The sins of religious people are amongst the most awful sins of all. The sin of pride for example is fantastic. The sin of legalism is the system of trying to impress God with something you can do, rather than be impressed with what God has done through Jesus Christ. It is not what we are DOING that gets us into Heaven, it is where we are LOOKING! Look to Jesus! Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

Let’s consider a religious person talked about in the Bible. His name was Nicodemus. He was a very well educated man. He was a Pharisee (religious leader). Nicodemus was a very proud, vain, legalistic and hypocritical man. He came to Jesus at night, for Nicodemus was a very busy man. No doubt, he hoped to impress Jesus with his flattery. He addressed Jesus as “Rabbi” (an official title of honor). To Nicodemus, Jesus was a teacher, nothing more. Though Nicodemus had a body and a soul, his spirit was dead. He had no ability to fellowship with God, because he was “spiritually dead”. He had never been born spiritually.

If you are to be “born from above” or “born-again”, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. This is such a wonderful truth that is taught in the Bible. Many people, far beyond count, just don’t believe upon the Son of God. They believe in a God; maybe a god of wood, of stone, of metal, of spirit, of knowledge, of power, of nature, et cetera. There are literally thousands of religions in the world, and not one can save you from your sins or Hell. You need Jesus Christ, the sinless, only begotten Son of God.

Religion by the ton, of every sort, of every kind. Religion, religion and more religion. People have all kinds of ideas what God should be like. If they can’t find a god that is already made for them, they will make a new god to their liking.

It is very difficult for some people to realize they are sinners, they feel they are very good people. Many don’t believe in a god, of any kind. They do not believe that there is anything beyond the grave.

In short; many believe we are born, live and we die, the end!

However, so many questions about life are with us all the days of our life and they must be answered one way or another. In this life, a time comes when we must settle in our hearts whether or not a God does exist. Is there life after death? Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? What is the purpose of life? Does God really give us eternal life? Will God actually punish people in hell? Is God, if there is a God, telling me the truth? Look at the world today and the destruction sin causes! Will the wicked really be turned into hell? WE ALL HAVE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND MANY MORE because they need to be answered. No person can escape having to decide the answer to these questions; no one, it’s a part of life! You may decide you want nothing to do with God at all, but THEN THAT IS YOUR DECISION. See, you have to decide!

Many religions will offer you answers to these questions, but the answers are not found in religion. The answers are found in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son!

Miracles are happening today, just as in the time of our Lord Jesus. You may have not thought about this before, but it takes a miracle to become a child of God. Salvation is a supernatural act of God in response to our child-like faith in Christ alone. When we reach that point in life where God has drawn us to make that decision to either accept or reject His Son Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin, a miracle will or will not take place; depending on what we do with Jesus. Whether we reject or accept the Son of God as our Savior is totally up to each of us. If we reject Christ, no miracle of the new birth takes place.

Note: All Scripture references are ONLY to the precious, perfect, inspired, King James Bible!

On the other hand, if we accept Christ as our personal Savior—By admitting that we are a guilty sinner in God's sight (Romans 3:19), and BELIEVING the Gospel (i.e., Good News) that Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, He was BURIED, and then bodily RESURRECTED from the dead the third day (I Corinthians 15:1-4)—We will be saved immediately. God can read our mind (Psalms 94:11; Proverbs 24:12; Hebrews 4:13). The very second that we BELIEVE the Gospel, God knows our thoughts and He saves us! It is that easy and simple to be saved, that is, born anew by the Spirit of God.

Also, Jesus doesn't forgive sin. That is correct! Jesus has already paid for our sins with His precious blood (I Peter 1:18-19). Therefore, forgiveness of sins and eternal life are free gifts (Romans 6:23). To have our sins forgiven, we simply need to receive the gift of God, which is eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The new birth takes place immediately, not partially over time, nor in steps; but instantly the very second we accept Jesus as our Savior. We then belong to God as His child, we are adopted into His family. A supernatural miracle has taken place and according to the Scriptures, there is no power, no person, no angel, nor anything in this universe that can separate us from the love of God; which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35).

The question of accepting or rejecting Christ must be settled in your heart. Whether you are a faithful churchgoer, give lots of money to charities, and do all kinds of religious works, et cetera, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is—ARE YOU A BORN AGAIN CHILD OF GOD? No amount of religion or outward self-righteousness can help you on judgment day! Salvation is not found in a religion; but in a person—The Lord Jesus Christ!!! It’s that simple! You are a SINNER in need of a SAVIOR. Stop trying to save yourself and decide to rely upon Jesus. Only Jesus paid for your sins, so only He alone can save! Only Jesus has the nail-scared hands and feet! Make Sure You're Saved!

By faith, simply BELIEVE the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!!! You will be saved the very moment that you receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He DIED, was BURIED, and miraculously RAISED UP three days later (This is “the Gospel”). Make the Gospel your only hope for Heaven, and you will immediately be saved!! It's that simple! Decide to rely upon Jesus alone to save your soul, apart from any and all human effort, and you can't go wrong!

1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

Notice Verse 2... “BY WHICH YE ARE SAVED.” We are saved by BELIEVING the Gospel. That's simple enough, right? Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29; Revelation 7:14). He was buried, to officiate that He was in fact, dead. And then He physically RAISED UP three days later, as our heavenly High Priest (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:15-16). WHAT A SAVIOR!!! I have intentionally repeated the basic facts of the Gospel, to ensure that you understand it. Notice in 1st Corinthians 15:2 the phrase... “IF YE KEEP IN MEMORY what I preached unto you.” I explain this statement much more in my article, HOW TO MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE.