It was the greatest expression of love and the greatest price ever paid for anything!  When Jesus paid the supreme penalty - His life’s blood - He purchased eternal life for every human being who would accept this wonderful gift.

     Here’s something else - This gift is absolutely free!  In fact, you couldn’t buy it if you wanted to.  The Bible says:  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast”. (Eph. 2:8-9)  You do not pay for a gift!  All that is necessary to receive a gift, is to accept it!  God gave His Son to die on the cross and Jesus died willingly.  He died that we might live.  Hallelujah!

     The Bible says, “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. (Rom. 5:8 )

     My friend, that is real love.  You ask, “WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE”?  It was because of your sin and mine.  God is so holy, righteous and pure that He could not look upon sin, and our sins had separated us from God!

     The prophet declared, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

     Because of man’s rebellion, we became partakers of Satan’s penalty and were consigned to an eternal death!

  GOD DOESN’T WANT PEOPLE TO GO TO HELL, SO HE MADE A WAY OF ESCAPE FOR US ALL!

  A law in God’s Word stated:  “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins” (Heb. 9:22).  In other words, innocent blood had to be shed!  Jesus had to die so that everyone who accepts God’s promise could be forgiven.

When Jesus died, He poured out His precious blood for the sins of the whole world!  And all who receive His Word can be free, cleansed from their sins and pardoned of their guilt!  The Word of God states:  “And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sins”. (1 John 1:7,9)

     But you say, “I do not feel I am too bad a sinner.  Why must I be saved?”  The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom. 3:23)  “All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all”. (Isaiah 53:6)

The Bible says:  “There is none righteous; no, not one”. (Rom. 3:10)  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”. (1 John 1:8)

By now, you will sense the need to be forgiven of your sins.  The Bible says:  “If we confess our sins (to God), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 John 1:9)

You may feel you are too wicked to find mercy, but listen to the words of Jesus:  “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out”. (John 6:37)  And in Luke 19:10:  “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost”.

You may think, “I could never live a Christian life, because I have no power”.  You are right.  You cannot live a Christian life in your own strength, but God will give you the needed power.  The Bible says, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name”. (John 1:11,12)

  WHEN YOU INVITE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART, HE WILL BE YOUR STRENGTH.  YOUR LIFE WILL BE CHANGED AND GOD WILL GIVE YOU DIRECTION AND PURPOSE, EVER LEADING IN THE WAY OF TRUTH!

  The Bible says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made, unto salvation”. (Rom. 10:9-10)