Do you know what the cross represents and why it’s so important? Well, it’s quite simple – because Jesus Christ died on a cross for my sins. For your sins. As the Bible says in John 3:16, God loved us so much that He sent His Son to take our place. We deserved to die because of the many sins we’ve committed against Him, but God in His great mercy and love chose to sacrifice His Son Jesus instead (see 1 John 4:10). Jesus took our place!
Maybe you’ve heard this before. Maybe you haven’t. Either way, God is offering you the free gift of Jesus – who can cover your sins if you ask Him. If you do that, that means your life isn’t your own anymore – it’s God’s! That means, as Scripture says in Matthew 16:24-25, you live for Him.
And understand, just because you have Jesus in your life, doesn’t mean you won’t have any more trials or pain; what it does mean is that through it all, you’ll have His help and comfort and peace (see John 14:26-28)!
The Bible also says that those who have truly asked Jesus for forgiveness and are living for Him will one day be in heaven with Him (see John 3:16, Matthew 18:2-3)! It’ll be so awesome to be with God for eternity, for He is Love and everything good and wonderful!
So if you just wholeheartedly prayed to ask for forgiveness and to dedicate your life to God, and really meant it, welcome to the adopted family of God! You’re now a Brother or Sister in Christ! But it doesn’t stop there – now that you’ve made a commitment to live for Jesus, there’s several things that I’d strongly encourage you to do:
- Tell someone. Tell your family, your friends, whoever! Now that you know the Good News of salvation, spread it.
- Get a Bible. If you don’t have one, go buy one. If you do own one, dust off the cover and delve in! God’s Word is very exciting and encouraging! And a great way to get to know God better.
- Find a Biblically-based church. Find a place where you can have fellowship with other Brothers and Sisters, where you can worship the Lord together, and grow in your faith through Bible study.
If you just entered the family of God, I’m so happy for you! And you know what, we’ll meet in heaven! But in the meantime, go tell someone the Good News, flip through God’s Word, and find a church that will assist you in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Welcome to life with Jesus at your side.
