1—Why did the Lord Jesus come into the world?

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).

He came to save all people, but only those who confess that they are sinners, acknowledge that they need Him, and put their faith in Him will be saved.

2—Are there many sinners?

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

"All" includes everybody and leaves no one out. Sin is simply disobedience to God. It includes any thought, word, or deed that falls short of God's perfect standard of holiness. God says that we are all sinners.

3—What is the state of the natural heart?

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

The natural, unrenewed heart is a fountain of sin. Anger, pride, selfishness, envy, hatred, unbelief, and other such sins come out of a sinful heart. None of its actions or thoughts can please God. However, He will give in its place a pure, new heart to all who repent of their sin and receive Christ as Saviour.

4—Is there a day of judgment for sin coming?

"God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

To the believer, judgment for sin is past, for it fell upon Christ while He hung on the cross. To the unbeliever, it is a fearful day which awaits him at the Great White Throne of judgment.

5—Are people able to save themselves through their own efforts or good works?

"If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; BUT NOT BEFORE GOD. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was counted unto him for righteousness…. To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:2,3,5).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).

No. Salvation by self-effort is impossible. It is not God's way. The Bible tells us that all people are sinners. The most sincere efforts of religion or good works cannot wash even one sin away, much less change the sinner to be suited for God's presence. Receiving Christ alone by faith is the only way of salvation.

6—Is Jesus Christ the only Saviour?

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

"There is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:5,6).

There have been and are false Christs and false ways of salvation. They are of the devil. They are apart from God, and cannot bring the sinner to peace with God. It is not possible that there could be any other Mediator or Saviour. "At the name of Jesus every knee [shall] bow" (Philippians 2:10).

7—What did God do with our sins?

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

From the teaching of the Bible and from our own experience, our sinful state is clear. But see what this verse tells us. God took our sins and laid them on His sinless Son, that He by His death might forever remove them from us and from God's sight.

8—What did the Lord Jesus do with our sins?

"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).

The Lord Jesus atoned for the believer's sins on the cross. Let us who have trusted Christ as Saviour rejoice in being set free from them!

9—What was the price of our redemption?

"Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18,19).

The Lord Jesus was God in flesh, the Lamb of God. The redemption of sinners required the shedding of His blood, and the giving of His life. It was the greatest possible price to pay. Why did He do it? Because of His great love.

10—Is God willing to forgive sin?

"Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee" (Psalm 86:5).

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts 13:38,39).

How clear and definite Scripture is! The Son of God, crucified for sinners, is the God-given assurance that He will forgive sinners who come to Him.

11—How can one obtain forgiveness?

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).

"God … now commandeth ALL men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30).

Repentance is turning from our ways to God's way. Repentance is saying: "I was wrong. God is right." It is to have a change of mind about sin. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).

12—How does the repentant soul approach God?

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37,38).

"He that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).

Come unto Him and unburden your heart, just as you are, just where you are. The words "faith" and "believe" mean that you must have confidence in Christ to do what He promises. Remember that He died for you—He is worthy of your trust. Christ alone has the power to forgive sins, to cleanse the heart, and to justify the sinner. Trust Him completely.

13—How do those who are in heaven feel about repentant souls?

"The Lord is … not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10).

You are incredibly important to God. He does not want to see you perish. The angels in heaven rejoice over every sinner who is saved. If only lost sinners shared the same concern about their souls!

14—What is it that washes away our sins?

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

"Unto Him that loved us [Jesus Christ], and washed us from our sins in His own blood … be glory and dominion for ever and ever" (Revelation 1:5,6).

All our iniquities were laid on the Lord Jesus at the cross. All were washed away by His blood. Though they were as scarlet or crimson (deep red dyes), no stain remains upon the believer (see Isaiah 1:18).

15—What is God's gift to us?

"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

"God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5:11).

God is very generous and kind. He offers to you the greatest of all gifts. At no cost to you, He will take your sins away and then give eternal life which death cannot touch. This is the life that is in the Lord Jesus, the ever-living One. When you have eternal life, you have Him; and having Him you have a share in His kingdom and glory.

16—Who may have eternal life?

"Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life" (John 6:40).

God uses several words with a wide meaning—all, any man, everyone, whosoever. They all mean the same thing, and they all include you. To "see" the Son is to recognize that He is the Redeemer and Saviour of sinners. To "believe" on Him is to trust His word and humbly receive Him by faith.

17—How did God show His great love for sinners?

"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).

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 4:9).

God could give no greater gift for man's redemption than His Son, nor could He show the greatness of His love in any other way than by giving Him.

18—Is there any commandment about believing?

"This is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 3:23).

Never say "No" to God. One can say "No" by willful disobedience, by disregarding what He says, or simply by delay. Obedience to this commandment will open the door to everlasting life.

19—What is the result of believing on the Lord Jesus as Saviour?

"As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into [judgment]; but IS passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Through faith in the Lord Jesus who died on the cross, we pass…

   out of slavery   into sonship,
   out of death   into life,
   out of bondage   into freedom,
   out of sin   into holiness,
   out of fear   into peace,
   out of darkness   into light,
   out of self   into Christ.

20—How does the Lord Jesus show His desire to be your Saviour?

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).

