Trust In Jesus Christ

But now God has shown us a different way to heaven —not by "being good enough" and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us—declare us "not guilty"—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned (all of us — Jews, pagan Gentiles, humanitarians, and religious people); all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us "not guilty" of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used [Jesus] Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from His wrath (literally means to be a propitiation). In this way He was being entirely fair, even though He did not punish those who sinned in former times. For He was looking forward to the time when [Jesus] Christ would come and take away those sins. And now in these days also He can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins. But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for He does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus [Christ]  who took away their sins. Then what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what [Jesus] Christ has done and our faith in Him. So it is that we are saved (justified and made right) by faith in [Jesus] Christ and not by the good things we do. And does God save only the Jews in this way? No, the Gentiles, too, may come to Him in this same manner. God treats us ALL the same; ALL, whether Jews or Gentiles, are acquitted if they have faith. Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this mean that we no longer need obey God’s laws? Just the opposite! In fact, only when we trust Jesus [Christ] can we truly obey Him. Romans 3:21-31 (The Living Bible).

In Romans 3, the apostle Paul teaches that everyone stands guilty before God. The apostle Paul declares universal and equal sinfulness by everyone --- Gentiles (Romans 1:18-32) and Jews (Romans 2:1–3:8).  No one can find acceptance with God by any action or work on his or her own (Romans 3:9-20).  The apostle Paul states no one will be exempt from God's judgment on sin. Every person must accept his or her guilt of sin before God. The only way to escape God’s judgment is faith (trust) in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  God offers Jesus Christ as His wonderful gift of salvation to all who believe in Jesus Christ.  We receive God’s salvation not through following the Ten Commandments, works or the Old Testament Law but through faith (trust) in Jesus Christ. Once we accept God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit comes into our lives so we are now empowered to obey the Ten Commandments, do good works and obey the Law.  

Please accept God’s gift of Jesus Christ today through faith.  All you need to do is wholeheartedly and genuinely turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ and away from sin.  God by the power of the Holy Spirit will do the rest!