"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." (John 3:16)
This is one of the best known scriptures in the world. But what does it mean? 

It means that there has already been a way of escape made for us today. You may be thinking, "So what, I am no worse person than anyone else. What do I need to escape from?" The Bible tells us “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). No matter how good of a person we are, we are all in need of the rescuing mercy of Jesus Christ! 

God’s Word reveals to us that, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Death comes to those who are guilty of sin; however, freedom from the judgment of death is available through Jesus Christ.

While the "wages of sin is death...(Romans 6:23)", Christ has given us the opportunity to have life. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

How do you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour? “…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). The first step to being restored to God is to believe the Gospel which you have heard. The Gospel is God’s good news that He has given us a Saviour to save us from our sins. When we hear this good news, we must believe it and accept it as truth by faith.

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:…” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Conviction and Godly sorrow will prompt you to repent of your sins and forsake your sins and sinful way of living. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken [convicted] heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite [repentant] spirit” (Psalms 34:18).

Once you have repented you can accept God’s forgiveness. His Word assures us that once we believe and repent that we are “Therefore…justified [acquitted of our sins and guilt] by faith [simply believing], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”(Romans 5:1). We stand before God forgiven and accepted just as if we had never sinned! God promises, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). Immediately upon being justified by faith, God begins His work of regeneration in the innermost parts of your heart. You are born again into the Kingdom of God – a new creature in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Now that you have accepted the salvation which God provided for you through Jesus Christ, the Word of God admonishes that you should profess Christ boldly.“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32, 33).

If you have accepted Christ and asked for His forgiveness, you have experienced the greatest joy that anyone can have in this life. No longer are you bound by sin, and you are free to begin your new life of living for God. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, we encourage you to share your testimony with us! You are beginning a new life with Christ, and we would like to help you as you begin that journey with Him.