Finally Free - Cornerstone Church Johannesburg

DOWNLOAD THIS WEB PAGE IN BOOKLET FORM

Get a free PDF of this web page that you can take with you to go through on your own or with a friend.

We all bear guilt, shame, feelings of being unworthy; or the opposite problem of thinking too highly of ourselves, comparing ourselves with others, and stepping on whoever gets in our way.

In the Bible, Romans 3:23 says:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Whether or not you believe the Bible is true, the fact is it’s stating the obvious here:

We’ve all messed up.

We’ve all treated others badly. None of us have lived up to what it truly means to love. We’ve all missed the mark of what is truly good. We’ve stepped on others, treated them unfairly, used them and perhaps abused them. And we all struggle to love even ourselves. This is what it means to say we’ve all sinned. This has separated us from God. One day we will face judgement for all our sin.

In the Bible, Romans 6:23 says:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If we’re honest, we have to admit that we all live as slaves to our sin. Most of the time we can’t even help it – we act in ways that even we don’t like.

In the Bible, John 3:16 says:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The good news of Jesus is that he comes to free us from our slavery to our sin and the judgement to come for our sin. It’s not about how you need to clean yourself up to make God happy to get you to heaven.

In the Bible, Titus 3:5 says:

He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Ever wanted to start again?

Here’s your chance!

In the Bible, John 14:6 says:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

There is no other way to God. Jesus is the only way. When Jesus died on a cross, He took all of your sin upon himself and defeated the evil in your life and in this world. As Isaiah 53:5 says in the Bible:

He [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

It’s through simply putting your faith (your trust) in Jesus, rather than your own righteousness or goodness or ability to live a moral life, that you are saved from the judgement to come, and saved from your own sin. No spiritual method or god or philosophy can save you except Jesus.

In the Bible, 1 John 1:9 says:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ask Jesus to save you and lead your life

Here’s a prayer you can follow:

God, you created me and you have the right to lead my life. But I have sinned against you, a holy God, and I have been separated from you. Jesus, I believe you are the unique Son of God who died for my sins, rose again, and who is still alive. From now on I put my faith in you alone and commit my life to you.

Amen.

In the Bible, Romans 8:1-2 says:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

And Romans 8:38-39:

Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And John 1:12 in the Bible says:

But to all who did receive him [that’s you now!], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

BE BAPTISED IN WATER

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

In the Bible, Acts 2:38-42 says:

Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

Baptism with water is a sign to you and others that you are washed of your sins and made new in Jesus. After we come to faith in Jesus, we ought to be baptised in water. But even more, God does not just leave us to live our new life in Jesus alone, but baptises and immerses us with His very Spirit, to comfort us, be with us, teach us, and guide us into all He has for us. He fills us with His Spirit continuously, letting us experience God and His presence, empowering us to live the Christian life, and giving us various gifts.

GROW WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IN JESUS

In the Bible, Acts 2:42 says:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

You need to be involved in a local church where you can make Christian friends, learn more about Jesus, the Bible, and also break bread and pray with others. The local church is a family of believers in Jesus who we can grow with in our faith and partner with to do good things in this world.

Psalm 68:6 in the Bible says:

God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing.

Don’t do this alone!

LEARN MORE FROM THE BIBLE

Why must we earn more from the Bible? The Bible is God’s message of forgiveness and love in Jesus (what we call the “gospel”). We need to constantly be reminded of this message and explore its rich depths. It will grow us to become more like Jesus in this world.

BREAK BREAD TO HELP YOU REMEMBER

In the Bible, Matthew 26:26-29 says:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

We break bread to re-enact what Jesus did, to remember His sacrifice, His love, and His forgiveness toward us. This living out of the good news (the gospel) of Jesus renews us each time we do it – at home, by ourselves, and with other believers in a local church.

PRAY

Prayer is a simple conversation with God. It is about having a relationship with Jesus, not about rituals or living a religious life. Speaking to God by ourselves and with fellow believers is important for getting to know Jesus better and knowing how to live His way.

LIVE OUT YOUR PURPOSE

God not only saves us from our sin and the judgement to come, but also gives us a purpose (a call) to live.

In the Bible, Ephesians 2:8-10 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God has already got a plan for your life! In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says:

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

The purpose He has for you is that you would bring others into the salvation you have found, the living relationship with Jesus you enjoy, and the purpose of their lives. We are saved from our sin into a new life filled with purpose and call. We primarily work this out in and through a local church, centred only on Jesus Christ and His good news of salvation!

Download our free 31-day devotional, New Life, to grow in your new found faith. It’s divided up into 31 short readings, one for each day of the month.

DOWNLOAD IT NOW

DOWNLOAD THIS WEB PAGE IN BOOKLET FORM

Get all the above text in a downloadable, free booklet as a PDF that you go through with a friend to help them understand the good news of Jesus, or that you can print to hand out to others, or send to others on email or WhatsApp.

DOWNLOAD IT NOW