Why Do I Need Jesus?

God loves you and created you to know Him personally.

One of the most famous passages in the Bible tells us. “For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal
life.” (John 3:16)

You are a “whosoever.” God’s heart is for you to know Him. His plan is for you to enter
into a relationship with Him in a very personal way. Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life;
that they man know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
(John 17:3)

Unfortunately, we have a problem. We can’t know God personally because of sin.

Our Problem: Our Greatest Problem is that all of us are Sinful.

If you have told a lie, no matter how insignificant, that makes you a liar. If you have
taken something, no matter how small, that makes you a thief. If you have looked at
someone with lust in your heart, Jesus said you have committed adultery. If you have
used God’s name inappropriately, that makes you a blasphemer.

All of us have broken God’s commands. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus
our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to
reject you and not listen to your prayers.” (Isaiah 59:2)

God’s Solution: He Loves Us, therefore He gave us a solution to our Problem

“But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8).

According to Romans 5:8, God demonstrated His love for us through the death of His
Son. Why did Jesus have to die for us? Because Scripture declares that “all have sinned
and fall short of the glory (the perfect holiness) of God.” In other words, our sin
separates us from God who is perfect; therefore God must judge sinful man.

God is not only perfect holiness, but He is also perfect in love; full of grace, truth, and
mercy. In His love and grace, God has not stranded us without hope or a solution.

Jesus rose from the dead, proving He fixed our sin problem. We deserve to die, but He
took our place. God put the penalty for our sin on His Son. And when we by faith trust
in Jesus’ work on the cross as payment for our sin, we receive His righteous life.

Jesus died in our place. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He
was buried; and that He has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1
Corinthians 5:3,4)

“He made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the
righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What that means is, when we trust God with all our heart, God takes the penalty for all of
our sins and transfers them to His Son. He then takes the perfect life of Jesus and applies
that to our life. So then, when God looks at us, He sees the perfect life of Jesus in us.

No Other Way: Jesus is the Only Way to God

Many people believe that you just have to be good to get to heaven, or that your good
deeds outweigh any of your bad deeds. Others believe that sincerity in what you believe
will get you there. The Bible, which has stood the test of both time and scrutiny doesn’t
agree.

Jesus is the only one who addressed our greatest dilemma of sin. He is the only one who
could bridge the gap between God’s perfect Holiness and man’s sinful heart. So He
rightly said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but
through Me.” (John 3:16)

But knowing these truths is not enough, you must individually, by faith receive Jesus
Christ as Savior and Lord.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift
of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)
Jesus promised, “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him.” (Revelation 3:20)

How do I accept God’s offer of Salvation?

Admit that you have sinned against holy God and that your sins have separated you from
Him. Ask God to forgive you for being a sinner. Believe that Jesus died for your sins
paying the penalty of your sins. Confess that Jesus is both the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your life.

God knows you heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude
of your heart. Here is a suggested prayer: “God in heaven, I want to know you
personally. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins. I open the
door of my heart and receive Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my
sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life and lead me to be the person You
want me to be. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.”

If you would pray that prayer honestly before God, then He will adopt you into His family
and you will be given eternal life.

I encourage you to ask God to lead you to a church where you can continue to grow with
other Christians on your journey of faith with God.