Is it health? Wealth? Fame? Friends? Family? Pleasure? Loving your neighbor?

All of these are answers suggested by people to whom I have asked this vital question!

But, the most important thing in your life today is to be right with God, because none of these other things will be of any eternal significance unless you have been reconciled to God through genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ!

God's word makes it very plain that"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23) and that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ out Lord." (Romans 6:23) "For there is not a just man upon the earth that does good and does not sin." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

"What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that does good, no, not one." (Romans 3:9-12) "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

The greatest problem that faces the human race is the problem of sin in the human heart. (James 4:1-5) But, many people think they can sove this problem by their own efforts, by doing good, by keeping the commandments and many other ways.

Yet, the only adequate solution to the sin problem is the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on calvary's cross where He died, "the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He that believes on Him is not condemned, but he that does not believe on Him is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God." (John 3:16,18)

God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), because repentance is a turning away from our sins when we turn to Jesus Christ to trust Him and receive Him as our sin-bearer, and our Lord and Saviour.

"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as receive Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on His name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:10-13)

This is the way to be right with God: "For by grace are you 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) "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, but the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:5)

God wants us to understand that "Salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9), and that the desire to appropriate His gift of eternal life is itself a gift from God, and as Jesus stated, "No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw Him; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)

It is important to understand who Jesus Christ is, and why He died on the cross. He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1) He is the creator and sustainer of all things (Col. 1:12-22), and He was "made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) that He might in a "once for all sacrifice" make those he sanctified complete forever.

You must rely upon the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the basis of your forgiveness and acceptance by God.

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)

Jesus said, "I am the door, by me if any enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9) "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17)

"The Word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach; that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:8-10)

May the Lord open your heart to His Word and to His Son, Jesus Christ, that you may become a child of God today through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ!

"And this is the record that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son, has life; he that does not have the Son of God, does not have life. These things I have written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:10-13)

After a person becomes a child of God there is a need to confess Jesus Christ before men and identify with Him in His death, burial and resurrection through believer's baptism, and become an active member of a local Bible-believing church. This is how to begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ: share with other believers in worship, fellowship, observing the ordinances, and in the world-wide proclamation of the Word of God.

Please contact me if you have any questions about these matters, or if I can be of help to you as a pastor in matters related to the Word of God or the will of God in your life!

Thank you!

Sincerely,