This section deals with the issue of salvation by using verses taken from the New Testament book of Romans.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  (Romans 3:10 KJV)

Can it be true that there is not even one righteous person in the entire world? So many of us see ourselves as good people, and yet God sees us for what we really are. Oddly enough, most believe that only the worst of sinners go to hell, but if salvation was based on a person’s relative righteousness, where would the cut-off point be? If we were truly righteous, we would be free from all sin, not just the worst of sins.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  (Romans 3:23 KJV)

Yes, all have sinned. That includes me, and if you are honest, you will admit that it includes you as well. What then is sin? Any thought or deed that is contrary to the will of God. Some have done a better job in this than others, but the fact remains; we have all come short of God’s perfect standard of holiness.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  (Romans 5:12 KJV)

The first man brought sin into the world through his disobedience to God’s clear command. Just as parents pass on their physical traits to their children, Adam passed on his spiritual traits to his descendants. Because Adam was a sinner, we are sinners also, and our lives are the proof of it. God created man to live forever, but man changed that by an act of his self-will. Now men must die, both physically and spiritually.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Let’s take this verse in two parts. The first part tells us what will happen to us because we have sinned against God. We will receive the wages of our sin, what the Bible calls the second death in the lake of fire. So why doesn’t God just forget about our sin, and bring us into heaven? Because that would not be just and right. We cannot earn a place in heaven, but we can, and do, earn a place in hell. If the company you work for didn’t pay you, you would probably be upset about it. You might say, “I want what I’ve got coming.” God is rightly giving sinners what they have coming, the wages of their sin.

The second part of the verse tells us that the gift of God is eternal life. A gift is something you get for free. If you pay even one penny for something, it is no longer a gift. On the other hand, the giver of the gift does have to pay for it. Jesus paid a great price for our salvation, even the price of shedding his own blood on the cross. If you will receive it, the gift he offers can be yours.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8 KJV)

We love those that love us, but God loved us when we were alienated from him. He proved his love by having his own Son die in our place. The judgment of God requires that the penalty of sin be paid. The love of God was expressed in that he himself paid that penalty. The question we must answer is whether we will accept the gift of God’s payment, or insist on making our own payment.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  (Romans 10:9 KJV)

After we understand that Christ died for us, and believe that we need to be saved, we then need to consummate our faith toward God. In other words, it is not enough merely to agree with what God has said; we need to act on it. God has made a promise that all who confess Jesus, believing that he was raised from the dead as our Savior, will be saved. God’s promises are not like man’s promises; what God says he will do.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  (Romans 10:13 KJV)

Now that you know what God has said, isn’t it time for you to call upon God for the forgiveness of your sins, and receive a new life? When God says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord,” He is serious. There is no one excluded from God’s promise. “Whosoever” is all-inclusive, even to the best and worst of sinners.

Just bow your heart right now and pray: Oh God, I know that I am a sinner, and that because of my sin, I deserve to go to hell. I now believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Oh God, I accept the salvation that you offer through your Son, Jesus. Help me to live for Him all my days. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

The Bible says:

As it is written, . . . whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  (Romans 9:33b KJV)

Go and tell others what a great thing God has done for you, sharing the good news of God’s gift of salvation far and wide.

If you made the choice to accept Christ, or if you’re still thinking about it, please contact me, and I would love to be a help in any way I can.