Why Do Christians Believe I Need to ‘Get Saved” or ‘Be Born Again’?
Barbara Henderson
The non-Christian says:
Christians refer to themselves as ‘born again’ or ‘saved’.
Christians are always nagging other people to get saved or be born again.
Why do Christians seem so determined to convert others to their way of thinking?
The Christian says:
Without Jesus Christ, you are going to a place called hell.
I don’t want that to happen to you.
How can I help you see the truth?
What can I say or do to explain all this to you?
The Christian thinks about how to approach the subject, how to explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an acceptable manner. The Christian finally decides that the place to start explaining the need for salvation to the lost begins ‘In the beginning……..
What happened in the beginning? Where did all creation begin? What happened?
Something most people can understand when viewing things around them is that design proves a designer. Something made proves a maker. Whether it be so simple as how a room is arranged, a thinking person realizes that someone put the things in a specific order. If the couch is sitting in a corner someone put it there. If a picture is hanging on the wall, someone hung it there. It is a no-brainer.
The same person who knows that the objects around them were made by and placed in a specific place by someone may not understand or acknowledge that the earth is a created object specifically hung in a particular place in space. Yet, there Earth is, sitting in space between Venus and Mars. It was carefully placed at just the right distance from the sun. It was set in orbit. The seasons come and go. There is air to breath, water to drink, and food to eat. It was a very well thought out design. Plant life, sea life, animal life was created on the earth with the materials necessary for their survival. Then a man and a woman were created. The plan was properly carried out.
God was there when it all happened. God gave us His eye witness account of creation. He said, ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’
God created mankind with free will. He did not want slaves in heaven. People had to have a choice. And the choice came in the form of temptation by God’s adversary the devil, formerly known as Lucifer. Adam and Eve fell for the lie Satan told to them. By their sin, death entered into the world. (By the way, the next time something bad happens – blame sin or blame the devil. But, don’t blame God. He set things up to be perfect. He is around to pick up the pieces of shattered lives. God is the helper. Satan is the destroyer.)
Those rejecting Christ do not see themselves as sinners. To them a ‘sinner’ is someone who is a terrible criminal, or someone who is cruel and abusive to everyone. Comparing themselves to others, they see themselves as ‘much better’ than most of those around them. Honestly, that may be true. However, sin is not measured by others.
Sin is measure like this.
Are you perfect? Absolutely continually perfect and blameless in everything every nano-second of your entire life?
The question, ‘Are you perfect’, should be asked of yourself at night when you are all alone in a dark room. Of course you are not alone exactly, because the Truth is with you. ‘Am I perfect?’ is the question. You can lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to the Truth and get away with it. Any semi-honest person will admit, ‘I am not perfect’. That is where the problem enters in.
Your sins, your imperfection, separate you from God. Thankfully, God is merciful. He does not want you to die in your sins, leaving you separated from Him for eternity. But, what can be done? He can’t let imperfect people into heaven, or heaven would no longer be perfect. Yet, He loves you personally. You are His creation. God does love you. God wants to help you. God has a plan to restore to you fellowship with Him. No, you will not become a ‘god’. But, you can be reconciled to God. You can be redeemed from sin. Your ransom has been paid in full. All you have to do is walk through the Door (Jesus Christ) into freedom and eternal life.
Let’s look at it like this.
God IS perfect.
And,
You are NOT perfect.
It doesn’t matter how many really good excuses you have for your failures and shortcomings. Excuses won’t get you into heaven. Only Jesus Christ can get you into heaven.
The human being living without Jesus Christ is separated from God by the great gulf of sin. In a very simplified way, I suppose you could say the ‘gulf of sin’ is the dividing chasm between perfect and imperfect. No human being has the ability to change something imperfect into perfect.
Those living in sin, in separation from God, are like those living in a dark concrete box without any means of escape. They will never be able to get out of the box without help. In the box in which they live, there is one door that leads to freedom. (There are also a lot of shallow doors that lead nowhere – false religions.) The door to reconciliation with the Almighty God who created you in the first place, was made at an unimaginable cost to the Perfect God of creation. He laid down His own life to make that door, that way, of escape.
Remember,
God is perfect.
You are not perfect.
You can be reconciled to the Perfect God through the Perfect Sacrifice which is Jesus Christ.
‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.’ (Acts 16:31a)
Jesus offers you:
Salvation
‘by grace’
‘through faith’
‘not of works’
(Ephesians 2:8)
The offer is made by the grace of God – not because anyone deserves the offer.
You accept this offer by faith.
You don’t have to do anything except believe the Truth. .
People often condemn God for making only one way into heaven. They are not considering the cost of making even one way into heaven. They also do not consider that the way provided by Jesus Christ has the capacity to receive everyone who accepts the offer.
The offer of salvation is open ONLY during the days of your life. ‘And it is appointed to man once to die, but after this the judgment.’ (Hebrews 9:27)
Don’t face the judgment without Jesus Christ.
A beloved Hymn is ‘Just as I am’ (without one plea)
http://nethymnal.org/htm/j/u/justasam.htm
You don’t have to understand it all - in fact you will never understand it all. You do have to understand that God is perfect – you are not perfect – but God will take you right now. (Yes, changes will come in your life as you understand more about who Jesus is and what He expects of you.) Listen to this song. God wants you just the way you are right now.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Barbara Henderson
The non-Christian says:
Christians refer to themselves as ‘born again’ or ‘saved’.
