How God Brings Love and Justice Together
God didn’t stand back while we self-destructed. Out of His love, He had already purposed a rescue. But because He is just, sin had to be dealt with — it couldn’t be ignored.
Both His justice and His love meet perfectly in one place: the cross of Jesus (Romans 3:25–26).
Who Jesus Really Is
Jesus is not just a moral teacher or prophet. He is the eternal Son of God — not created, but equal with God, existing forever (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15–17).
And yet, He entered our world and took on flesh (John 1:14). He became fully human while remaining fully God. He felt pain, faced temptation, knew sorrow — yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus wasn’t distant or untouchable. He showed anger at injustice, compassion for the hurting, and courage in the face of suffering. He didn’t come just to offer advice — He came to rescue (Mark 10:45).
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What Happened at the Cross
When Jesus went to the cross, it was not an accident of history. He willingly chose it (John 10:18).
Crucifixion was brutal, humiliating, and excruciating. But the deepest suffering was not the nails. It was that Jesus bore our sin.
Every lie, lust, idol, and betrayal was laid on Him as if He had committed them (2 Corinthians 5:21). And then the full justice of God — His holy wrath and judgment — fell on Jesus in our place (Isaiah 53:5–6).
That is the meaning of the cross: substitution. He took the punishment we could never pay, so that mercy could flow to us without God’s justice being compromised.
Jesus died so you could be forgiven, cleansed, reconciled to God, and welcomed into His family (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:21–22).
The Resurrection
Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave — not in theory, not in myth, not as a spirit, but physically. Many eyewitnesses saw Him after He was raised to life (1 Corinthians 15:3–6). For anyone who wants to explore the evidence, there are resources available at the end of this guide.
The resurrection is proof that Christ is who He said He is (Romans 1:4). Proof that sin and death were defeated (1 Corinthians 15:55–57). Proof that He lives — and still saves people today (Hebrews 7:25).
How You Must Respond
God is not offering a religious ritual, a quick fix, or a “ticket to heaven.” He calls you to respond to Him with repentance and faith (Mark 1:15).
These are not optional. They are two sides of the same coin.
Repentance
Repentance is not a vague feeling of guilt. It is not “trying harder.” It is a decisive turning. It means turning from sin completely — choosing to be done with it, rejecting its rule, and surrendering your life to God (Acts 3:19). It is stepping off the throne and saying: “God, You alone are King.”
Half-repentance is no repentance. You cannot cling to sin and Christ at the same time. Repentance is a total change of direction: from sin toward God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
Faith
Faith means entrusting yourself wholly to Jesus. Not trusting in your own effort, not in rituals, not in “being good enough.” It is leaning fully on Him — trusting that His death fully paid the price for your sin, believing that God raised Him from the dead, and standing on the truth of the Bible (Romans 10:9–10).
Repentance and faith together mean this: giving your whole life to Jesus as Lord. Not for perks, not for a temporary fix, but as a complete surrender (Romans 12:1).
Counting the Cost
Jesus never tricked people into following Him. He never promised an easy road. In fact, He said the opposite:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
And again:
“Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)
To follow Jesus is to lay down every claim to your own life. It means giving up control, surrendering your plans, your ambitions, your comforts, even your reputation. It is not half-hearted; it is total.
It may cost you relationships, opportunities, or acceptance in this world. You may face misunderstanding, ridicule, even persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Once more, you cannot cling to sin and to Christ at the same time.
Jesus does not call us to an easy road. He calls us to a narrow road (Matthew 7:13–14). But that road leads to life.
The Joy of Following Jesus
Here is the other side: Jesus is not just calling you to loss — He is calling you to gain.
Yes, the cost is real. But the reward is infinitely greater.
When you leave behind your old life for Christ, you find true life (Matthew 16:25). When you surrender, you discover freedom (John 8:36). When you walk with Him, you taste joy the world cannot offer (John 15:11).
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Peace with God: No more guilt, no more separation. You are reconciled, forgiven, embraced as His child (Romans 5:1).
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Purpose: Your life now has eternal weight and meaning. Every act of obedience, every moment of faithfulness matters forever (1 Corinthians 15:58).
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Strength in weakness: He gives His Spirit to dwell in you, to comfort, empower, and guide (John 14:16–17).
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Hope beyond death: Death no longer has the last word. Eternal life with Him is guaranteed (John 11:25–26).
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Joy in trials: Even suffering becomes purposeful, because it draws you closer to Him and shapes you into His likeness (James 1:2–4; Romans 8:28–29).
Jesus said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)
That is the picture: surrendering everything is not a burden — it is joy, because what you gain in Christ is infinitely greater than what you give up (Philippians 3:7–8).
A Prayer of Response
Words themselves don’t save anyone. A specific prayer can’t magically make you right with God. Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ—by turning to Him in true repentance and faith. If your heart is genuinely ready to trust Him, prayer can be a way of expressing that surrender, almost like putting words to what’s happening inside.
Think of prayer here as a step of honesty before God. It’s not about the perfect wording or a formula to “get into heaven.” What matters is that you are genuinely turning away from sin, placing your faith in Jesus, and surrendering your life to Him. Many people have prayed different words, but the same reality was true: they were calling on Jesus from the heart, and He saved them.
If this is where you truly are, you might pray something like this:
“God, I confess that I have sinned and lived for myself. I turn away from my sin and surrender my life to You. Jesus, thank You for dying in my place and rising again. I trust You alone to save me. Please forgive me, cleanse me, and make me new. From this day forward, I want to follow You as Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
These exact words aren’t the point. You could say them differently, more simply, or even just cry out, “God, save me!” What matters is the reality of your heart. Are you truly repenting—turning away from sin and self—and putting all your trust in Jesus alone? If so, He promises to forgive, cleanse, and give you new life (Romans 10:9–10, Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9).
Don’t rest in having prayed a prayer. Rest in Christ Himself. Salvation is not about reciting lines, but about entering a living relationship with Jesus.
If you’ve come this far, pause and breathe.
The next page will help you take your first steps in this new life with Him.