With Christmas right around the corner, I find that John 3:16 is always an excellent reminder of the “reason of the season”.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
– John 3:16
We are preparing for the moment Jesus Christ comes to Earth in the flesh. So, what does this mean for us? As a child, I have always struggled to grasp what that meant for us. I think I was around the age of 10 when I learned John 3:16, but it wasn’t until I was 13 that I fully understood the meaning.
When I did understand, my life was changed from that moment. I knew that God was always with me before I was even a thought, but the moment I turned my heart and opened to the reality of what God gave me, I have always felt him since I believed.
I want everyone to feel that God is always with them, so let’s dive into God’s gift of salvation through Christ.
God Loves You
He knew the moment what he had to do when we first sinned. That was to show us grace and send his only SON to die for us on the cross. He gave us the gift of salvation so that we could be with him eternally in Heaven.
“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
– Romans 5:8
The Gift of Faith
Not only do we have the love of God, but we also receive the Gift of Faith. Faith comes from your heart, and if you believe that Jesus died for us on the cross, you will be saved.
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
– Romans 10:9
Live a New Life
When your eyes open to this, and you believe it, changes will follow. You say the sinner’s prayer, then get baptized and are reborn. Your life will be different because you choose to live through Christ. You will want to live a different life and turn from sin.
“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”
– John 3:21
From the moment Jesus was born to the moment he died on the cross, God was seeing his plan through so that we could live with him for eternity. If you haven’t been saved, here is where you can start:
Say this prayer and reach out to a church pastor to get more information:
“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died to forgive me of my sins. I now accept Your offer of eternal life. Thank You for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank You for my new life. From this day forward, I will choose to follow You.”
