Do You Know? God's Salvation is Ready for You!

Today, many young people testify about their spiritual experience with God, confessing that a basic change has taken place in their lives. The following testimony summarizes these confessions:

I was living without a goal and tried everything this life had to offer. I was searching for a way between religion and atheism and was lost. Lust controlled my thoughts and dreams, enslaving my body and paralyzing my will. I despised myself. My life was drowned in darkness. I tried to escape from reality by many harmful ways, but I could not run away from myself. Then, by God’s compassion and grace, the living Christ met me and healed my soul. He cleansed my heart and made me stand on a solid foundation. Since that experience I have found meaning and a goal for my life. Despair, unhappiness and disappointment have left me. Hope and assurance have come into my heart. I have learned to listen to the word of God and answer him in my prayers. Now I know that my sins are forgiven, my whole life has been changed, and my soul has been revived. The power of God is working in my weakness. I sing a new song in my heart and praise the Lord for my salvation.

Dear Reader: There are many voices today testifying like this young man and pointing to their contact with the living Christ. They confess their experience of His miraculous salvation. Would you like to know the way to this new life? Are you interested in becoming a happy person, kept in God’s love? Do you want to receive a pure heart and a good reputation before God and man? Then continue to read the following pages and meditate on the Word of God in a spirit of worship. God calls you personally. He is ready to grant new meaning to your life.

Most people live far from God. They eat, drink, marry and run after worthless things, behaving as if they had no conscience. They carry secret sins in their hearts, not realizing that they are on the downward path to hell. Sometimes they even pretend to be very religious-minded, but they are far from God. Their hearts are hard and cruel. Their fanaticism leads them deeper and deeper in sin, as Christ said,

Dear Reader: We urge you, come back to the living God! He did not create you in vain. He loves you with everlasting love and turns his face toward you. If you live without your creator, and reject him, you are lost, wandering without a goal. Your soul will remain empty and in despair, for you are missing the secret of the divine revelation:

The eternal, holy God wants to grant you the kindness of his love and to breathe his Spirit into you, that you can live a life that is worth being called Life! Look to the Lord, because he approaches you, according to his faithful promise,

A young man who lived among idol worshipers, read about the religions of Jews, Christians and Muslims. He was lost in their differences and asked himself many times, Is God One or Three, or Three in One? Which is the right way? Where is the truth? He became confused and cried out from the depths of his despair, praying to heaven, O God! If you exist, please reveal yourself to me! I want to know you and live with you and be kept in your power. I cannot live without you any longer!

God answered his heart’s cry. A short time later the young man was going home from his office and found a yellow piece of paper thrown on the ground and read in it, If you want to know more about God, write to the ‘Centre For Young Adults’. They will send you explanations of the Holy Bible without cost. He wrote to them at once and soon a package full of tracts and books arrived. As he opened the parcel, he wept tears of joy because he understood that the living God had answered his prayer. He studied the Bible carefully, and soon he came to know the one real God. As a result of his new faith his behaviour and life changed. He walked the right path and became a faithful servant of the Lord.

Dear Reader: Come to the living God for he is waiting for you. As long as you stay far away from him you are lost in darkness. Come to your Creator and reject all the lies of the atheists. Don’t be like them. Three thousand years ago the prophet David wrote,

Don’t walk in the path of the atheists. Depart from their lies. Leave your loneliness and approach the divine light. Your Lord is calling you with his compassionate voice,

Listen to God’s call and answer him. Decide with all your will to come back to your Lord. Ask yourself, Do I really want to go back to God and seek Him with all my heart?. It is not enough to have a good intention, there must be a final decision. If you are indeed looking for God, He will come to you, heal you and save you completely.

A young man from Bahrain wrote to us, I don’t know whom to believe. Am I a Muslim, a communist or a Christian? Would you help me and show me the right person to follow — Muhammad, Marx, Lenin or Christ? He signed his letter, the confused one.

