Are you a sinner? Or are you basically a good person?
Have you ever made an idol out of an actor or athlete? Jesus once told the devil, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Do you ever thoughtlessly speak the name of God? The Bible calls that blasphemy, a dreadful sin (Leviticus 24:11). Do you ever get angry at people for selfish reasons? Jesus calls that murder and says “whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:22). Or have you ever looked at a woman or man with lust? According to Jesus, you have already committed adultery in your heart (Matthew 5:28). We hope you will answer these questions honestly. If you do, you, like all of us, will have to admit, “I am a sinner.”
Does that bother you? Do you feel burdened with guilt? You should! The Bible says that no one who does such things will inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:5), and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). It also promises that Jesus Christ is coming again to judge all men and to cast sinners who do not believe in Him into hell where they will suffer the wrath of God (Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 20:11-15). We at First PRC of Holland don’t want you to go to hell. We want you to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You see, there is a way of escape. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus, the Son of God, loved us so much that He gave His life, though He was innocent. He died on a cross to pay for our sins and set us free from our guilt and punishment. He suffered the agony of hell itself in our place to pay the debt of our sins. That is why God cancels our debt and forgives our sins. Jesus gives us eternal life (John 10:28) and the hope of living in the new heavens and earth when He comes again (Revelation 21:1-7). But Jesus only paid the debt for His own (John 10:26-27), for all those who hear His voice and put their trust in Him.
Believe in Him and your sins will be forgiven. Then follow Him, join His faithful church in the world, and live as His servant to the glory of God!
We at First PRC of Holland are committed to help you walk in obedience to Christ and a deeper understanding of the truth of the Gospel. If you feel the need for this help, please feel free to contact us.