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Click for a video of the message of Salvation by Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life.

THE TRUTH
If you have never made Jesus the Lord of your life, then you are separated from God by sin. You are the reason God sent Jesus to the cross. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son just for you.

THE PRICE
2 Corinthians 5:21 says that God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us. Jesus was the spotless Son of God. He knew no sin, but God made Him to be sin for us. Sin was the reason Jesus came to earth. He died on the Cross and went to hell for one reason: to pay the price for sin. Once that price was paid, Jesus was raised from the dead, triumphant over Satan; and the sin problem was taken care of.

God is not out to hold your sin against you; He wants to receive you and let you experience His love. The only thing keeping you from becoming a child of God is failure to turn from your present world and invite Jesus Christ into your heart -- making Jesus the Lord over you life, by receiving His Love and goodness.

When Jesus paid the sin price for you, He was your substitute. Heaven has it recorded that you have been set free. It is as if you yourself died on the Cross 2,000 years ago. But that doesn't mean you will automatically go to heaven. Even though God sent Jesus to pay for your sin - and holds nothing against you - you can still go to hell. Why? Because you have not made the choice to receive Jesus as your own personal Lord and Savior, to accept His sacrifice as yours. You have a free will. You have the right to choose your own destiny. God will not force you to receive salvation. The choice is yours. You can go to hell and God will not lift a finger to stop you. He did all He is going to do when He sent Jesus into the world.

THE CHOICE
Your choice is set before you.

If you choose to make Jesus your Lord, God will receive you as His child. This is not a theological idea; this is the truth. It actually happened. Jesus actually walked the earth as a man. He went to the Cross, died there, was raised from the dead, and is alive today, seated at the right hand of God in heaven.

When you become a Christian - when you become born again - you take the nature of God, your heavenly Father. The nature of sin and satan is death; the nature of God is life. Jesus spoke to the people of His day and said, " Ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:44). To accept Jesus as your Lord causes you to turn your back on the devil, or on the "god of this world" as satan is called (2 Corinthians 4:4). You take on a new Father, a heavenly Father; and you are born again - not physically, but spiritually. Your spirit is reborn in the likeness of God.

According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, when you accept Jesus as your Lord, you become a new creature, or a new creation; old things pass away and all things become new. As far as God is concerned, at that moment, you ascend before Him as a brand new person. You are reborn from sin and death to righteousness and new life. That is fact.

THE BENEFITS
1 John 5:1-4 says, "Whosever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God... For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." You must realize what happens the moment a person makes Jesus Christ the Lord of his life. In the eyes of God, he becomes a world overcomer. Sin no longer reigns over his life. Sin is no longer his lord. Jesus is his Lord and he can live above the satanic forces in the world.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, He stood before His disciples and said, " All power is given unto me in heaven and earth"(Matthew 28:18). Then He delegated that power to His people. He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: (Mark 16:15). What is the gospel? The good news that God is no longer holding your sin and trespasses against you.

LET'S SETTLE IT!
The Bible gives some specific instructions that you are to follow in order to become a Christian, or to be born again. Look at Romans 10:8-11:

...The Word is very near you, even in your mouth, and in the heart; that is the Word of faith, which we preach; that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made for salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him will never be ashamed.

Jesus said, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) No matter what kind of sinner you are, no matter what you have done, you can go to Jesus and He will accept you. Once you go to Him, then He will cause you to be born again. He will re-create you, and that sin which has been plaguing you will be a thing of the past. It will be gone. You will be accepted before God as if you had never sinned!

To be born again, you use your mouth and you use your heart. First, you believe in your heart that God's Word is true; then you confess it with your mouth because you believe it. You do not confess you are saved because you feel saved. Feelings have absolutely nothing to do with salvation.

God's Word is the only evidence you have that you are saved, but that is all the evidence you need!

You can pray this prayer for salvation now and change the course of your life. Don't just read it; speak these words from your heart in total sincerity. When you finish this prayer, you will be born again:

Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, I present myself to you. I pray and ask Jesus to be Lord over my life. I believe in my heart, so I say it with my mouth: "Jesus has been raised from the dead." This moment, I make Him Lord over my life. Jesus, come into my heart. I believe this moment that I am saved. I say it now: "I am reborn. I am Christian. I am a child of Almighty God."

Now, thank God for making you His child. Colossians 1:12 says, "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." You have just been made a partaker of an inheritance from God. You have just inherited the kingdom of God!

Speaking of God, the next verse says, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins." You don't have to wait until you die to receive your inheritance. You are a child of God right this very moment, and you can receive all things that belong to you right now! First John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." You have been delivered from darkness into the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

Welcome to the Family of God! Your next step is to find a good Bible believing, teaching, living church and attend regularly. Going to church does not save you or keep you saved -- only Jesus Himself saves. Attending a Bible-believing church helps you grow in understanding and experiencing both all God wants to give you -- His love, His life, His Power. . . His ALL!