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The Bible states that God expects all Christians are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others (Matthew 28:19-20), and I have created this page for that purpose. According to the truths presented in God's Word, faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and commitment to His Lordship is the only way for an individual to obtain eternal life and avoid God's just punishment for sin, which is spending eternity in Hell (John 3:16-18, John 14:6, Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-10). Because, dear reader, your eternal soul is at stake, I will here present the reasons, based upon the teaching of God's Word, that one must believe upon Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to obtain eternal life and be saved from this punishment, and the method of obtaining that salvation.

For an even more "in-depth" presentation, visit this page.

I. Why faith in Jesus is necessary for eternal life

A. God desires everlasting fellowship with the people He created.

• The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' (Acts 17:24-58 NASB, emphasis mine)

B. BUT, God's justice demands that one be without sin in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, enjoying fellowship with God. Even one "small" sin is enough to separate us from God's holiness. With the exception of Jesus, who is God Incarnate, NO human being has met or will ever meet this standard under his or her own strength.

• As it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD. (Romans 3:10-11 NASB)
• For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 NASB)
• For the wages of sin is death.... (Romans 6:23 NASB)

C. In order to be forgiven of sin and be declared righteous in God's sight, God's Law requires that a blood sacrifice be made.

• And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22 NASB)

D. Although the law of Moses, with its system of animal sacrifice, was in place before Christ, it was not fully sufficient as an atonement for sin. Ultimately, the Mosaic system served as a foreshadowing of Christ's coming sacrifice. If anything, the demands of the Mosaic law make us aware of our inability to achieve the righteousness required by God through our own strength.

• For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:1-4 NASB)
• ...I would not have have come to know sin except through the law.... (Romans 7:7 NASB)

E. Therefore Christ, who was without sin, gave Himself up to become a blood sacrifice in order pay the penalty for our sins. He took our sins upon Himself, dying a horrific death in our place so that those that believe in Him would be justified before God, and enter into His presence upon physical death.

• He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB)
• God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.... (Romans 3:25 NIV)
• But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NASB)

F. Christ's death, however, was not permanent. After three days He was raised to life so that believers, while experiencing physical death (unless Christ returns beforehand), will one day also rise again to eternal life in the presence of God. Unbelievers, on the other hand, will be condemned to unending torment. This unfortunate reality exists not because God is unjustly angry or vindictive, but because His holiness and justice demand sinless perfection -- which is imputed to individuals only through faith in Christ -- in those that would enter His presence. That same holiness and justice likewise demand punishment of unbelievers, all of which remain in sinful rebellion against God.

• ...Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. (Luke 24:5-7 NASB)
• For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NASB)
• For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NASB)
• But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8 NASB)

G. Through Christ, God has provided a way for Man to be justified in His sight, thus obtaining eternal life and avoiding spending eternity in Hell. This is the ONLY manner by which man might obtain eternal life.

• Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 NASB)
• For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 NASB)
• ...a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 2:16 NASB)
• For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:28 NASB)
• For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;, not of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB)

II. How to obtain the free gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ

A. Admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, and repent of (or turn away from) that sin so that you may be forgiven.

• Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you. (Acts 3:19-20 NASB)

B. Believe in your heart and mind that Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior sent by God, and verbally confess your faith in and allegiance to Him, making him your Lord (that is, your Master) and your Savior.

• That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10 NASB)

I. Profess faith in Jesus publicly, and be baptized.

A. Profession of faith

• Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32 NASB)

B. Baptism

• So then, those who had received his word were baptized.... (Acts 2:41 NASB)

*Note: Baptism, while an important act commanded of the new believer, has no saving power (remember: the thief who expressed belief in Christ while dying on the cross next to Him had no opportunity to be baptized, but Jesus told the thief that he would be "in paradise" with Him - Luke 23:39-43). It is an outward symbol of an inward commitment. Baptism in the New Testament Church was practiced only by adults (and children old enough to understand and accept Christ) AFTER receiving Christ's salvation. Infant baptism, while practiced by many churches, does NOT confer salvation upon an individual.

II. Join and become involved in a local church.

• Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 NIV)

III. Pray and study God's Word daily.

A. Prayer

• Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB)

B. Bible study

• Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 NASB)
• Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11 NASB)
• You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NASB)

IV. Conduct yourself in a manner that demonstrates your faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ.

• What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that God is one You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (James 2:14-20 NASB)

V. Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

• Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)

These last verses, Jesus' last words on Earth spoken while He ascended into Heaven, indicate the reason for this page. I have endeavored here to accurately present, based on God's Word, why one must believe in Jesus Christ to obtain eternal life, how this salvation can be obtained, and steps one should take after accepting God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you have any questions, I encourage you to contact me; I will answer your questions to the best of my ability, or direct you to someone who can.

Again, an even more detailed presentation can be found here.