Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-38, KJV).

Everything has a beginning. The beginning of life is called a birth. The beginning of a marriage is called a wedding. In the above scripture we see a group of people beginning a new life with Christ and we see the beginnings of the Church of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Peter had stood up and preached to the crowd. He told them about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He said that Jesus was Lord, He had died, had risen from the dead and was now sitting at the right hand of God the Father. He said that they, the people, had crucified the Lord.

They became deeply convicted and asked Peter, "What shall we do?"

Today, many lives are being touched, many are being transformed by the power of the living God. It is possible that you are reading this as a new believer in Christ. If so, I am excited with you for what God is doing in your life.

Perhaps you are like the people that Peter was preaching to that day. You have realized that you have been living foolishly, serving self, serving the devil, dishonoring God. . . and it was because of your sins that Jesus was crucified.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23, KJV).

All of us have sinned. All of us need forgiveness. We all need Jesus.

Maybe your sin is immorality, or hatred, or self-righteousness, but whatever it is, you won't get into heaven with it. Maybe you have gone to church all your life, but you have realized that you're not right with God.

Perhaps like those that heard Peter preach, you are saying, "What shall we do?" The answer to that question is what this book is all about.

These teaching are not based on man's ideas and doctrines. They are based on the most powerful book in the world, the Holy Bible-the Word of God. As you open your heart to the truths on these pages, you will be laying a strong foundation for the building of your Christian life.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV).

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24, KJV).

According to Schofield's Reference Bible, salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes. It implies the ideas of safety, deliverance, preservation, healing and soundness. The Greek word translated healed and saved in the Bible are the same. God's salvation is for the spirit, soul and body.

Although the salvation of our body will not be complete until we receive glorified bodies in the resurrection, there is a measure of salvation for our bodies available to us now, through the work of the Savior on the cross.

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, KJV).

Christians have too often limited God as having the ability to save the soul, but not being able to do anything for the body. But Jesus said that the measure that you use, it shall be measured unto you. If you think of God as having the ability to save your soul, but not having the ability to help you physically, then that is the measure you will receive.

How do you measure God? How big do you see Him? His salvation is all inclusive, but you must agree with the Word of God in its fullness in order to receive the full benefit.

The Fall of Man
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:15-17, KJV).

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:1-8, KJV).

Notice the first words out of the serpent's, or Satan's (see Rev. 20:2) mouth was "Yea, hath God said . . ." The Bible calls Satan the deceiver. His work always has been to deceive us and to discredit the Word of God.

We see this in the world today. The wise of this world scorn and mock the believers. They are "more enlightened, more intelligent." They have eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, a tree to be desired to make one wise. They are wise in their own eyes, but in reality they are blind. The Word of God says that Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not. They think they are smart, but they are being deceived by the creature who is more subtil than any beast of the field.

I'm glad I saw the light. How about you?

Notice that Satan's appeal was to man's covetousness . . . "a tree to be desired to make one wise." In the meantime, he portrayed God as the mean ogre who wanted to keep Adam and Eve from enjoying the best things in life. This is one of Satan's greatest deceptions: to present an illusion in people's minds concerning the nature of God.

God is a good God! It is Satan who comes to "steal, kill and destroy." God's purpose is abundant life.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10, KJV).

The result of Adam and Eve's sin was a loss of fellowship with God. They "hid themselves" from the presence of God.

The purpose of Christianity is to restore us to fellowship with God. Through Jesus Christ we are brought into relationship, once again, with our heavenly Father. This is the primary theme of the Bible-redemption though Jesus Christ.

Adam and Eve had enjoyed fellowship with their God in the Garden of Eden. The Bible says that God walked in the garden "in the cool of the day." But through their sin they were separated from God, who is holy. Holiness and sin don't mix. But because of God's mercy, He sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sin, so that we did not have to remain "in sin" and separated from God. Now we can be "in Christ" and joined to God.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12, KJV).

Because of Adam's sin, all of the human race has been born with a nature of sin . . ."sin passed upon all men." In other words, man's nature is inherently evil. As a child grows, he will eventually come into the knowledge of good and evil and fall out of relationship with God just as Adam did. It doesn't matter what social status you are born into, or the intellectual level of your parents, every human being is in need of the righteousness provided through Jesus Christ.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8, KJV).

Notice He says he that committeth (or practices) sin is of the devil. Jesus told the Pharisees, "Ye are of your father, the devil." (Jn. 8:44) Those that are not born again have the nature of the devil, not God.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:10-20, KJV).

God's Word says that no one is righteous. In verse 13, He says, "the poison of asps is under their lips." In other words, they talk like snakes, because they are born of the snake, Satan. Mankind took on the nature of Satan in exchange for the nature of God. Through the new birth, however, we are restored to the nature of God.

We see in verse 19 that God gave the law of Moses for a purpose: that "the world may become guilty before God."