This young man, like many others, is drowning in the swirling cross-currents of the world. Fortunately this young man had not sunk in the depth of his despair, nor did he lose hope. He called for help and wanted to know the right person to follow. He was not satisfied with dry traditions, meaningless phrases or dead doctrines. He felt that there must be something more. There must be a possibility of getting in contact with God!

Yes, the living God exists. He is the true measure for the human race, the example for his followers. He lifts them from the muddy waters of evil and sin to his own holiness and love. He clearly revealed the standard he set for all mankind,

You may be shocked and say, God forbid! How can I compare myself to God? Listen carefully to what the Bible says. This holy God does not ask you to save yourself. That is impossible. He wants to free you from your wrong human measurements and save you from the standards of the world. God has created man according to his own image. Therefore, he wants us to walk in his holiness and nothing less! He said to Abraham, his friend,

The loving God will free you from the ties of your sins. He is ready to save, to sanctify and to heal the weakness of your mind and soul. You must come to understand that all your goodness is not adequate to God’s measure of holiness. Before him, no one is good, and we are not capable of saving ourselves by our own will power. The goodness which God asks from us is his own holiness and loving kindness, nothing else. Christ expressed this principle by saying,

Every person who reads this word from the Gospel and realizes the depth of its meaning will give up in despair, because we cannot be perfect as God! Yet this tells us the true meaning of sin, that we are not clean and good as God is. Christ explained this to a rich young man saying,

Dear Friend, listen to the old truth: If you recognize and know God in his reality, then you will begin to see yourself in his light. There are many who think that they are kind, well-educated and honorable people. But they do not realize that God looks at them through his eyes of holiness. They do not use the divine measurement for their lives. Everyone appears before God as a condemned sinner. The true knowledge of God melts our pride away. No one is good but God, and there is no man better than another. Whoever measures himself with God, confesses that he, as well as everybody else, is a wicked and filthy sinner. No one can pass this divine test. Paul the apostle proclaimed this basic truth in his well-known letter saying,

Do you agree with these facts? Do you still claim to be a good person and better than others? If you are honest, you will listen to the voice of your conscience which is convicting you of your hidden sins. You know exactly where and how you have sinned. The closer you come to God and his light, the clearer you will see the dark shame and sins in your life. Come to the Lord now and don’t delay, for it is written,

Once, two men went up to the temple to pray. One of them appeared very pious, but the other seemed to be a wicked and despised thief. The religious man stood upright near the altar and proudly prayed before the people, God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. (Luke 18: 11,12)

But the other man, the thief, stood away in the corner. He was ashamed of himself. Convicted of his sins, he did not want to raise his eyes to heaven. He bowed his head and stammered,

Jesus clearly showed that the man who was outwardly religious was actually a selfish hypocrite. His prayer was not heard. But the thief went home justified with peace in his heart, because he had openly confessed his sins and repented in his heart.

Dear Reader: We advise you to uncover your sins before your Lord. If you think that you have not committed any sin, ask the holy God with a humble, surrendered spirit,

Have the courage to ask God to lift the veil of your conscience. Let him break the mask covering the secrets of your soul. Then you will recognize the enormity of your sins. There is no human being who does not sin. Only God is infallible. Seek living knowledge from the merciful God. Realize the truth about yourself. Then, God will teach you his ten commandments. They are the divine mirror for your sinful soul. Through THE LAW OF GOD you will learn that you are not better than any other person.

The Lord shows us through his commandments that we do not love him with all our hearts, nor with all our souls, or with all our minds. We have been running after money, marvelling at our beauty, and worshiping different things rather than God.

Have you not spoken God’s name in vain many times, whether unconsciously and unintentionally, or cursed in his name without noticing it?

Have you honored your parents with practical services, silent sacrifices of love and continuous patience as God has demanded from you?

Our world is full of hatred. Everyone rejects the other. Hearts are full of revenge against difficult people. Murderous thoughts dwell in our veins.

