Everyone’s Eternal Problem:
We have sinned.

First, you cannot earn heaven. A lot of people believe that trying to “be a better person” or “do good deeds” will earn you credit with God and get you into heaven. This is false. Here is why…

To understand the “good news” about how you can be freely forgiven and have eternal life in Heaven, you first have to understand the “bad news.”

This Bible teaches that God is holy, sinless, perfect and just (Leviticus 19:2).
He created humans, made in his likeness, and called us to represent Him in creation (Genesis 1-3). He created us to know him personally, and dwell with him in unbroken, sweet relationship. Our call was to live in obedience to him, and honor him with our lives.

But humans decided to do things their own way, and sinned through disobedience. We have all done this.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
– Romans 3:23

What We Have Earned:
Eternal Punishment.

God is perfect and cannot dwell with sin. Because we have all sinned, we are separated from God, and awaiting the day we die and stand before him to give an account for every sin we have committed in life. Because God is just, he must punish all sin. This is why the Bible teaches that our sin has earned us eternal punishment in a real, literal place called Hell, that lasts forever.

“…the payment for sin is death…”
– Romans 6:23

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who… has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”
– Luke 12:5

God Made A Way to Save You:
Jesus Christ.

Even though we all deserve Hell, God chose in His love to make a way for us to be forgiven of all our sins, and have everlasting life in heaven. He chose to send Jesus (the Son of God) to pay for our sins when he died on the cross.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever would believe in him would not perish, but have eternal life.”
– John 3:16

When Jesus came to earth, he lived the perfect, obedient life you and I should have – fulfilling God’s righteous requirements according to His law.

When Jesus willingly went to die on the cross for us, God the Father treated him as though he had lived our sinful life (even though Jesus was sinless and perfect). In other words, Jesus was punished for our sins so that you and I would not have to be punished in Hell when we die and stand before God.

After Jesus died, he rose from the dead three days later, proving that the payment for our sin had been accepted by God. Then he ascended into heaven and now rules as King over all of creation.

How You Can Be Forgiven:
Repent & Believe

The Bible teaches that anyone can be saved. No matter how sinful you are, or how “bad” you think you have been, God wants to wipe away your sins, and welcome you into relationship with him, and give you that free gift of eternal life in heaven. Do you want that?

In order for your sins to be forgiven so you can go to heaven when you die, you must repent and believe this good news about what Jesus has done for you.

““The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
– Mark 1:15

Repent – Means that you feel sorry for your sins against God that you have committed in life, and you ask Him to forgive you by what Jesus did on the cross.

Believe – This means you must simply put your faith in what Jesus has done for you. Not just believe the facts that Jesus did these things… but you must believe that he paid for your sins on the cross, and then rose from the dead.

Gospel – The “gospel” here is referring to the good news about how Jesus lived the perfect life for us, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and rose from the dead so we can be forgiven and saved.