It seems, then, that it is very important that we become guilty. God spent thousands of years dealing with a particular people to deliver unto us the law for one reason: that we might become guilty. We must become guilty before we can become justified in the sight of God. Until we recognize our sin and our sinfulness, we cannot turn from it. As long as we think, "I'm OK," we cannot be saved. We must realize our desperate condition, consciously turn from sin and turn to God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This is the essence of the new birth. When we come to this recognition, repentance and surrender to God, He gives us a new heart, and a desire to serve Him and then He frees us from guilt and condemnation.

The law of the Old Testament, then, is our schoolmaster, whose purpose it is to bring us to Christ, where we can find forgiveness and restoration.

The Wages of Sin
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23, KJV).

The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. In other words, every person who has not received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, is destined for eternal damnation and separation from God.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:15-16, KJV).

Jesus said, "Go tell everyone the Good News." He that believes the message will be saved. He who rejects the message will be damned. There is a heaven and there is a hell. Those who reject God's message forgiveness through His Son, will not receive eternal life.

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (Luke 16:22-24, KJV).

Jesus told the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosom of Abraham, or paradise. The rich man died and went to hell. In that place cried out and stated that he was tormented in the flame. Hell is a place of eternal fire and torment and no one in their right mind wants to go there. God has provided the way out through Jesus Christ and His shed blood for our salvation.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27, KJV).

The clear teaching of the scripture is that judgment follows death. No one has a second chance once this life is over. Reincarnation is a false teaching to deceive people into thinking that they can have a chance in another life. This is your opportunity, make your choice now!

Imputed Righteousness
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:21-28, KJV).

Now, God says, there is a righteousness available that is separate from the law. The law is one thing; the Gospel is another. Don't mix the two. We are living under the New Testament (or covenant, or agreement), not under the old. The Old is full of shadows and types of the New and is profitable to us for admonition and instruction, but it is not our agreement. We are under the New Agreement, through Jesus Christ.

It is important to realize this, as there is much confusion brought into people's lives by attempts to mix the law and the Gospel. Under the Old Covenant, we pleased God by keeping the rules; under the New Covenant, we still do what is right, but we please God by believing in the work of His son, Jesus Christ. When we do this, we become His workmanship, and we begin to do what is right because of the new nature which He places within us.

Now I want to talk to you about some of the words used in the above portion of scripture:

1. Redemption-buying back. Christ has bought us back from sin and separation from God by dying for our sins on Calvary.

2. Propitiation-satisfaction. Jesus' death has satisfied the claims of justice against us because of our sins. Because of the cross, we are accepted with God.

3. Remission-to get rid of, blot out. God has totally blotted out, obliterated, gotten rid of forever your sins through the shedding of Christ's blood on Calvary. As you trust in Christ, your sins are gone forever.

4. Righteousness-right standing with God; rightness. He says "to declare His righteousness." The righteousness that you stand in as a child of God is not your own goodness or holiness or nice manner of life. It is the righteousness of God.

If I had two containers, one filled with your righteousness and the other filled with the righteousness of God, which would you prefer? If you were wise you would choose His righteousness. The Bible discloses that all our righteousness is as "filthy rags."

My, My, My. I believe I'll receive His righteousness.

The Bible says that we are not justified by the law of Moses, but rather by the law of faith. Like Abraham, we believe God and it is accounted unto us as righteousness.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).

He didn't say that you turned over a new leaf, or "got religion." No, you received a new nature. Old things, the old way of life, the old nature, the old man, is passed away . . . dead.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV).

In the work of the cross, God made the way for us to become righteous. Our old "sin" nature had to be done away with. We needed a "righteous" nature. At Calvary, Jesus (praise His holy name) became sin for us, so that we might be made (through the new birth) the righteousness of God in Him. Praise God for His wonderful work through Jesus Christ.

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14, KJV).

The word justified here means "made righteous." Which man went to his house justified: the one that thought his works were so good or the one who recognized his need for mercy? Our salvation is not based on our good works, it's based on God's mercy. Our salvation, however, if it is genuine, will produce good works.

Jesus is the Only Means of Salvation
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, KJV).

But 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, KJV).

Some people say, "there are many paths to God," but the scriptures reveal otherwise. Jesus Himself said, " I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6)

You may be able to obtain moral discipline or some form of spirituality through the various religions of the world, but only Jesus can give eternal life. Only Jesus can set you free from the chains that bind you and make you a child of God. Coming to Christ is more than "getting religion," it's the most tremendous miracle there is. You are literally changed spiritually into a child of God, made in His nature and image in the inner man by a miracle of God. On your part, it requires an act of your will to surrender to God; He does the rest.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7, KJV).