Sexual immorality is a sin which stains our soul deeply. How many people’s consciences have been strangled through dirty thoughts, dreams, words and acts! If we could only glimpse the sin committed in one night, in just one of our towns, we would be horrified and run away shocked at the reality of adultery and shamelessness.

Besides all this, we see the lying and cheating between individuals. Who can trust the other one today? Betrayals poison our society. Know for certain that God hates every lie, slander and contempt. He loves us and wants us to be honest and true. Christ said clearly,

Sin also creates in us a desire to become rich, proud and strong. Hearts become hard as stones from greed and jealousy, but the outer faces look kind and pious.

How often have we ignored an ill or weak person? Did you ever care for a refugee? And how often have we even been abhorred by the existence of poor and uneducated people? Mercy does not dwell in our heart; it is full of egoism and arrogance. Therefore, God inspired the apostle Paul to describe the reality of our society,

Dear Friend: Can you still claim to be a good person, or have you accepted the judgment of your conscience? Have you seen the great and deep gulf which divides us from the holy God? Have you realized the enormity of your sins and the ugliness of your trespasses?

If you are honest with yourself you will confess everything to God and cry out to him from the depth of your soul, Be merciful to me, O God, because my sins are separating me from you. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done all my evil in your sight. I am guilty and unclean. I am an evil person. Accept my broken heart and don’t cast me away. Cleanse me and make me whole. Cover me with your salvation. Thank you Lord for hearing my heart’s prayer. Amen.

Some religions teach that salvation is based on good deeds. Other people think that good works will cancel bad works. Most of these religions impose heavy burdens and laws on their followers that no one can really carry. History and reality prove that the revelation in the Torah and the Gospel states the truth, saying,

Anybody not confessing and teaching this basic truth does not know God, nor will he ever understand His nature. The holy God is full of love. Before Him, even the best works and virtues, with all good deeds appear polluted with selfishness. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, and we make God a liar.

Dear Friend: Do you realize that every sin, regardless how small requires the death of the sinner? Because of sin we are all condemned to death, and hell. No one is righteous, or worthy to live. We are all vanishing and fading as the holy Gospel says,

But God, the compassionate and merciful, has postponed his wrath. He did not destroy the disobedient immediately according to his justice. He provided the guilty sinners with an escape. He gave them a substitute and guided them to the way of sacrifices and offerings. In earlier times, every guilty sinner had to come to the altar with an animal, place his hand on its head, and confess his sins before God. This was the sign that his sins were transferred to the head of his substitute. Then he had to kill the animal with his own hand. The sacrifice bled as it burned on the altar. God’s word says,

The guilty sinner, seeing the sacrifice burning in the flames of the fire upon the altar, had to realize that he himself should have died and been thrown into the fire if there had not been the substitute, the slaughtered sacrifice that died instead of him. The old covenant was built upon bloody sacrifices, which were offered night and day.

Without a continuous reconciliation to God there was neither forgiveness nor life.

The prophets of the Old Testament had known from God that all the sacrifices were only symbols, pointing to a last and complete sacrifice. Animals and other offerings were not adequate to fulfill the requirements of God’s righteousness and greatness. Even human sacrifice was considered unclean and hateful in the sight of God. The best person out of all men would not have been good enough to atone for another human being. There was no hope in the world.

Therefore, the almighty God appointed a pure and holy Lamb from heaven, able and worthy to take away the sin of the whole world. This Lamb was sent to the earth to die for all sinners and to burn in the flames of God’s wrath. The Holy Lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ, a mercy to the world and a grace to all who accept him.

He lived a life as a normal human being filled with God’s love. He took our sins and carried them away. He suffered our punishment instead of us. God’s wrath was poured on him, who died rejected and despised of men.

