My Personal Christian Blog

Thanks for sliding into my blog site. This blog bog is a spin-off from my website at http://www.niteowldave.com/. Call me a Night Owl, as my full-time mission and hobby are jabbering from midnight until 8 a.m.ish with chatter bugs across the world. Hoot, hoot! Being a retired newspaper guy and a Curious George, I've written and assembled a whack of stuff that I hope you'll find interesting and thought-provoking. Check out the Stories bar on the right side, below, for all my articles - from my web site and this blog.




July 26, 2012
















I BELIEVE…
Christ completed our salvation when He died, shed His blood and rose again from the dead.

By NiteOwlDave
niteowldave@gmail.com

The Bible encourages all Christ believers to be able to support what we say we believe about salvation through Christ alone. We are told to be ready to respond with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Here is the biblical support for what I believe. Here is the foundation for my hope of eternal life in Heaven when I die.

1. We choose to believe that the Holy Bible is the God breathed Word of God, and what it says is the basis for our faith.

2. The Bible says only perfect people will get into Heaven. Matthew 5:48 says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

3. Can any of us live a perfect life? Of course not. The Bible says we ALL sin and do not deserve a place in perfect Heaven. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

4. We are made perfect through the Lord Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life and therefore is the One and Only Way to Heaven. He paid our sin debt in full. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

5. Our good works will not save us. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us.” A Christian should avoid sin.

6. We must believe that Jesus Christ became God in the flesh. We must believe He lived a sinless live. We must believe He allowed evil people to put Him to death, that He shed His blood and that He rose again three days later. He returned to Heaven and will save us if we ask Him.

He gives us the choice of accepting Him or telling Him to beat it. His Way is the only Way. Christ accepters go to Heaven. Christ rejecters go to Hell forever. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’.”

7. We must receive Christ. All free gifts must be received. If we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid for all our sins – past, present and future – with His blood, we must invite Him into our heart.

HOW DO WE ACCEPT CHRIST?

1. We must admit that we have sinned.
2. We must believe that God has already provided for our salvation by shedding His blood on the cross and arising from the dead.
3. We must believe that we cannot save our self.
4. We must repent of our sins. We must accept what Luke 13:3 says, “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish”
5. We must ask Jesus Christ to save us. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

Once saved, God wants us to share the news of our salvation with others. Romans 10: 9-10 says, “If thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

As millions have done, we can be “saved” or “born again” and receive eternal life right now, How? By saying a sincere prayer like the following. Consider it a vow. The exact words are not essential.

SALVATION PRAYER
“Dear Father God in Heaven, I confess that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for my sins (wrong doings) and rose again from the dead. His shed blood saves me. I now ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and I receive Him into my life as my personal Savior. I am willing, by God's grace, to follow and obey Christ as the Lord of my life. Please forgive me for my sins and save me.”

LIFE TIPS FOR A NEW CHRISTIAN

Talk to God in prayer every day.
Tell others about Christ.
Attend a Bible-believing church and get baptized by immersion. As a born-again Christian we will now miss out on the terror of what the Bible describes as the alternative to spending eternity in Heaven - the everlasting fiery torment of Hell. I found this short video helpful:
http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/know-god/welcome.html