His Invitation

Because God loves us, He longs to have a personal relationship with us and for us to spend eternity in heaven with Him. He has extended an invitation to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Have you accepted His invitation? If not, you can do so today.

How to Accept His Invitation

How does a person accept His invitation, receive Christ as Lord and Savior, become a Christian, get saved, be born again? We do this by accepting three basic things regarding the person of Jesus Christ.

1. We accept Jesus Christ as the owner of our entire life (physically and spiritually) and acknowledge the supreme authority of Jesus Christ in every aspect of it.
2. We accept Jesus Christ as the only Savior of our soul. The forgiveness of our sins and our eternal life are due to His loving sacrifice (death on the cross and resurrection)—not on our good works or intentions.
3. We accept a committed personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. God does not want us to be “affiliated” with Him in name only nor does He want our mere intellectual acquiescence regarding certain facts about Him. He wants us to have a maturing relationship with Him.

Sometimes, when people come to the point in their lives when they understand and accept these three things, they find it meaningful to pray to God verbalizing their acceptance of these things and their desire to have a relationship with Him and to receive the gift of eternal life. God is our only Judge, and He knows our hearts and minds whether or not we verbalize their contents.

Running the Race (First Steps)

Once we establish a relationship with God, there are several important things that we can begin to do to grow and mature spiritually.

1. Read the Bible and pray. Talk to God and let Him talk to you. The book of John is a great place to start reading. Ask God to reveal Himself to you through His Word.
2. Join a local Bible-based church for worship, Bible study, and Christian relationships.
3. Share your decision to follow Jesus with others.

Beyond the Basics

The categorized summary below lists many items that we need to know and understand in order to accept His invitation.

God

• God created the universe and everything in it. (Genesis 1:1, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalms 100:3)
• God deeply loves us. (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9)
• God is perfect, holy, and just. He punishes evil and does not allow it in His presence. (Numbers 14:18, Matthew 5:48)

Us

• We were created in God's image to have a relationship with Him. (Genesis 1:27, Revelation 21:3)
• We rebelled and turned away from God. (Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23)
• Sin (rebellion and disobedience) separates from God. (Isaiah 59:2)
• The penalty for sin is death—both physical and spiritual. (Romans 6:23)
• We can never do enough good to pay the penalty for our sins or restore our relationship with God. Eternal life is a free gift that we cannot earn. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23)

Jesus Christ

• God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins and restore our relationship with Him. (John 1:14)
• Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sins. Only through His sacrifice can we be forgiven for our sins. (Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 1:19-20, Romans 5:8)
• Jesus Christ rose again on the third day that we also might be raised to eternal life with God. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 6:5)

My Response

• I must confess my sins and repent, turning away from a life of rebellion and disobedience. (Isaiah 55:7, Matthew 4:17)
• I must believe in what God has done for me through Jesus Christ. (John 1:12)
• I must personally receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and accept a committed maturing relationship with Him. (Revelation 3:20)
• After accepting His invitation, I gain a new relationship with other believers. Part of this new relationship involves being baptized into the Christian community and becoming active in the family of God, His Church. (Acts 2:38-47, Mark 3:35)

God's Cost

• He allowed His Son Jesus Christ to be crucified for our sake. (John 3:16-17)

My Cost

• Nothing. My relationship with God and my eternal life are free. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• Everything. I must give my entire self to Jesus Christ and desire to obey Him. (Romans 12:1-2 )