Have you understood the kindness of God, who does not require impossible deeds from you? He has prepared a way from the beginning to justify and purify you by his grace. The gospel tells us that the angel of God appeared to shepherds who watched their flocks by night, and said to them,

God has prepared a perfect salvation for us in Jesus Christ. We are witnesses to you with thanksgiving and praise to God that Christ has taken away our sins and purified our hearts. He has removed all our trespasses which stood between us and the holy God. We say, with John the Baptist,

We do not have to try to work for our salvation any more. Christ has come and saved us by his death and has provided a free gift of eternal salvation for us. We can confess with the apostle Paul,

Have you come to this spotless Lamb of God who took away your sins as well? Jesus Christ, the Lord, has substituted himself for all people. He was not born according to the will of man, but from the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. He is the incarnate Word of God and the fullness of his Spirit in the flesh. The essence of God was manifested in the body of Christ.

Many refuse to believe in this truth. They reject the greatest blessing in heaven and on earth. Their hearts have become hardened and their minds confused. They do not realize that only Jesus was born from the Spirit of God. He is the only one who had the authority and power to take away the sins of the whole world. Therefore,

An uneducated Indian woman was asked about her faith in Christ. She replied, His blood cleansed my heart from all my sins. This illiterate woman had experienced the innermost secret of salvation. Whoever meets Christ and understands his sacrifice, will quickly accept him by faith and surrender his unclean and wicked life to Him. Then the assurance of salvation will come into his heart and the justification of God will seal his mind.

Remember that Christ does not need to die especially for your sins again. He has justified you once and forever. Believe in this fact. Be courageous and thank the almighty for granting you justification freely. He loves you personally, because he sacrificed his beloved son for you and for the whole world. Salvation has been accomplished. Do you really accept it? Then you will gain a new understanding of God as the merciful forgiver and as an ocean of love.

Do you understand how to accept this salvation practically? It is not hard or difficult. Kneel down in a quiet place or a closed room, alone, or with a believing friend and pray from all your heart,

Dear Friend: Believe in what you have prayed, because God is listening to you. Be strong in faith, and talk to the merciful God as your heart leads you. Speak and don’t be silent, because God is love. He has completed salvation for you and for the whole world long ago. Keep in mind that this justification, signed by the blood of Jesus Christ is your highest certificate. The Lamb of God gives you freedom from sin and sanctification in your life. Trust in God’s promises, and you shall hear the voice of the Holy Spirit assuring your faith,

At this moment the peace of God will fill your soul. You will become a new person. It is imperative to accept your salvation with thanksgiving. Don’t postpone it, because Christ has saved you. You are responsible for this privilege in your life. The Holy Spirit warns you,

Are You Sure of Your Salvation?!

A young minister was asked to attend a meeting of religious scholars in India, but he refused to participate in their apologetic discussions. He knew only the basic principles and doctrines of his own religion. After they urged him many times, he finally agreed. He prayed that the Spirit of the Lord would guide him. So he went to the meeting with peace in his heart.

When he arrived at the conference, he was amazed to see about two thousand people surrounding a group of honorable sheiks and scholars in their long robes — all waiting for him. They asked his opinion on their doctrines, traditions, laws and liturgies. He could answer only some of their questions. So they finally asked him, What can you offer us from your religion for discussion? He answered with pleasure, The Holy God has forgiven all my sins through the death of my Lord Jesus Christ. By him I became righteous and free from my sins. I am no longer afraid of the Day of Judgment because my salvation has been completed. The scholars rejected his testimony and cried out. That is impossible! No person can know in advance what will happen on the Day of Judgment. No one can be sure of the final account which God will present him. We consider everyone who says, ‘My sins are forgiven,’ a blasphemer! But the young minister answered them with a clear and firm voice saying. You have asked for my opinion concerning your religion in philosophical matters. I couldn’t answer many of your questions and gave only some ideas. But now I understand the difference between your religion and my religion. I confess that your many laws, long traditions, and habitual prayers will never bring peace into your minds. You do not have the assurance of forgiveness in your hearts, but I am absolutely sure and I can say with pleasure, that the great God loves me personally. He has forgiven all my sins through Jesus. Neither human being nor Satan will be able to take this grace away from me. I am rich in my simplicity, but you are poor in your imagined prosperity.

