It isn't religion, it's a relationship.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

But, what is the message of the cross?
It is this........For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.                                                                                    John 3:16

WHY did His son Jesus have to die?
Because the wages (or cost) of sin is death..........death is the seperation from God.  ALL have sinned.  We could not pay the price......so our loving heavenly Father came down to live amongst us and die to pay the price we couldn't.

WHY is there sin any way?
God gave Adam and Eve instructions not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil..it was a choice.  They chose to eat the fruit......they yielded to the temptation at the serpents urging.

WHY did He give them the choice?  Why did He put the tree there in the first place?  Wouldn't it have been easier to just not put the tree there in the first place?
Easier yes, but not meaningful.  God loves us, He wants us to love Him, and follow Him.  But, if we don't have the choice, the chance to say 'no', it wouldn't mean anything.  He wants us to love Him back, by choice.

If I'm a good person, I can get into heaven, right?
No.  We could never be good enough to worthy to be in the presence of God. Jesus tells us tat He '....is the way, the truth and the light.  No one comes to the Father except through....' him.

What if I follow the Ten Commandments and make sacrifices?
Following the Ten Commandments is a good idea...they are some of the basic rules for life here on earth, but it won't get you into heaven. In the Old Testament, they did offer sacrifices to God for their sins.......no one could keep the laws and not sin. So God came down and made the supreme sacrifice in the form of Jesus Christ.  That is why He is referred to as the Lamb of God. 

I've done some really awful things.  Don't I have to do something extra?
No, all sin is black, and there is only one shade of black.  Sin is sin, we all have it.......no sin is 'worse' than any other.  The blood of Jesus washes away all sin.

How do I get washed by the blood of Jesus?
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he He died on the cross to save us from our sins, and rose again on the third day, in human form.
Accept the gift that He gave us all. Pray. Confess your sin, ask Jesus into your heart and to live within you, and cleanse you from your sin.  You will become a new creation in Christ.

Now what?
All the angels in heaven rejoice, and you are now a child of God!!

I suggest you start by reading the book of John in the New Testament, to learn more about Jesus.  Find a church for fellowship that is based on the bible.  The only way to get to know a new acquaintance is to spend time with them.  The bible is God's way of letting us get to know Him!
You might also want to check out the links below................

Calvary Chapel Northcoast

Emerald Coast Herald

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Christy