The Bad News

While the Bible provides guidance on dealing with everyday problems, it focuses on one in particular, the problem of sin. Sin can be defined as "lawlessness" or "transgression of the law" (1 Jn. 3:4). We commit sin when we violate the moral laws set forth by God, and the Bible reveals that every accountable person has done so (Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:8-10). The reason why sin is a problem is because, just like when a person breaks any law, it results in the need for punishment.

Because God is holy (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:16), and cannot look upon sin (Hab. 1:13), the consequences of breaking His laws result in a spiritual separation from Him, a severed relationship from our Creator (Isa. 59:2). Just as the body separated from the spirit describes physical death (Jas. 2:26), the Bible refers to this separation from God as spiritual death (Rom. 5:12; Rom. 6:23).

Not only is God holy, but He is just (Isa. 45:21; Rev. 15:3), and His justice demands punishment for sin. The ultimate punishment is that of being eternally separated from God in hell (Matt. 25:46; 2 Thes. 1:8-9).

Since sin causes spiritual death and punishment, it is like spiritual cancer, a deadly disease that separates us from the blessings of God, and will ultimately result in terrible punishment.

The Good News

Thankfully, God has provided a cure for the disease of sin. While He is holy and just, God is also loving (1 Jn. 4:8), and out of His love for us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as a solution to the problem of sin (Jn. 3:16). As a man, Jesus lived a sinless life (Heb. 4:15), and took our punishment upon Himself by being tortured and crucified for crimes He did not commit (Matt. 27; Phi. 2:5-8). Though He died, He was raised from the dead, showing His victory over sin and death, and declaring His power as the Son of God (Matt. 28:6; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:1-8).

Because He conquered death (Rom. 6:9), He can deliver us from its power (Heb. 2:15; Heb. 9:27-28), and because He is both God and man (Jn. 1:1-14), He is able to reconcile the relationship between the two (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:17).

Everyone who accepts His loving sacrifice by becoming a Christian, by following His teachings (Matt. 28:18-20; Heb. 5:9), can be united with God once more. Through faith in Jesus, Christians are saved from the punishment of their sins (Rom. 5:6-10), having peace of mind (Phi. 4:7), living a rewarding life in service to God (1 Tim. 4:8), and awaiting the ultimate reunion in heaven (Jn. 14:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:3-4).

Hear the Word of God

Obviously, if one does not know about the salvation that God offers, they cannot accept it. Hearing what the Bible says through preaching, teaching, and personal study is the only way to determine how to follow Jesus (Rom. 10:17).

Believe in Jesus Christ

One must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 3:16). This results from hearing the Word of God (see above), and is essential to salvation (Mark 16:16; John 8:24; John 20:30-31; Heb. 11:6). If one does not believe in Jesus Christ, certainly they are not going to attempt to follow Him.

Repent of Your Sins

Repentance is a change of mind which causes one to turn away from sinful practices. It is commanded for everyone (Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3).

Confess Your Faith

This is an outward confession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:9-10).

Be Baptized

The Bible teaches that baptism is a required act of obedience which is essential to salvation (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Proper subjects for baptism are:

• Taught persons (Matt. 28:19)
• Believing persons (Mark 16:16)
• Penitent persons (Acts 2:38)
• Persons who have confessed Jesus (Acts 8:37-38)

Scriptural baptism must be an immersion in water. The Greek (original language of the New Testament) word from which the word baptize comes means "to dip, to immerse, to submerge, to plunge." It is described as a burial, where one puts to death their sinful practices and rises to live a new life (Acts 8:35-39; Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12).

Baptism is extremely important because the New Testament sets forth the following purposes for it:

• It is to enter the kingdom (John 3:3-5)
• It is to contact Christ's blood (Rom. 6:3)
• It is to get into Christ (Gal. 3:27)
• It is for salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21)
• It is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)
• It is to wash away sins (Acts 22:16)
• It is to get into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13), which is the church (Eph. 1:22-23)

Remain Faithful

Though there are certain actions that make one a Christian, there are also those that keep one a Christian. Because the Bible teaches the possibility of falling from the grace of God, a Christian ought to live faithfully to Him (Rev. 2:10).

• Paul warned the Christians at Corinth to take heed lest they fall (1 Cor. 10:12)
• He told some of the Galatians they had "fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4)
• The Hebrew writer sounded warning: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Heb. 3:12)
• Peter spoke of those who had known Christ Jesus, but who had reverted to their old ways ... and said it would have been better for them never to have known the truth (2 Pet. 2:20-21)