passage above is not the only place where someone asked how they could be saved. The same question was also asked by Israelites who listen to Peter’s testimony to the Gospel:
Acts 2:37
“When the people heard this (The Gospel), they were cut to the heart (they were very convicted by the message) and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' ”
Peter answered their question telling them:
Acts 2:38
“Peter replied, ‘Repent,…every one of you …for the remission of sins (To be FORGIVEN of sins/be SAVED),…' ”
So, there is something else that also saves: repentance!
The Bible says repentance is a major part of forgiveness and salvation, and it’s VITAL for you to do!
Mark 1:15 Jesus himself commands repentance:
“Repent,...”
He also says that if humans don’t REPENT they will be destroyed (in HELL!)
Luke 13:3
“I tell you … unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (be condemned to hell).”
(That should be all you need to hear to repent!)
Acts 3:19
“Repent therefore …that your sins may be blotted out (Like a pen marking out a word on paper: FORGIVEN!),...”
So Repenting to Christ is the only way to not perish and the way to be forgiven of your sins!
You need to repent! but before you do that, you need to know what exactly repent means:
It’s defined as:
“To feel guilt or sorrow over a past/present mistake(s) so much so that the individual wants to have a change of lifestyle and/or thinking.”[2]
In fact, the original Biblical word for “repent” is the Greek word “μετανοέω” (met-an-o-eh'-o)
This word is composed of two Greek words “μετα”(Meta) means “to change” and “νοέω”( no-eh'-o) means “think” together they mean “to think differently after a change of mind”[3]
Its only logical after you have heard life changing news (like if you heard you have cancer) and accepted it that it leads to action of some type (Needing to take action in chemotherapy or radiation to destroy it.) so yes, you have heard life changing news (The Gospel) and since you accept it, it’s going to change somethings!
“So how do I repent?”
Biblical repentance starts when you hear the Good and bad news about your reality and had a change of mind because of that.
When you realized and accepted you were a sinner it should have made you feel bad about your sin: because you came to realize sin is wrong and cost a lot to receive forgiveness from (it’s something very serious to consider).
You should now Feel bad for all your sins against God, so after you had this change of mind you should want to make things right.
Basically, your sins make you realize you have done wrong, and that makes you want to make a change!
This is your belief (Change in thinking) leading to actual action (Wanting to Change the situation)
Because you are now ashamed of your sins, and you realize you need God’s forgiveness, you want to say you’re sorry to God for all your sins AND SAY YOU RECEIVE Jesus’s sacrifice in your place to be forgiven of your sins:
“But how do I get God’s forgiveness?”
You need to apologize to God through prayer just like Jesus:
That means you need to get alone somewhere and say his name “God” and talk to him. You need to confess to him in your own way that you realize you are a sinner:
You need to confess you have sinned against him and now feel ashamed/bad about your sins. Say that you’re sorry for your past sins and your sinning you may do now. And then you need to tell God you desire his forgiveness through accepting Jesus’s Sacrifice and ask him to forgive you.
Why I’m not going to tell you how to apologize either, because you need to try to talk with your own words not someone else’s words, you could say something like this:
“Dear God, I have heard that I am a sinner, and I have come to realize that sin is wrong, you’re against it, and you will punish me for my sins one day if something is not changed. I wanted to say I’m so sorry for all the sins I have committed against you, I am in need of your forgiveness, I believe Jesus is your son and died for me in my place. I receive Jesus’s sacrifice and ask through him you can forgive me. And I receive his sacrifice and ask for your forgiveness of my sins. Amen.”
And the Bible promises you since you confessed your sins God WILL forgive you!
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins….”
God also says this himself
Ezekiel 18:27-28
“…if a wicked person …consider(s) all the offenses they have committed …that person will surely live; they will not die.”
Congratulations, God has forgiven your sins!
However, being sorry for your past sins and asking for forgiveness is not all to repentance:
Because after having a change in thought you should also have a change in action as well!
After you ask for forgiveness, repentance is only complete when you also make a lifestyle change to try to not sin again!
You might say
“Wait you never told me repentance was about changing my life!”
This might not be what you had in mind; to many repentance is just about saying you’re sorry for what you’ve done and going back to your usual life. But Biblical repentance is NOT ONLY about that BUT ALSO about making changes to not sin again!
This is the part of salvation that requires you to physically change your actions: this is called “Conversion”
Conversion means
“An Act of change from a former state to a new and different state.”
This specific conversion you are doing is:
“Changing your former way of thinking and action to a new and different Biblically way of thinking and then Acting.”[4]
And so far, (thinking wise) you have been doing nothing but converting, but now it’s time for the action part.
In fact, the Bible says conversion is ultimate way anyone is saved! In fact, that’s how you’re saved it’s all conversion!
Acts 3:19
“Repent therefore and be converted (Changed), that your sins may be blotted out (Like a pen marking out a word on paper: FORGIVENESS!), so that times of refreshing (a NEW LIFE!) May come from (conversion).”
Specifically the original word for “convert” is the Greek word “ἐπιστρέφω” (ep-ee-stref'-o) composed of the words "ἐπί" (ep-ee') a preposition seeming to mean in this case “now” or “from this point on” and "στρέφω" (stref'-o) means “to turn” together they mean “to make a turnaround” and it means the same thing as the definition: to turn from your former way to a new way.[5]
So are you willing to covert not only your thoughts, but also your actions? Are you willing to make some changes to complete repentance in your life?
Because Jesus (Who you trust) wants it for your life!
After Jesus saved this woman from the just punishment she deserved for her sin (ordained by God) he told her to:
John 8:11
“…Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.' ”
In the same way, Jesus saved YOU from YOUR PUNISHMENT he now tells you to stop your sinning!
Jesus also says:
Acts 26:18
“Turn…from darkness (Sin) to light (Godly life) and from …Satan to God, so that …[you]…may receive forgiveness of sins…”
So, Jesus wants you to start living right!
One man also asked Jesus himself how to be spared from punishment from God and live forever, Jesus answers him with this:
Mark 10:17-19
“…a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' ”
….
'You know the commandments:
(Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20)
‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ' "
Jesus says the way to be saved here is to obey the Ten Commandments: God’s standards for humans.
“If I do that, am I no longer saved?”
No, this does not mean you are no longer saved if you do slip up you need to repent of it by confessing it to God and try to not do it again, but just continue towards the right path God wants you to walk and you will still be saved!
However, this is not just going to happen because you have decided you want a change BUT ALSO because Jesus is going to need to help you.
But besides deliberately planning to sin I would not worry about never sinning again, that will come with the help of Jesus and in good time:
You WILL do it!
What you need to do now, though, is plan to get rid of any sin you know about and how you’re going to do it.
Once you are forgiven and you plan to stop all sin you know about in your life you will have a vacuum now that your life is different.
so, what are you going to do now with your life now?
Well God reveals what to do with your life now: He wants a new life for you!
Source:
[1]
[A] BibleHub John 3:16 Greek Interlinear
https://biblehub.com/text/john/3-16.htm
[B] Strong's Greek: 4100.πιστεύω (pist-yoo'-o)-- to believe, entrust Biblehub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm
[2]
[A] Merriam-Webster “Repent”
Website:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repent
[B] Dictionary.com “Repent”
Website:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/repent
[3]
Strong’s Greek: 3340 μετανοέω (met-an-o-eh'-o) -- change one's mind or purpose
https://biblehub.com/greek/3340.htm
[4]
Dictionary.com “conversion”
Website
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/conversion
[5]
Strong’s Greek ἐπιστρέφω (ep-ee-stref'-o)-- to turn, to return Biblehub
Website