What Must I Do To Be Saved?

"Hello, I have never done this before, contacting someone about God, but I really am confused, I am 16 and I am concerned about heaven and hell, I was told that if you ask for forgiveness from god then he will forgive your sins and you will go to heaven, I am so scared of going to hell, I don't believe that I should go to hell, but like most teenagers, I have lied, used gods name in vain, but I don't drink, smoke, have sex etc, I am totally confused, I don't know how to act, or what to do, or am I just supposed to be me, I don't know if I should be christened, because I don't know if it is wrong to do so, I have so many questions, I have tired to read the bible but it really scares me sometimes, please can you reply and help, thank you so much."

I thought it would be good for folks to read what are some of the fundamental concerns for people in the world. A teenage reader writes in about the questions in life, that we all ask at one point or another. God tells us to become like a child. In fact, he wants everyone to become a child of God. Listen to God's calling you to himself.

Don't Worry

Don't worry. God loves you so much that he took care of all of the bad things you have ever done or will do, and placed it on himself, in Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of all of your sins, so he could give you eternal life when you believe in him.

Don't worry, your sins are already forgiven. Jesus is God in the flesh who took the punishment for your sins, my sins, and the world's sins.

Everyone of us has lied or done something bad, or have bad habits that are hard to break. That is why Jesus took away the sins of the whole world. Now, the really good news is God wants to give you eternal life. Believe in Jesus, and what he has already done for you, by forgiving you your sins, and receive his eternal life into you. He will never leave you.

When I was about your age, I thought the same way as you are thinking. I thought God was upset with me because of things I had done. But, he is there, with open arms, just waiting for you to receive him.

To receive him, just place simple faith in this. Jesus did it all for you, so all you need to do is believe in him and receive his life in you.

It's not difficult. Talk to him, and he will talk to you. Place your faith in him, thank him for the forgiveness and receive your new life. Once you receive him, you will be born again, and all things will become new.

There is nothing you can do to make yourself a Christian. And, no amount of bad things could keep you away from God. There is only one way to God, faith by believing in Jesus. Don't let others confuse you. Let God guide you and teach you.

God so loved (insert your name), that God sent Jesus Christ his only begotten Son to die for you, so that when you believe in him, you will have eternal life.

I suggest reading the New Testament, beginning with the first chapter of John.

This is the story of Jesus John 1

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him.

He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ

Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Jesus the Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Jesus' First Disciples

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jesus is calling you today. Are you listening? If you haven't received him, now is the time to do it. Once you accept him, and what he has done for you, then rest in his life in you. God wants to set you free His Way with eternal life. He wants to welcome you with open arms into the fellowship of believers today. Please read the welcome message. More information can be found for our mission in life at Sundays website. Feel free to contact us with any questions or just to send us a message or thought or two.