The Most Important Decision
Of Your Life
What is Important?
The most important thing in life is to come into a right relationship to God. It is the very purpose of life. Your eternal destiny depends on it. What could be more important than that? In this little folder, we want to give you some guidance to help you make that important decision.
Some Basic Truths You Need to Know to Begin With
2. Sin will separate you from God. He will never allow sinners to enter His eternal home (heaven).
3. Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth to pay the penalty for your sins. He suffered and died so that you might be made free from the guilt and the penalty for your sins.
4. It is not difficult to accept the gift of forgiveness and eternal life that God offers. Anyone can do it, even a young child. It is a gift. There is nothing you can do to earn it or deserve it.
How to Find Peace with God
The Problem
All human beings have a serious problem: they are born as a part of a sinful race. We are all sinners when we come into this world because we have a nature that is inclined towards sinning. The Bible says, "...all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). Sin results in guilt, separation from God, and punishment. “The wages of sin is death... (Romans 6:23). (Separation from God is spiritual death, since He is the only Source of true life.)
The Solution
The good news is that God in His love and mercy has provided a solution to the problem. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to this world to pay the price to redeem us and set us free from the penalty for our sins. He suffered and died on a cruel cross for us. He took the penalty that we deserve. When we accept what he did for us (in our place), God will forgive us for the sins we have committed and give us spiritual life.
The Steps to Take
In the paragraphs below we will outline the steps that must be taken to receive this wonderful gift of salvation. It is very simple and easy to understand. If you sincerely follow these instructions one step at a time, they will lead you to forgiveness and peace with God.
Step # 1: Recognize the Voice of God
The amazing thing is that God takes the first step towards bringing us to Himself. His Spirit begins to work in our hearts to make us aware that we are sinners. He brings to our minds the wrong things (sins) we have done and we begin to feel guilty or condemned for having violated God's laws. We call this "conviction." It can happen while we are listening to a sermon and are confronted with truth, or it may happen while we are reading the Bible. It often happens while people are watching the Jesus film. It could happen while talking to a Christian friend. If it hasn't already happened, it may happen while you are reading this little pamphlet. God uses many different methods to make us aware of our greatest need.
If you believe you have come to the point of understanding that you have committed sins and need forgiveness, place a mark in the box below and then continue reading.
o Yes, I recognize that I am a sinner.
Step # 2: Repentance
To repent simply means that you are sorry for the wrong things you have done and are willing to quit doing them. At this point you will need to say a prayer. Make it simple and in your own words. The important thing is that you be sincere and really mean it.
If you need help, your prayer could be similar to the one below:
"Dear God, I realize that I have broken your laws. (You may mention the ones you remember.) I am sorry and I want you to please forgive me. If you will, I will try very hard to not disobey or displease you again. Amen.”
Place a mark in the square below when you have completed this step, and then continue.
o Yes, I have confessed any sins and asked God to forgive me.
Step # 3: Faith
The gift of salvation is received by faith. You must believe that…
…God loves you and wants to forgive you.
…because of what Christ has done He can forgive you.
…since God has promised, He will forgive you.
…since you have repented, He does forgive you—now!
That is what the Bible means when it says "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Or again, "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
To believe in Jesus Christ means you sincerely believe:
...His Words are true.
...He loves you.
...He has the power to forgive sin.
...He died on a cross to save you.
...He arose from the dead and lives in heaven today.
Faith is simply a matter of trusting God. It pleases God when we trust Him. It means believing that He is faithful and that He keeps His promises. It means we trust in Jesus alone to save us from our sins.
Remember, there is nothing more you need to do to be saved! Salvation is a free gift. There is nothing you can do to earn it or deserve it. (Christian say we are saved by “grace alone.”) Just receive the forgiveness God offers. Believe in what Christ has done for you.
Put a mark in the square below when you have come to the point of fully trusting in Jesus for your salvation.
o Yes, I trust in Jesus and Him alone to forgive my sins and take me to heaven someday.
At this point, if for any reason you do not feel freedom from guilt or do not have peace in your heart, go back through the steps above again to try to find the problem. God is always faithful to do His part. Keep seeking as long as necessary until you feel that God has heard and answered your prayer.
Step # 4: It Is Time to Rejoice!
Something wonderful has happened! Just think of it:
l Your sins are forgiven and blotted out.
l If you died today, you would go to heaven.
l You no longer feel guilty and condemned.
l Your name has been written in God's Book of Life.
l You have become a child of God and a part of the family of God.
l God loves you and has a wonderful plan for the rest of your life.
l You feel a deep joy and peace.
These are things to be really happy about! Take a moment to celebrate. Thank God for what He has done. Tell your friends about this wonderful experience.
Place a mark in the square below when you finish celebrating.
o Yes, I have thanked God for what He has done.
Step #
You have just made this most important decision of your life. But, this is just the beginning.
l There is a lot to learn.
l There are many discoveries and blessings awaiting you.
l Your new life in Christ will be a real adventure.
l You will enjoy fellowship with other Christians.
We strongly recommend that you immediately begin systematic discipleship study to help you grow in your newfound faith. It will help you learn how to pray, how to use your Bible, how to worship God, how to deal with temptation, and many other valuable lessons.
There is a series of lessons that have been prepared to help you. It is called "First Steps in the Christian Life." They may be available from the person who gave you this folder, or from a Church of the Nazarene near you. Otherwise, you may write to the address you will find at the end of this folder.
A Final Word
It is important to keep true and faithful to the decision you have made. The Christian life is not always easy, but Christ has promised to be with you always to give strength and help. Jesus never fails. With His help you can be victorious in every situation.
If you stay true and faithful, someday you will rejoice forever in heaven. Don’t let anything detour you.
Enjoy the Journey!
Sign the statement below to serve as a reminder of this occasion.
On this day, I put my trust in Christ and received forgiveness for my sins. I have decided to serve Him faithfully the rest of my life.
Signed: Date:
For more information you may write to:
Copyright ã
Permission is hereby granted to copy these materials under the following conditions:
1. It may not be done for profit. 2. The material must be reproduced completely and without modification in its original form. 3. In the case of translation, the original meanings must be conserved as nearly as possible. 4. Any exceptions to the above conditions must be approved by the author at the following address:
Ted Hughes,
