Have you ever sinned against God? Have you ever told a lie, stolen something, used the Lord’s name as a curse word or looked lustfully at another person? Come on now, be honest. Most of us have done one or all of these things and these are only 4 of the Ten Commandments (God’s law). The Bible says that if you have ever done these things, EVEN ONCE in your life, then in God’s holy eyes and by your own admission you are an adulterous, blasphemous, lying thief and you must stand before a holy God on Judgment Day!

If God judges you according to His holy standard, will you be innocent or guilty? Be honest with yourself. Of course you would be guilty and so would I. Would God be obligated by His holiness to sentence you to an eternity in Heaven or Hell? Of course it would be Hell. No exceptions. This is the bad news. The Bible says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23).

The truth is, Heaven is out of reach for all of us based upon our own merit or goodness. Even if you say that you don’t sin any more, it’s too late, there is a penalty due for the times you did to satisfy the eternal justice of God - time does not forgive sin. Good deeds do not erase sin. Being “sorry” does not relieve you of the penalty (of death) that is due because of your sin against God.

You might say, “But God is merciful and forgiving so I would be OK”. True, God is good and forgiving - but He is also just and holy. Look at it like this:

Suppose you were arrested and convicted of committing a lifetime of civil crimes and you were standing before the Judge fully guilty. You may say, “Judge, I have heard that you are a good man and because you are good I think you should forgive me and let me go”. Will he let you go? Certainly not! He will say, “You’re right I am a good Judge, and it is precisely because I am a good Judge I will sentence you to the full extent of the law! I would not be a good man or good Judge if I merely let convicted criminals go free”. The very goodness you were counting on to help you will be the goodness that will see to it that justice is served.

Or you may say, “Judge, even though I have committed these crimes, I have done many good things and believe you should let me go because of the “good” I have done”. Will he let you go? Of course not. He will tell you that everyone should do good, but the “good” in no way satisfies the justice required for the laws that were broken. Or perhaps you might say, “Judge, I am really sorry for what I have done and I will never do it again, so please let me go now”. He will surely say to you, “You should be sorry for what you have done and I hope you never do it again, but your sentence must be carried out for what you have already done”.

You see, we are all under the eternal death sentence for willfully sinning against a holy God, our Creator. His will is not to send us all to Hell however. In His great love and mercy, He has provided a way for us to be pardoned from our death sentence. Do you know what God had done FOR YOU so that you do not have to go to Hell for eternity?

Let me tell you in one more analogy: You are back in the courtroom, guilty, standing before the Judge as He is about to pass the sentence on you of a million dollars in fines or a lifetime in prison with no parole. You have no money and are about to be taken away for life, when suddenly bursting into the courtroom is a man you had heard of but don’t really know. This man cries, “Judge wait! I have sacrificed and sold all I have and I have raised the million dollars to pay this man’s fine so he can go free”.

This is what Jesus has done for you! You have broken God’s laws and are under the death sentence by a holy God Who must satisfy eternal justice. You have nothing to pay the fine with but your eternal death and you are helpless to save yourself. Your good deeds don’t count, nor does your Church-going or your money to charities. It all counts as nothing in paying the debt in satisfying God’s justice for your sin. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus came to pay that penalty of death on your behalf so that you can go free and be granted eternal life based on what He has done for you. It boils down to this: You broke God’s laws and Jesus came to pay your fine. That is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and this payment is what He is offering you right now!

Now back to the courtroom... It gets personal as the Judge locks eyes with you and says, “This man has brought me what it takes to satisfy justice on your behalf and has laid it down, but it is up to you. Are you willing to allow this man to pay your fine? It is up to you. If so, I will mark your account paid and release you into his custody.”

My friends, this is the choice before you today. Your case is up before the Judge of the universe. You are guilty and condemned. Jesus is offering to pay your sin debt and offers you eternal life as a free gift if you are willing to receive Him and put your life into His care. Your only alternative is to continue to rebel against God and pay the penalty for your sin yourself. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Will you accept His gift of life to you today? The cross isn’t all about death, but rather it is all about life! Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”. (John 10:10) Remember, Jesus was resurrected from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for YOU.

You can be saved right now by simply trusting by faith in what Jesus has done for you on cross. You can’t buy it, earn it, deserve it or bargain for it. Like any “gift”, it can only be received with a heartfelt “thank-you”. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

A man can be a millionaire and yet starve to death if he has never made the transaction to access the money and use it for his benefit. Likewise, God has placed eternal life and all the riches of Heaven at your disposal but they can only be accessed through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6).

You can have your sin debt against God paid RIGHT NOW and removed from the ledgers of Heaven so that you will be forever forgiven and have your name written in the Book of Life. If you would like your sin to be no longer counted against you and you would like to be a redeemed child of God, then with a humble and grateful heart pray something like this:

“Dear God in Heaven, I know I have willfully sinned against You and broken your laws. I have been pushing You away and seeking my own way, but now I choose to turn away from my sin against you and receive the forgiveness that you offer me only through Your Son Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin and I trust You now to receive His payment in full on my behalf as You have promised in Your word and that You will erase my sin from your book with the blood of Jesus. I willingly put my life into Your custody and care. I ask you Jesus to come into my heart and right now to change me and make me new. I will live the rest of my life in gratitude for what You have done for me and I trust you fully to take me to Heaven with You for all eternity because I now belong to Jesus. In Jesus mighty name, Amen!"

If you have prayed this prayer, please let us know. We would love to help you discover this wonderful new life in Christ. If you have questions, need a Bible or other literature to help you, please contact us. We want to help you. You can call us at 814-723-7766, or e-mail us by clicking considereternity@yahoo.com. May God bless you as you seek Him.