I am a sinner.
Sin is anything contrary to the nature of God. Every person is born a sinner, and every person commits sin. God is holy and hates sin. Because He is just, He must punish sin. The punishment for sin is eternal separation from God.
God's Word says: ... all have sinned ... (Romans 3:23); For the wages of sin is death … (Romans 6:23a).
I am incapable of saving myself.
Because I am born in sin, no action of mine can accomplish anything toward my salvation. I cannot get to heaven by being good, attending church, praying or anything else. I am helpless and unable to make myself worthy of heaven.
God says: Not by [good works] which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us … (Titus 3:5a).
Only God can save me because only God is sinless.
God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to be my Savior by paying the penalty of death for my sin in my place.
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
My salvation was accomplished on the cross
Jesus paid for all my sin by dying, shedding His blood and rising from the grave. His blood paid my penalty. His resurrection defeated death. He is now in heaven, interceding for me before God.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God … (1 Peter 3:18a).
I can only be saved by trusting that what Jesus Christ did on the cross is sufficient to save me.
Believing is trusting what God did for me. I can add nothing to my salvation. When I believe that His death was a complete payment for me, He gives me eternal life.
… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved … (Acts 16:31) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)
Once I am saved, I am saved for eternity.
Once saved, I cannot lose my salvation. No creature or thing can take it away from me. I cannot lose it by any action of my own.
God says: … I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. (John 10:28) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