Some people don't want to hear it when you talk about being "born again." But it's written in red in the Bible. That means Jesus said it. He said, "You must be born again." Not you should be, or if it is convenient. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

Salvation is ONLY through the new birth. Church membership, water baptism, or communion cannot translate you into the kingdom of God. Only the miracle of the new birth can do that. You can't approach God with the old nature. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

Surely he (Jesus) hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6, KJV).

Here the prophet Isaiah, 700 years before Christ, prophesies the work of the cross of Jesus Christ. "He (Jesus) has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions. God's plan since the fall was that salvation would go forth through the sacrificial lamb of God, Jesus Christ. All the Old Testament sacrifices pointed the the eventual manifestation of the Son of God, who would bear the sins of many.

Here also, in Isaiah, is the promise of our healing, ". . . by his stripes we are healed." Praise God for His grace and mercy.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19, KJV).

The price that was paid for our salvation was not silver or gold (money). It was not our own good work. It was the precious blood of Jesus, which was shed for us. He was the sacrificial lamb of God who paid the punishment for our sins.

How can we neglect so great a salvation?

Salvation is Received by Faith and Repentance
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:1-6, KJV).

You were dead. He has made you alive. You were following the devil's spirit; now you're following the Lord. You were lusting and selfish and destined for God's wrath, but God had mercy on you and saved you from destruction. He saved you by faith and through unmerited favor (grace) and He even gave you the faith to be able to believe in Him. Now by His grace He has lifted you up into a realm of victory and authority with Christ and your position in life is now with Him, ruling and reigning.

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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10, KJV).

God has planned for us to walk in good works. You're not to become a new creature and walk in the old ways any more. You're to learn a new way of life . . . the Jesus way of life. As Paul says, "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom. 6:2) We have been delivered from darkness, brought into a new realm of life with Jesus Christ. We're free from sin and alive unto God. So rise up, saints of God, rise up.

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, KJV).

Here we see the notion that God is against us is dispelled once for all. "For God so loved the world. . ." God loves us and proved it by sending His Son, Jesus.

The word translated "believeth" here in John 3:16 means "adherence to, committal to, faith in, reliance upon and trust in." This is not just an intellectual assent, but real heart faith, which requires a person to change. The Bible talks about the obedience of salvation, a willingness to serve God with all your being. You must choose God, that means rejecting sin. You can't be in sin and in God at the same time.

The foundational truths of Hebrews 6 includes "repentance from dead works and faith toward God." Both are necessary for Bible salvation.

That 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10, KJV).

One translation reads, confess with your mouth "Jesus as Lord." The implication of this confession is total surrender to the will of God for your life. The very first thing that Peter told them to do is to "Repent". . .to turn from their sins and unto God.

God may touch your life. You may have experienced His presence. You may understand the message of the cross. You may believe mentally that Jesus died for your sins. But until you make a decision from the heart to turn from sin and unto God, you have not yet experienced the miracle of the New Birth. You are still in the Old Birth, the old nature, the old way. Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7) You must get a new nature. You must be delivered OUT OF the kingdom of darkness and into his glorious light.

As long as you are BY CHOICE living in darkness, you cannot be in the light. It's either one or the other, light or darkness. So, repent, and come into the light. True repentance (turning from sin and unto God) is an absolute necessity to salvation. This means that you need to give your life to Jesus and let Him be your Lord and Master.

Every preacher in the Bible, from the Old Testament prophets, to John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter and even the Apostle Paul, who brought forth the message of the gift of righteousness, preached the doctrine of repentance.

Isaiah said:

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7, KJV).

John preached repentance:

But when he (John) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (Matthew 3:7-8, KJV).

Jesus preached repentance:

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15, KJV).

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3, KJV).

Peter preached repentance:

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19, KJV).

Paul said about his ministry:

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21, KJV).

Any true repentance or conversion is a miracle from God. It is not you or I deciding in our own strength to turn over a new leaf and be good from now on. How many of us have tried that over and over, without success? No, it is a turning to God that involves faith in His ability to make us different, and when it happens, we ARE different.

This is why faith works with repentance to bring salvation. Faith and repentance are inseparable. You can't have one without the other. True faith requires repentance. True repentance requires faith. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that through Him you have been set free from the power of sin and its results.

The kingdom of God is the dominion of God. It's God's realm of rulership. Jesus said, "Repent ye . . ." You cannot come into the kingdom of God unless you accept His dominion in your life. God will not force that dominion on you. You must make a conscious choice to accept it.

He is not saying that your salvation is based on the keeping of the law or never making a mistake, but rather that there is a willingness to change that is required for true salvation. If you are not willing to change, God CAN'T change you. He will not make you a robot. His deepest desire for you is that you come to Him in willingness of heart, repenting (that is, turning your back on) sin.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, KJV).

His will for every human being is clearly spelled out. It is salvation! He is not willing that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Praise God! 

Continue on to Chapter 2