We have all done bad stuff in our lives. This bad stuff is called sin. Sin separates us from God who desires relationship with us. We need salvation because we have sinned. It is impossible for any man to restore that broken relationship with God by any amount of personal goodness, religious deeds, or by belonging to a church. We cannot earn, merit or achieve a right relationship with God by any amount of personal goodness, religious deeds, or by belonging to a church. We cannot earn, merit or achieve a right relationship with God by our own efforts. The death of Jesus was not an accident. God sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins—a price we could not pay ourselves. The Bible calls God’s act of love, grace. His grace is His gift to us. The way we receive His gift is by entering into a covenant relationship with Jesus by placing our trust and faith in Him. When we decide that we will follow Jesus for the rest of our lives, we demonstrate our trust in Jesus by obeying His command to be immersed (baptized) in water demonstrating the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. After we enter this relationship, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us to guide our steps and conform us into the image of Christ.
Isaiah 59:2; John 3:16; John 14:6; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 3:10, 11, 23; Romans 6:3-4; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-8