"For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless, you are still in your sins."
- 1 Corinthians 15: 16-17
In the words of Dennis Rainey: "If Christ is who he claimed to be, and He didn't come back from the dead, then as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:16-18, our faith is worthless and "we are of all men most to be pitied" (vs19) ...The one thing that separates Christianity from other religions is that God conquered death. And sin- my sin, your sin- was atoned for."
Jesus Christ was our substitute. Don't you see?? We are all sinners, we must pay for our sins... "for the wages of sin is death..."Romans 6:23. Somebody had to die so our sin could be forgiven. We were supposed to die. Jesus took our place, my place and your place so we wouldn't have to die. He shed His blood on Calvary's cross so that we could be saved. What kind of love must that be. Not only did Jesus give His life so we might live, but he rose again! Death couldn't keep Him and the grave could not hold Him! Jesus wasn't just some good man, some prophet, he was the Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Savior of the World. All you have to do is believe that you're a sinner, ask for God's forgiveness and you are saved from eternal separation from God. It's really that simple.
I am humbled at how much He loves this stinky rotten sinner. I just can't get enough of His love. He was truly changed my life and I don't know how I could ever live without Him. I don't know about you folks, but I can't wait to see the mansion He has built for me, dine at his banquet tables and walk the streets of gold when I get to Heaven!
God doesn't push faith in Him on anyone and neither will I. It's a free gift, you must decide for yourself if you will receive it. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20. I can't make anyone believe what I believe, but I can promise you that you will never regret the decision to follow Christ, ever! It is the most important decision you will ever make.
If you're still not convinced, let me just say this. If I'm wrong about Christ, if this is all just a made up story, if none of what I believe is real... I'm still OK. I've lived a good life, I'm a "good" person, never done anything really bad... I'll go to Heaven if that's real, or I'll just be laid in the ground and decay away with no regrets... But what if I'm right. What if there is a God who created the universe, who sent His son to die for us, what if Heaven and Hell are real places? I'm going to heaven because I'm forgiven, I believe. I am certain of my salvation in Christ and I know without the shadow of a doubt that I'm going to Heaven. Do you have that certainty? Don't you want to know where you are going when you die? Do you want to live the rest of your life hoping you're good enough to get to where you want to be in the "next life"? Give it some thought my dear friend.... I love you and I want to spend eternity in Heaven with you!!
After speaking about the salvation you can have in Christ, I love what D.L. Moody had to say: "If what I have said tonight is a lie, then you have nothing to lose. But if what I have said is the truth, then you have everything to lose."
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?
Oh! for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me;
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.
Come home;
Come home;
Ye who are weary, come home!
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!
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