Dear Friend: Are you sure in your heart that God has saved you? He is ready to grant you his own Holy Spirit. This Spirit witnesses to your spirit that you have become one of God’s own children. The eternal God has accepted you as you are. He has cleansed you, raised you to a new life, sanctified you, and given you his everlasting peace. This is the experience of all who have accepted their Savior Jesus Christ and his salvation. They are certain about the unchangeable love of God. If you have not received this assurance yet, ask God in humble faith that he may pour out his Holy Spirit in your heart where he will abide forever. Then you will realize the power of your salvation and rest in the grace and love of the Lord Jesus. Everyone who loves Christ is like a blind person whose eyes have just been opened. He sees the door to God wide open and recognizes Christ, the fountain of everlasting life. From him we receive power for our new inner being which changes our old nature. As a result of salvation, through the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into your heart and renews every aspect of your character. Believe in your Savior Jesus Christ, then you will begin to live a life which is worthy to be called life. Jesus said,

I have come that they may have Life and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

All who have accepted Christ as their beloved Savior and trust in him continuously, experience a basic change in their life. This inner change can be seen by a better behavior. They are no longer under the yoke of sin but have received a new life from God and have become his children. It is not important to feel this change in a dramatic way, swimming in waves of joy. It is enough if you truly believe that Christ has taken control of your whole life, that he is faithfully leading you and is keeping you in all your ways.

Christ’s salvation creates in you a strong desire for prayer, praise and thanksgiving to God who became your Father through Christ Jesus. Your sins of the past no longer separate you from him. You are now clean because the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for you. The Spirit of God guides you to pray the Lord’s Prayer,

Your prayers will no longer be empty repetitions or traditional liturgy, but a direct conversation with God. You can tell him about your troubles, mistakes, and fears, and he will answer you in his holy Gospel. You are no longer alone, because Christ incorporated you into fellowship with the great God. The Holy One is no longer far away from you, unknown and frightening. He is your Father, caring for you, understanding you personally and protecting you in his providence. There is no greater change possible in your perception than this — God the Creator and eternal Judge is my Father! For that reason be thankful to him and let your heart be filled with joy and worship, because the holy God shows himself merciful to you, the sinner, and forgives you all your sins and cleanses you with the precious blood of his Son. Therefore, your heart and tongue may sing with the Psalm of David:

God in his favor has put a new song in your heart. You are giving thanks for his great salvation. Is there a continuous melody of praise to God in your heart? Do you thank him for his love, patience, faithfulness, and kindness that were revealed to you in Christ? Meditate upon the spiritual blessings which God has given to you in your Savior Jesus. Don’t withhold thanksgiving, for the acceptance of salvation changes your life and the words in the Bible become real to you, as it is written,

We can testify with millions of believers that since our hearts were cleansed by the blood of Christ, the Spirit of prayer has been poured into our hearts. We are certain that our heavenly Father listens to all the words of his children. He will not neglect one single word. He always answers our prayers if we are in harmony with his will. We have a direct connection with God. Let us thank Him for this privilege.

We pray that this truth might be revealed to you, so that you may experience the deeper meaning of salvation, the power of faith, and joyful thanksgiving.

It is wrong to think that a believer in Christ is immune from temptations and sins. No! But he is secure in the strong hands and carried in the everlasting arms of God. He receives strength in times of trouble from the word of his Lord which rebukes and comforts him. God is with him, and more than that, God is in him by the Holy Spirit, who gives him victory in the time of temptation. The believer will learn patience and trust in the Lord through all the circumstances of life.

