Kyle's Message
As it says in the Westminster confession of faith, you were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. One of the biggest concerns that most people share are concerns of identity; what is the purpose of my life? Well, if there is a creator that designed us and loved us, then our purpose will be wrapped up in His purpose for creating us.
This purpose is described in no better a way then, "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." It is not marriage or work or children, though these are included and are gifts from God. No, we were created to enjoy the company of God almighty (Genesis 1-2)!
Scripture presents a certain problem which prevents us from realizing this purpose and also God's solution to this problem. The problem is human sin. Paul tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Sin very simply is behaving outside our purpose. This is like a blender refusing to blend and rebelling against his creator. Instead of blending the blender wishes to toast toast or wash clothes. Purpose is found in a things nature or design. We have been desiged to glorify God. We glorify God by bearing His image or, to say it another way, to imitate Him (Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 5:1). He is holy, so we must be Holy. he is good, so we must be good. he is righteous, so we must be righteous. We give glory to God when we behave inside our purpose, and that is to look like Him; mind, body, and soul.
Because all humanity has sinned, behaved outside its purpose, it is sentenced to death; eternal separation from God in hell (Revelation 20). But the free gift of God in Christ is salvation to any who would believe (john 3:16). This is God's solution to hamanity's problem.
But, believe what? Very simply, any person is saved when they repent and believe the Gospel (Acts 20:21). To repent is to change your posture about a thing. Saving faith includes repentance about your sin, your self, and your Savior.
You change your posture about your sin, you have a new attitude about it. You have realized your sin has offended God and sentenced you to death. You have recognized it is the root cause of all your problems.
You change your posture concerncing the self. You realize that there is nothing you can do to merit forgiveness and to right wrongs. You are completely helpless to save yourself, to pay the debt you owe, and to to declared right. You know that no amount of right living can erase the sinful rebellion (Romans 4: Ephesians 2:8-10).
You change your posture concerning Jesus. You believe He is both God and Lord; that is, He is divine and He is master. You receognize that His death on the cross was not just a tragedy or moral example of self-sacrifice, but was actually the payment for your sin; He died in your place. He was your substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is only by trusting that what He did for you is the sole means of your sins beign forgiven that they are forgiven. You now have no other confidence for salvation then the crucified and risen Messiah.
The evidence that this faith is genuine is a new desire to live a new life. Saving faith produces a genuine desire to turn form sin and walk in the new life. Salvation is never separated from reform (Romans 6:1). Salvation is not hell insurance, it is a heart's repentance that is genuine and real.
You can at this moment call on the name of the Lord and be saved. Change your mind this moment about your sin, your self, and your Savior. He will forgive anything you have done and give you a new beginning (2 Cor 5:17). You can do this by praying a prayer like this:
"Dear God, save me a sinner. I believe that Christ is both Lord and Savior, that He died as a punishment for my sin, and that He was risen so that I might live forever with you. I repent of my sin, of my self-effort to please God, and of my denial of Christ's work for me. I believe that His work on the cross is the only means of restoring my broken relationship with Him and I need Him alone to forgive me. In Jesus name, Amen!"
Remember, that these are not magic words that save anyone who repeats them. These words must reflect that attitude of the heart, they must be genuinely what you believe. It's not even a prayer that saves. Only the new confidence brought about by repentace that saves the sinner. If you have done this, you are saved. I pray you will.