Ethiopian Lutheran Church, Mekane Yesus in Minneapolis (ELCA)
Your Salvation and The 4 Spiritual Laws
Law #1
God LOVES you
and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
God's Love
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"
(John 3:16 NIV).
God's Plan
[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might
have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John
10:10).
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant
life?
Because...
Law #2
Man is SINFUL
and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience
God's love and plan for his life.
Man Is Sinful
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23). Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because
of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent
way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will,
characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive
indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man Is Separated
"The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God]
(Romans 6:23).
Law #3
Jesus Christ
is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know
and experience God's love and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead
"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the
third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter,
then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five
hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).
Law #4
We must
individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we
can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
We Must Receive Christ
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John
1:12).
We Receive Christ Through Faith
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works,
that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
(Read John 3:1-8)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any
one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him"
(Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance)
and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins
and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree
intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He
died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough
to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by
faith, as an act of the will.