If you want confirmation in your salvation, study the word of God continuously. Be obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will lead you to different services in the community of believers. Paul the apostle confessed,

We cannot exist without the word of God. The Bible is our spiritual food. In normal life we do not eat only once a week, but if possible three times a day, so that we can accomplish our daily work and duties. Imagine yourself eating only one meal a week! Perhaps you would not die immediately, but your body would become weaker and weaker, hanging between life and death. You would not be able to do any solid work but spend most of your time in bed. That is also the case with the spiritual life. Any Christian will not be able to grow in love, faith, and hope, unless he takes his daily spiritual food with thanksgiving. You should study the gospel carefully and learn the word of God by heart. The Lord Jesus revealed a secret saying,

If you own a Bible, don’t put it on the shelf. Don’t let the dust cover it. Stretch out your hand and take the Holy Book, open it and let it be the subject of your studies and meditations. Memorize many key verses. Fill your heart with the Word of God because the Ruler of the universe is speaking to you directly through his word.

A man of God had to enter the hospital for a critical operation. After he prayed for his relatives and the staff, they gave him the anesthesia and operated on him successfully. Sometimes when the influence of the anesthesia is wearing off, people may speak secrets from their subconscious. This man of God also spoke before he fully awoke, but he spoke only genuine Bible verses. He was filled with the Word of God. Nothing else came from his lips.

What would have happened if you were in his condition? What would you have spoken? Is your subconscious full of the Gospel? Your tongue will speak what is in your heart. If you want to grow spiritually you must read the holy Bible constantly. God speaks to you in a direct way through His Word.

If you want to be led by the Spirit of Christ don’t forget the simple rule: Read the Bible regularly and pray that you will understand and obey it. This is not a difficult law to meditate on the Word of God often, but rather a unique privilege. A young man will wait for the letters of his fiancée impatiently and when he receives the letter, he will open it quickly and read it several times until he understands each sentence completely. So it is on a higher spiritual meaning, that every lover of Christ will never be satisfied from only reading the Gospel. He will study it, keep it in mind, do it and live and die with it. Everyone who believes in our Redeemer cannot go ahead and succeed in his life without the Gospel. We must never quit reading the Word of God, otherwise our spiritual life will decline and die.

Therefore, if you wish to grow in spirit, study the Torah and the Gospel regularly. God speaks to you personally in a direct way through his Word.

Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power! Accept the example of our Lord Jesus to serve others practically under the guidance of his love. Deny yourself and don’t care only for your own family. Recognize and discover the people around you. They need your help. Serve them in the joy of the Lord. Every mature believer finds the best example of ministering to others in our great Master. Christ said,

Have you ever realized the astonishing fact that Christ never asked for money for his various services? He served the people day and night and sacrificed himself to redeem sinners. This continuous service for unworthy people became the mark of the followers of Christ. They do not wait to receive help but follow his example of giving themselves for others in word, deed and prayer. The love of Christ is leading them.

Jesus declared: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Holy Spirit guides the followers of Christ to accomplish this divine commandment. What a privilege to present the good news of salvation to the unsaved! A heart full of joy and thanksgiving cannot be silent, but speaks and witnesses about what the Lord has done for him. Peter, the first of the apostles, confessed in front of the religious court of his days, after they ordered the followers of Christ to be quiet and to stop propagating and teaching in the name of Jesus,

How can you sleep well and rest, knowing that your friends and relatives are damned by the wrath of God? Maybe they are still spiritually dead in trespasses and sins! Why don’t you tell them the good news of Christ’s salvation? The light of God in your mind and the powerful love of Christ in your heart should drive you forward to testify about your Savior Jesus Christ so that they too can be saved and not remain lost.

A Muslim high school student in Casablanca, Morocco, began to love Christ and believed in his salvation. The student was so impressed by the personality of Jesus and was so enthusiastic about his power that he bought thirty-five New Testaments to give to each student in his class. The Holy Spirit guides and moves us to a wise witness for many people.