The Lord Jesus knocks as a king who must be obeyed, and as a friend who loves the one within. Your heart is the door, and your will is the key. If you unlock the door and say, "Come in, my Saviour," He will enter never to leave.

21—Will the Lord Jesus receive anyone who comes to Him?

"Him [anyone] that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).

Coming to Him is your response to His knocking. None are refused. There are none too bad and none too good to come to Christ just as they are and be received with open arms.

22—What is the promise given to those who call upon the Lord?

"WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).

God calls and many refuse to hear Him. But He never fails to hear and answer the one who calls upon Him in simple faith.

23—If we believe in the Lord should we keep the matter secret?

"If thou shalt confess with thy MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9).

If you were the child of a king, would you be ashamed to say so? If you have received Jesus, you have so many more reasons to proclaim that you are a child of God! For your own sake and for His, it is very important that you confess your faith. It will strengthen your faith and glorify Christ.

24—How will Christ hereafter honor His child who is not ashamed of Him?

"Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). (See also Luke 9:26.)

What a wonderful thing it will be to stand with the Lord Jesus, and in the presence of millions and millions of angels, to hear Him say, "This is My child." If you tell others of your faith in Him now He will not be ashamed of you then.

25—What power does a believer in Jesus have to obtain victory over sin?

"Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you" (Romans 6:11-14).

The power and victory lie in Christ Jesus, to whom the believer is united by faith. Just as salvation—the result of Christ's victory over sin's penalty—is received by faith, so also does the believer walk by faith for daily victory over sin's power. Remember that God alone has power over sin, the devil, the human nature, death, and all things. A Christian must not think that he can live a Christian life by self-effort. "Know ye not … that Christ is in you?" (2 Corinthians 13:5). He rules and triumphs when His child trusts and obeys.

26—Does the Lord provide a guide for me, or do I have to find my way alone in the Christian life?

"He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Psalm 91:11).

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye" (Psalm 32:8).

"He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper" (Hebrews 13:5,6).

"I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth … for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you" (John 14:16,17; 16:13).

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

God gives His angels as ministering spirits to protect and provide. He has given us His Word to reveal His mind. The Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwell within the believer to warn, comfort, teach how to pray, reveal the Scriptures, and give victory over sin.

27—In what should the saved sinner glory?

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14).

The cross on which the dying Saviour hung sets forth the Person and the place where God's great love and the need of sinful man met. It was there that our sin was borne, the curse removed, spiritual foes overthrown, the work of redemption finished, and the way to freedom, life, and peace in Christ opened.

"Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ, my God."

28—Will the Lord allow a soul that trusts in Him to perish?

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (John 10:27,28).

He says that His follower shall never perish, and His word for it is enough. He is far stronger than all enemies. Neither devil nor man can separate the believing soul from Him.

29—When this life is over, where will He take His follower?

"In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2,3).

Those glorious mansions in the Father's house are for those who believe in Him. The Bible tells us that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Your true home is with the Lord there.

30—What is the way to heaven?

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6).

People do not just happen to get to heaven. There is only one way there, and that is Christ. The "way" is not a path or road, but a Person, and that Person is the Lord Jesus. You go to town by a road; you go to heaven by Him. If you have trusted Him, He abides in your heart, you are in Him, and you are "in the way."

31—What kind of a place is heaven?

"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

"He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits…. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:1,2,14).

Read the last two chapters of the Bible.

32—Are all invited to come?

"The Spirit and the bride say, Come … let him that heareth say, Come … let him that is athirst come … whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).

Yes, all are earnestly invited to come, and God yearns over those who refuse. "Compel them to come in, that My house may be filled" (Luke 14:23).

33—Is there any special need of haste in deciding to receive Christ as Saviour?

"NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

"Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart" (Psalm 95:7,8).

"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).

Here are a few reasons why there should be no delay in receiving Christ. You have seen that God's Word says "Now" and "Today." Life is very uncertain (James 4:14). The value of your soul is incomparable (Mark 8:36,37). God may cease calling (Genesis 6:3). Christ may return at any moment to rapture all believers to Himself (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).

34—What words can we use in praise of the Lord Jesus for so great a salvation?

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:12).

Innumerable millions sing that song of praise in heaven. Do you not wish to begin to sing it now, too? David said, "And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God" (Psalm 40:3). Praise pleases God (Hebrews 13:15,16).

35—What warning must we heed?

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3).

Today is the day of grace when this great salvation may be obtained. No one should neglect to honor God by refusing to receive this great treasure which He has provided at such unspeakable cost to Himself. Salvation is not a thing but a Person, even Jesus Christ. Have you received Him, or are you neglecting and delaying? To neglect is to refuse Christ.

Do you know how to come to the Lord Jesus? Do you know what to say to Him? The prodigal son, after he had decided to return to his father's house, said in his heart, "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." When he returned home, he was warmly greeted with open arms (Luke 15:11-24). Any humble and repenting soul coming to the heavenly Father will receive a similar welcome.

The penitent thief said, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

The conscience-stricken publican said, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Many have uttered that phrase as the true cry of their hearts and have had the burden of their sins rolled away.

"Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
   O Lamb of God, I come.

"Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe.
   O Lamb of God, I come."

Scripture quotations from the KJV.