WHY DO I NEED JESUS?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

What do I have to know and what do I have to believe to go to heaven? I would like to present 10 points which are essential to be saved.

There is a God

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20)

The first step to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is to believe there is a God.

The bible is God’s word

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16)

The second step is to believe that the bible is the word of God, written by men but inspired by the Holy Spirit. The bible has instructions for every life situation and shows us clearly the path to salvation. The bible tells us that God is the creator of all things.

There is life after death

 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:20-22)

The Bible tells us that there is not only life after death, but eternal life so glorious that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

God made us

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

If you believe in God, and recognize that the Bible is God’s Word, then it is an easy step from there to know that we are God’s creation. And since He made us, we belong to Him, and are accountable to Him. He tells us how we should live and what we should do. He makes the rules by which we should live. And what are his rules? God demands perfect righteousness from us in order to spend eternity with him. God requires holiness.

God requires holiness

Since God made us, and since God is holy, God requires us to be holy as He is holy. If we

want to spend eternity with Him, we need to be like Him, for he cannot allow sin in his presence.

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy. ( Peter 1:16)

All have sinned

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3: 20, 23)

A similar truth is found in James 2:10, “For whoever keep the whole law, and yet stumbles at just one point, is guilty of breaking all of it.” A person only has to sin one time in order to be a sinner. The Ten Commandments show us that we have broken God’s law.

Have you ever told a lie? Did you ever take something which did not belong to you? Did you have sexual relationships outside marriage? Do you love material things more then God? Did you have looked at the opposite sex with lust?

God takes sin very seriously. There is no sliding scale with God. Everybody is either black or white, sinful or holy. And if a person is a sinner, the penalty is death.

Jesus Christ died for my sins

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)

We sinned, but Christ died in our place, for our sin, so that we wouldn’t have to. A harsh God would say “Tough luck. I made the rules. You got yourself in this whole sin mess. You get yourself out.” But instead, God said, “I made the rules. One sin equals death. You sinned. But I love you so much, I’m going to send Jesus Christ to die in your place so that you don’t have to.”

Jesus Christ rose again

Jesus was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.  Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. (1 Cor. 15:4-8)

The resurrection proves that Christ’s sacrifice was acceptable to God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s stamp on the bill of sin which says, “Paid in Full.”

The promise of eternal life

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Cor. 15:51-54)

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"  (John 11:25-26)

This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

(Titus 1:2)

How to be saved?

Turn to the Lord in prayer. Tell Him that you want to believe in Him, and ask Him to forgive your sins. Repent from your old life and turn around towards the Lord. Invite Him into your life. Tell Him that you want Him to be your Lord and Master and that you want Him to take over the leadership of your life for the rest of your life.
Thank the Lord Jesus Christ for dying on the cross for you and your sins: Thank Him for rising from the dead in order to give you eternal life and ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Example Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner and I am in need of You and Your forgiveness. I want to turn away from my sins and follow You completely. Jesus I want You to be my Lord and Master and I open my heart and my whole being and invite you into my life.
I believe that You are the Son of God who died on the cross for me and for all my sins; that You were buried, rose to life again and that You are coming back again. I accept the Father's gift of eternal life through faith and belief in You alone. I receive You as Lord and Saviour of every part and area of my life forever and ever. Now Lord, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I pray this in Your precious name. Amen!