Jesus promised his disciples,

Perhaps you will experience that not everybody is ready to listen to the Holy Gospel. Many reject the crucified Savior and hate his cross. They do not know what they are doing. In such a case you have only two ways of bringing divine salvation nearer to them, either by continuous prayer for those who refuse Christ or by serving them silently. The word of God was officially forbidden to be spread for a long time in China, the country with the largest population in our world. But the believers there won many atheists to Christ by their silent witness and patient service. The atheists felt an extraordinary power and saw the love of God working in those Christians. This teaches us that our testimony for Christ does not work by words alone, but the Spirit of Christ speaks through a holy life too.

A medical student in Cairo wrote a letter saying, I cannot talk about my new faith at home because I am a girl. My family sticks strictly to the religion and traditions of our forefathers. Please pray for me that I can live a holy life, remaining humble, and not complaining at home, so that my family can sense how the love of the Holy Spirit is working in my weakness. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus said to his disciples,

Do you realize that the Spirit of Christ is ready to give you beautiful, divine fruits? Paul, the apostle, wrote to the Galatians saying,

Meditate on each expression of this golden verse and ask God to make it real in your life. Take part in the opportunity to receive all these fruits of the Holy Spirit. Then you will live with joy and peace all your life.

The test of your faith and the trial of your salvation will come when you meet difficult, rebellious and cruel people. They will offend, injure and deride you, or in their fanaticism, they may threaten you in the name of their religion. Then remember Christ who has freely forgiven you all your sins, so you too should forgive your enemies from all your heart. The love of God will drive you to really love them. This is not unrealistic or impossible, but it is an inner MUST coming from the heavenly power that dwells in you. May the Holy Spirit always grant us the strength and the will to fulfill the commandment of Christ,

A servant of God was traveling on his motorcycle in a deserted area. He saw a young hitch-hiker standing on the road-side indicating that he needed a ride, so he stopped and let him on. Shortly after driving off the driver felt a gun in his back and heard a voice saying, Stop, get down, give me your money and your passport! The man of God got down from his bike and tried to take his wallet out of his pocket. The thief looked expectantly for the money and stretched out his hand to take it. At this moment the driver struck the other hand of the thief so that his revolver fell. He grabbed for it, threw the shocked thief to the ground, knelt on him, and putting the revolver to his chest frightened him with the words, Pray and confess your sins, for the moment of your death is at hand. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. As you have done to me, I shall do to you.

The thief under his knee cried, Mercy! Please, I am poor. The Christian answered him, You are a thief and a killer. The wrath of God is upon you. Now you will die and go directly to hell. But the Christian continued, This is the way YOU live! In former days, I was like you, but now, after I met Christ who forgave my sins and conquered my hate, I forgive you — go in peace!

The thief stood up, looked at the Christian and stammered, Do you really want to let me go? Aren’t you going to shoot me in the back after I have walked ten yards? Then the servant of God answered him, No, but you shall know, that I am not the one who grants you your life, but Christ. I am no better than you, but Christ who saved me, wants to save you too. Believe in him and let him change your life so that you will not be thrown into the everlasting fire after you die. The thief walked away confused, and looked back at the man until he disappeared in the darkness of the night.

Not everyone experiences dramatic stories like this, but in our daily life Christ teaches us to forgive others and to forget what they have done to us. We are to pray for them, even if they do not accept our service. Our Savior prayed for his enemies while he hung on the cross,

This is the way followers of Christ should think and live,

For love is stronger than death and forgiveness is more powerful than hatred.

Dear Reader: If you have understood our explanation about the salvation of Christ you may have noticed that there are two sides to this salvation. First we are saved from sin and the last judgment. Secondly we are guided to carry out the services of his love. Salvation needs a practical application. Mature believers walk in love, kindness, patience, meekness, humility and happiness. Are you truly saved?

The closer we come to God and experience his love, the more we discover our weakness, short-comings and vanity. But these weaknesses are not an excuse for us and will not be overlooked at the last day. Our mistakes should drive us to pray more and seek for a stronger faith until we are really changed in our character. The Holy Spirit will teach us the meaning of these words,

Now we are waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ who will reveal the full scope of his salvation at his second coming. His glorious appearance is the goal of our hope. Every mature believer expects and waits for the soon-coming Lord.

