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This
is the question foremost in the mind of every sinner who has
become awakened by hearing the Word of God, the promptings of
the Holy Spirit, or some manifestation of the power of God.
John the Baptist required the people to repent and confess their
sins. (Matt. 3:2, 6). He would not baptize them until they
showed by a change in their lives that they had repented. (Matt.
3:8.)
Jesus began His ministry by saying, "Repent," (Matt. 4:17). In
Matthew 11:28-29, He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls." Luke 11:9 says, "Ask, and it
shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall
be opened unto you." Hear What the Lord has to Say:
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa.
1:18.
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Prov. 28:13.
"If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had
robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing
iniquity; None of his sins shall be mentioned unto him." Ezek.
33:15-16. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon
him while he is near:" Isa. 55:6. The Sinner's Hope
Every sinner is lost and without hope of heaven unless he
repents and believes on Jesus Christ for pardon. Jesus came to
seek and save the lost.
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have
mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Isa. 55:7. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life." John 3:16. "Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. We
Must Forgive Others
"...If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will forgive you." Matt. 6:14. "But if ye do not forgive,
neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your
trespasses." Mark 11:26. "For he shall have judgment without
mercy, that hath shewed no mercy." James 2:13)
The Lord will save the worst person in existence if such a one
will do the best he can to get saved. The murderer must cease to
murder; the thief quit stealing; the liar stop lying; the
adulterer turn from his adultery; in fact, every sinner must
turn from his sin, repent, and believe on the Lord for pardon.
We Must be Converted
A mere profession of religion will not suffice. Nicodemus was a
man who had a profession of religion, but had not yet
experienced the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He had
become interested, awakened to some extent, but Jesus said to
him, "...Ye must be born again." John 3:7. He needed to be
converted-saved from his sins.
There are people today who are hoping to get through all right
at the judgment because of their good moral lives, charitable
deeds, or belonging to some church. But to such Jesus says, "Ye
must be born again." "Except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Matt. 18:3.
When Peter was preaching after the day of Pentecost, he
delivered a similar message when he said, "Repent ye therefore
and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19.
Do not be satisfied with a mere profession. Press your case
before the Lord until you know everything is surrendered to His
will; until you know every evil habit and sin has been forsaken
and confessed, then mercy and pardon are yours. You may not be
able to recall all the sins of the past-it is not necessary.
Just cast them all aside, and accept His mercy, and you will be
forgiven.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John
1:9.
When the prodigal son, who was deep in sin, made up his mind to
turn from his sinful life and go and confess to his father, he
did not know whether his father would receive him, or
acknowledge him as his son any more, but he decided to do his
part-make the confession and ask forgiveness; he would wait no
longer, but would do it now. He started out, and his father saw
him coming. He did not have half his confession made before the
father forgave him and accepted him as his son. And there was
great rejoicing. (Luke 15:11-24.)
Sinner, when you come to the Lord in like manner, your sins will
be blotted out, and the Heavenly Father will accept you as His
child, and there will be rejoicing.
It need not take a long time to gain this favor from the Lord.
The publican realized his condition and with an humble prayer of
seven words, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13), was
accepted, and Jesus said that he went down to his house
justified.
The thief on the cross, in the hour of death, believed on Jesus,
and said, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."
(Luke 23:42.) He prayed a prayer of just nine words and was
accepted. When Paul and Silas had been beaten with many stripes
and cast into the prison at Philippi, at the midnight hour while
they were singing praises to God, the Lord sent an earthquake,
"And immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's
bands were loosed."
At the time, the jailer was in his house asleep. He was awakened
by the crashing of falling timbers or stones, and the roaring of
the quake. Seeing the doors open, and the prisoners still there,
but loosed from their bands, and their feet free from the stocks
whereby he had made them fast, and hearing the voice of Paul
saying, "We are all here," it sent conviction to his heart. He
knew God had spoken. It was then that the jailer fell down
before them and with much humility of heart said, "Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas said, "Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Then
they preached to the jailer and those of his household,
instructing them in the way of salvation and they were all
saved, and the same night were all baptized. (Acts 16:25-33.)
The prophet Isaiah (53:5), in foretelling the coming of Jesus,
said, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities." That is, He gave His life for our salvation.
The words of His burning message just before leaving this world
were, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:16.
Sinner, the Lord wants to save you. Will you believe and accept
Him now as your Saviour?
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