While many disbelieve or deny it, the truth nevertheless remains that Jesus declared these extraordinarily clear words: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God?...Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:3,8, emphasis mine). Simply put, that means if you are not born again, you will not spend eternity in heaven but rather in hell.

To save you from this awful end, and give you a new beginning—a wondrously close relationship with Himself—now in this time, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth, to pay the penalty for your sins by dying in your stead on the cross. Because He died for your sins, you may now live in His righteousness. That is, if you will. His work of grace alone will not save you, if you refuse to repent of your sins, believe on Him, and surrender your life to His loving authority.

So why not do that right now? Confess to God that you have sinned and come short of His will in your life. Throw open your heart, not to any religion, religious organization or doctrine, but to JESUS, asking Him to come into your heart today, cleanse and save you from sin, and lead and rule your life. When you pray, believe that God hears and answers you, for His Word promises, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). Then tell someone else what you’ve done and what you believe God has done for you. By your faith and confession, you are now “born again.” The Spirit of God has touched you, infusing your spirit with the very holy nature, faith, and love of Jesus. You’re now born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5). You’ve now passed from the realm of death (Adam’s race, fallen in sin and eternally separated from God) into the realm of life (the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ, the second Adam). By God’s grace, not your own self-righteous works, and through the faith He has given you, you are saved. In obedience to Christ's ordinance, let me encourage you to be baptized in water as soon as possible as a demonstration of your faith in and identification with Christ's death and resurrection for you (Matthew 28:19-20).

Once saved, there is only one way you will preserve the pure, flowing joy of your salvation: Seek to know God and walk with Him more closely day by day. So get busy working out your own salvation. First, ask your heavenly Father to fill you with the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), without which you will not have the power to live the truly abundant Christian lifestyle (Acts 1:8). Second, take time daily to pray to your heavenly Father in Jesus’ name. Third, read your Bible daily, beginning wherever your heart seems to receive the most blessing; many prefer the Gospel of John in the New Testament and the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament as starting points for Bible reading. Always read slowly, prayerfully, and thoughtfully, seeking to discover the ways in which God wants you to change your thinking, behavior, and habits. Fourth, seek God’s approval only, not that of other people. Fifth, and finally, ask the Lord to lead you to a good Christian fellowship. Whether it is large or small, see that you choose a fellowship that loves and teaches God’s Word, possesses humility and love, urges its members to obey God and walk in biblical holiness, and faithfully follows whatever call God has placed upon it.

God bless, lead, and keep you, my friend! You’re on your way…