A shoemaker was sitting in his workshop repairing shoes when a brother-in-the-Lord passed by and asked him, How are you? What are you doing? The shoemaker replied, I am waiting for Christ's coming and besides that, I am repairing shoes. He did not say it the other way around, that he was doing his job and waiting for the Lord Jesus to come! Faithful believers long to see their Savior as soon as possible. This hope has become the topic of their life.

When Jesus comes in glory he will reveal the fullness of his everlasting life, which already began in his followers as they believed in him. Our salvation incorporated us in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, so we will not die, but live. Our religion does not lead us to a dark goal or to a fearful hour of which we tremble. We know for sure that the resurrection of the believers in Christ to the life of God will come. The love of Jesus which is poured out in our hearts never vanishes. The salvation of our Lord is not temporary, but forever. God’s power has been manifested in us to overcome sin, death and temptation.

When Jesus comes our mortal bodies will change, and we will wear the glory of our Lord over our weaknesses, becoming new and perfect in Him. With joy all the followers of Christ will be united in Him. Eating, drinking or marrying is not the object of our hope. We expect to see God personally and live with him through all eternity. We will then recognize many wonders, out of His grace, when He reveals his new creation.

All those who remained in their pride and did not accept Jesus and the salvation which He has prepared for them, will wail and lament in terror. Their sins will be uncovered and they must carry their own punishment. We are not better than these, but the judgment of God was completed in us when we confessed our sins and accepted the death of the Lord Jesus in our place. He has taken the sins of the world upon himself and bore our punishment completely. Therefore, we are justified, and freed from the day of reckoning by his grace. There is no condemnation upon every true follower of Christ.

In the last day we will see a great multitude approaching the Lord with hymns on their lips, thanking their Savior for his redemptive work on the cross. They will be praising Him for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within them as a pledge and guarantee of his coming.

But the others will, THEN BEGIN TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, ‘FALL ON US!’ AND TO THE HILLS, ‘COVER US’ (LUKE 23:30).

Not one of them will be able to bear the glory of the Lord, who will judge them. Their own bad works shall appear in his light, and their presumed good deeds will look like filthy rags. The divine salvation was prepared for them too, but they neglected and refused it. They despised the only Savior and for this reason they will fall into eternal damnation. Their remorse will never end. The day of the greatest joy for the saved will be the bitter and frightening day of Judgment for those who rejected the crucified Son of God. They did not accept his salvation. Therefore, they will experience the word of the Bible,

Dear Friend: If you have meditated with us on the wide range of God’s salvation, you could realize that salvation for the whole world has already been completed. Every person has the full right to experience this wonderful salvation and to live in the power of the Holy Spirit each day.

Perhaps you have realized that salvation was not the only subject of this booklet. Every subject concerned with faith and spiritual life is built on the unique personality of Jesus Christ. We want to glorify the One who has really saved all. There is no salvation without the Savior Jesus Christ.

Have you discovered the love and majesty of Jesus? Have you heard His compassionate and tender voice in the gospel? Have you realized his patience and might to forgive the sins of the world? There is no human being who can comprehend the greatness of Christ’s love which is filled with purity and holiness. He called himself the Son of Man, but he is also the Son of God. He humbled himself, left his glory and was manifested in the flesh in order that one Man would be born without sin. Only he was worthy to reconcile the world with God. He gave us the right of the divine adoption and the gift of eternal life.

The almighty God has entrusted to the living Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth, knowing that his humble and meek Son will never use this might to exalt himself, but will redeem all who want to be redeemed.

Dear Friend: If you have not yet accepted Christ, we invite you NOW to come to the Savior. He waits for you, personally, more than a father waits for his lost son.

If you are one of the saved living in Christ’s power, thank him and join in the spreading of the good news of salvation everywhere, because all dedicated mission services is the thanksgiving of the saved offered to their beloved Savior.