Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)
Salvation is the single most important decision that an individual can make. At Oaklawn Baptist Church we believe that salvation is a decision that an individual must make for themselves before the end of his or her life.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23 KJV) Every person has been born into a sinful nature because of the fall of man in Genesis. God knew that His people would never be able to follow His standard and would need a way to redeem themselves.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 KJV) God came to earth in human form in order to redeem His children. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and died on a cross in order to pay for our sins. All we must do to receive God's forgiveness and eternal life is accept the gift that God has freely given to us.
"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." (Galatians 2:21 ESV) There is no amount of work that anyone can do to earn their way to Heaven, when Jesus said "It is finished." He meant what He said.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23 KJV) Because God's forgiveness is free to anyone who will accept it, it is very simple to receive. On the other hand though, it is the most difficult decision to make in your life. The last part of Romans 6:23 says "Our Lord." This means that we must make a commitment to God. Jesus always referred to the church as His bride. In today's society the wedding ring is the greatest illustration to the relationship between Jesus and a Christian. Jesus will gladly take us as we are and grow with us in a relationship, but we must first agree to His terms and submit to His will.