Christians are always nagging other people to get saved or be born again.
Why do Christians seem so determined to convert others to their way of thinking?
The Christian says:
Without Jesus Christ, you are going to a place called hell.
I don’t want that to happen to you.
How can I help you see the truth?
What can I say or do to explain all this to you?
The Christian thinks about how to approach the subject, how to explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an acceptable manner. The Christian finally decides that the place to start explaining the need for salvation to the lost begins ‘In the beginning……..
What happened in the beginning? Where did all creation begin? What happened?
Something most people can understand when viewing things around them is that design proves a designer. Something made proves a maker. Whether it be so simple as how a room is arranged, a thinking person realizes that someone put the things in a specific order. If the couch is sitting in a corner someone put it there. If a picture is hanging on the wall, someone hung it there. It is a no-brainer.
The same person who knows that the objects around them were made by and placed in a specific place by someone may not understand or acknowledge that the earth is a created object specifically hung in a particular place in space. Yet, there Earth is, sitting in space between Venus and Mars. It was carefully placed at just the right distance from the sun. It was set in orbit. The seasons come and go. There is air to breath, water to drink, and food to eat. It was a very well thought out design. Plant life, sea life, animal life was created on the earth with the materials necessary for their survival. Then a man and a woman were created. The plan was properly carried out.
God was there when it all happened. God gave us His eye witness account of creation. He said, ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’
God created mankind with free will. He did not want slaves in heaven. People had to have a choice. And the choice came in the form of temptation by God’s adversary the devil, formerly known as Lucifer. Adam and Eve fell for the lie Satan told to them. By their sin, death entered into the world. (By the way, the next time something bad happens – blame sin or blame the devil. But, don’t blame God. He set things up to be perfect. He is around to pick up the pieces of shattered lives. God is the helper. Satan is the destroyer.)
Those rejecting Christ do not see themselves as sinners. To them a ‘sinner’ is someone who is a terrible criminal, or someone who is cruel and abusive to everyone. Comparing themselves to others, they see themselves as ‘much better’ than most of those around them. Honestly, that may be true. However, sin is not measured by others.
Sin is measure like this.
Are you perfect? Absolutely continually perfect and blameless in everything every nano-second of your entire life?
The question, ‘Are you perfect’, should be asked of yourself at night when you are all alone in a dark room. Of course you are not alone exactly, because the Truth is with you. ‘Am I perfect?’ is the question. You can lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to the Truth and get away with it. Any semi-honest person will admit, ‘I am not perfect’. That is where the problem enters in.
Your sins, your imperfection, separate you from God. Thankfully, God is merciful. He does not want you to die in your sins, leaving you separated from Him for eternity. But, what can be done? He can’t let imperfect people into heaven, or heaven would no longer be perfect. Yet, He loves you personally. You are His creation. God does love you. God wants to help you. God has a plan to restore to you fellowship with Him. No, you will not become a ‘god’. But, you can be reconciled to God. You can be redeemed from sin. Your ransom has been paid in full. All you have to do is walk through the Door (Jesus Christ) into freedom and eternal life.
Let’s look at it like this.
God IS perfect.
And,
You are NOT perfect.
It doesn’t matter how many really good excuses you have for your failures and shortcomings. Excuses won’t get you into heaven. Only Jesus Christ can get you into heaven.
The human being living without Jesus Christ is separated from God by the great gulf of sin. In a very simplified way, I suppose you could say the ‘gulf of sin’ is the dividing chasm between perfect and imperfect. No human being has the ability to change something imperfect into perfect.
Those living in sin, in separation from God, are like those living in a dark concrete box without any means of escape. They will never be able to get out of the box without help. In the box in which they live, there is one door that leads to freedom. (There are also a lot of shallow doors that lead nowhere – false religions.) The door to reconciliation with the Almighty God who created you in the first place, was made at an unimaginable cost to the Perfect God of creation. He laid down His own life to make that door, that way, of escape.
Remember,
God is perfect.
You are not perfect.
You can be reconciled to the Perfect God through the Perfect Sacrifice which is Jesus Christ.
‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.’ (Acts 16:31a)
Jesus offers you:
Salvation
‘by grace’
‘through faith’
‘not of works’
(Ephesians 2:8)
The offer is made by the grace of God – not because anyone deserves the offer.
You accept this offer by faith.
You don’t have to do anything except believe the Truth. .
People often condemn God for making only one way into heaven. They are not considering the cost of making even one way into heaven. They also do not consider that the way provided by Jesus Christ has the capacity to receive everyone who accepts the offer.
The offer of salvation is open ONLY during the days of your life. ‘And it is appointed to man once to die, but after this the judgment.’ (Hebrews 9:27)
Don’t face the judgment without Jesus Christ.
A beloved Hymn is ‘Just as I am’ (without one plea)
http://nethymnal.org/htm/j/u/justasam.htm
You don’t have to understand it all - in fact you will never understand it all. You do have to understand that God is perfect – you are not perfect – but God will take you right now. (Yes, changes will come in your life as you understand more about who Jesus is and what He expects of you.) Listen to this song. God wants you just the way you are right now.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
