That’s what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is! The good news is that though you are guilty of breaking God’s law, and therefore deserving of eternal punishment, someone who was not guilty took your sentence and paid it Himself. By doing this He made it possible for you to be cleared of all charges, and more than that, to even become part of God’s family! Now that is good news indeed!

Everything has already been paid by God’s own son, Jesus. You only have to accept this gift by faith, turn from your sinful ways and turn to God through His son Jesus to live in His ways.

You may already believe in God but does that make you a believer, one of God’s people? Not necessarily. Why? Because a mere mental acceptance that there is a God is not the faith that the Bible says God is looking for. Even the demons believe there is a God, but they can’t be called believers! James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!” Finding faith means becoming a believer in the Lord Jesus as God’s Son.

The plain truth is God is holy as well as love. In His holiness He simply cannot overlook the fact that mankind is sinful. This is something we can’t help, we just inherit it from Adam – it’s human nature. No matter how good a person we are, in God’s sight we are still sinners. Isaiah 64:6 says,

“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”

No matter what we do, we cannot meet God’s standard of holiness of ourselves because of our inherited nature and our unrighteous acts. See also Romans 3:23. But God knew this would be the case, and He has provided a plan of salvation. We see God’s plan pictured in the Old Testament. Look at Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:8, where Abraham says that God would provide for Himself a lamb for the offering. And in the Law, a lamb is killed and it’s blood shed for the sins of the people every Passover. It’s a picture that one day, God would send His own son Jesus to be the offering which pays the price of everyone’s sin. Look at John 1:29:

“The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

God has always looked for those who would come to Him, trusting only in His mercy and forgiveness with a repentant heart. And Jesus gave His life on the cross, in fulfilment of the prophecies in the Old Testament, in order to pay the price of your sin and mine. And because he was without sin he could do that for you and me. Hebrews 10:12-14 says of Jesus,

“But this Man, after that He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

What this all means is that for all who will come to God seeking His forgiveness, there is a way to find that forgiveness and to be changed inside. First of all we must acknowledge that we are sinners. Then asking God to help us do this from the heart, we need to actually repent of our sin. Repentance means to turn away from one direction and to turn to another. It’s not just saying sorry, it’s action. God is looking for a humble brokenness as we realise we are sinners before Him. Only he can bring us to this point by His Holy Spirit, but if you seek Him He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Jesus said, in John 6:37,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. “

A simple prayer like this may help:

Lord Jesus, I recognise and admit I am a sinner. I know though that You love me and died for me and have paid the price of my sin when You died on the cross. I know that when You rose again you overcame death and You’re alive now in heaven.

Lord, please forgive my sin and change my heart. I repent of my sin and turn to You with all my heart and strength. Come into my life and cleanse me in my spirit. Wash me, Lord, from all my filthiness. I put my trust in You as my Lord and God.

Thank You Lord for what You have now started to do in my life. Help me now to live for You, help me too, to read Your word and to talk to You in prayer every day. Help me too, to tell others of what You are doing for me. Amen.

If you have committed your life to the Lord by saying this prayer from your heart, please do get in touch with us. Or at least, get in touch with a believing friend. In order to grow as a believer, you will be greatly helped by the encouragement of other like-minded people. May the Lord really bless you as you turn to Him.