Gospel Conversations
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16
Illustrations based on The Bridge of Life © 1976 The Navigators
God Loved
God’s creation was perfect until Adam and Eve disobeyed God and introduced sin into the world.
Their sin resulted in their immediate separation from God. And because we are all descended from Adam, we each inherit his sin nature when we are born. This means we also are separated from God.
Even though we did not choose this condition, it exists nonetheless—just like everything else we inherit from our parents.
In spite of our sin nature, God still loves each of us and wants to remove that separation.
God Gave
The penalty for sin is death. That is why there were so many sacrifices required in the Old Testament of the Bible.
But God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, as the ultimate sacrifice to pay the penalty of sin, once for all, on our behalf.
Jesus’ death on the cross was the payment for the sin debt we each owe.
We Believe
All that remains is our acceptance of God’s payment and forgiveness.
He will not force it on us. This is a matter of trusting God more than mere intellectual belief.
To have our relationship with God restored, we each need to make a personal decision to give up control of our sin-controlled lives and begin walking with God in faith.
We Live
When we make our decision to trust God, His Holy Spirit immediately starts to live in our lives. Our sin nature is replaced with a new nature. The Holy Spirit provides strength, peace, and guidance in our daily lives. And we receive God’s promise of life forever in Heaven after we die.
If this is a decision you are ready to make, I can help lead you in a simple prayer to ask God to forgive you and to start giving you a new life right now. There is no magic in the words.
If this is the desire of your heart, God will honor that desire. Would you like to pray that prayer?
Pray
Pray this simple prayer from your heart:
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that You love me and want to save me. I know I can’t save myself. Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, who died on the cross to pay for my sins. I believe God raised You from the dead. I now turn from my sin and, by faith, receive You as my Lord and Savior. Forgive my sins and save me, Lord Jesus. In Your name I pray, Amen.