A few honest words about God, sin, and the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.
Have you come to the point in your life where you realize you're not perfect? Maybe made a few mistakes along life's journey. Join the club.
We may or may not be worse than our neighbor, but that is not the point, because either way we are guilty before God of breaking His law. That is what the Bible calls sin.
God alone is holy, righteous, and just, and therefore He alone is capable of the forgiveness of our sins.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (ESV)
All people since Genesis chapter 3 have had this sin problem. Originally God created Adam and Eve in glorious perfection, but ultimately they were tempted and fell into sin. We inherited that sin nature at our birth. Interesting that we never have to teach our children to lie, cheat, or steal, is it? And nobody had to teach us how to do those things either. Because of this, here are some basic steps to forgiveness and walking with God.
The Bible says:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)
The word believe means to have more than head knowledge of God. The Bible says:
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
James 2:19 (NIV)
Believing therefore means to have a belief that leads to action. Note that belief comes first, because we can never earn our salvation. The Bible says:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)
This does not mean we are automatically perfect. We are, however, redeemed sinners, saved because of the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Interestingly, the more we grow in knowing Christ, the more we discover our own sinfulness. As followers of Christ (what the Bible defines as a disciple, or Christian), we should want to live our lives in such a way that it brings glory to God and His son, Jesus Christ. Although we will continue to struggle with sin, a pattern of sinful living should not be our desire. As a matter of fact, as Christians, when we do fall into sin, it will bother us in ways it never did before.
The Bible says:
present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12 (ESV)
If you desire to know more about Jesus, ask Him in your own words for His forgiveness and begin to read the Bible. The New Testament book of John is a great place to start learning more about Christ, if you are new to the Scriptures.