A Sinner’s Prayer of Repentance. How to Be Reconciled with God and Have Eternal Life.
Who Needs Me?
Writer Ellis Gray describes an episode from the life of a young man who had served a prison sentence. Shortly before his release, he wrote a letter to his parents asking them to forgive him for bringing shame on the entire family through his crime. In the letter, he also said that he would return to his hometown by bus, whose route passed by his parents’ house. If his parents forgave him, they were to tie a white bow on the apple tree in the yard. He would see it as he passed by and return home. If there was no bow, he would continue on and never return home.
As the young criminal approached his hometown, he glanced out the window with undisguised excitement and anxiety. Would they be waiting for him at home? Would they forgive him? Noticing his anxiety, a woman sitting nearby asked what was wrong. Reluctantly, he told her. All the passengers on the bus eagerly looked out the windows. And then, around the bend, there was his parents’ house… The entire apple tree was covered with white bows. The bus rejoiced along with the forgiven prodigal son.
The Bible says: “It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matt. 18:14).
Perhaps you, too, are asking yourself, “Who needs me?” Remember that God needs you. His Son died for you on the cross. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
Jesus came into the world and died on the cross to save sinners
Jesus took all your sins upon Himself so that you would not perish, but be saved and have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16–18)
Am I Really a Sinner?
Many people do not consider themselves sinners; “I don’t kill,” “I don’t steal,” they say. Yet every person is sinful before God, because sin already lives within them—sin is passed down from generation to generation. Sin can be compared to AIDS. You do not notice it at first, but it gradually destroys your life, and eventually death comes. What does the Bible say about sin:
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all people, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken” (Matt. 12:36). “If we claim we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
The Most Terrible Sin
Every person commits many sins each day without even noticing. The Bible says that everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment even for every empty word. But the greatest sin is rejecting the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The greatest sin is refusing the salvation and justification that God offers to humanity. It is written in John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” Why, you may ask, is God angry with such people? The Son of God was tortured and crucified in your place so that you could receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. How do you think God the Father should respond when a proud person rejects this?
God commands all people to repent. Why?
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30).
The day is coming when everyone will stand before God in judgment, and all will be judged according to what they have done in life, whether good or bad. But only those whose names have been written in the book of life will be saved from eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before God, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Rev. 20:11–12). “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
If you had to die today, where would you spend eternity?
No one wants to think about death, but sooner or later death comes to everyone. God tells us in His Word: “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb. 9:27). Since death is so certain, you must prepare to meet God. According to the Word of God, after death you are destined to spend eternity in one of two places—in heaven or in eternal torment in the lake of fire. “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:46).
What must you do to be saved?
Here is the Good News of the Gospel. Despite your sins and transgressions, God has loved you. He has already done everything necessary for your forgiveness and salvation. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).
The Bible tells us to believe in Jesus, repent of our sins, and acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
You need to turn to Jesus in prayer, acknowledge that you are a sinner, and repent of your sins. Then you need to confess (that is, acknowledge) Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
You can pray this simple prayer
Do this with all your heart and say the prayer aloud! The Lord hears you wherever you are.
– Dear Lord Jesus! I come to You now in prayer with repentance.
– I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I repent of my sins.
– With all my heart, I renounce all my sins and ask You to forgive me.
– Please help me live a righteous life and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
– I believe that You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins and rose from the dead for my justification. Forgive me for having lived without You all this time.
– I receive You as my Lord and Savior and place my entire life into Your hands.
– Lord, I thank You for forgiving me and accepting me.
– I confess now that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior!
Say Amen!
If you prayed sincerely, know that Jesus heard your prayer and forgave you. If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, heaven will be your eternal home. May the Lord bless you!
What should you do next?
1. Begin attending church regularly.
Everyone who believes in Jesus always joins a church—the gathering of Christians. The Bible calls new believers “infants.” The Church becomes a mother to these infants: feeding them, protecting them from the enemy, teaching them to live in this world, and overcome sin and the devil. In the Church, God has appointed teachers who help us better understand the Bible and its truths. In the Church, you will be helped to find your calling and the gift from the Lord with which you can serve others. In the Church, like one big family, we will all learn to love and serve one another! Most importantly, it is the Church that will be taken by the Lord to heaven at His second coming. The Church, not individuals, will be caught up to heaven; therefore, you should always attend church and be together with everyone, awaiting the coming of the Lord, which is very soon. Find a living Christian church in your city and attend it.
2. Begin praying properly.
Like many people on earth, you have needs, problems, and desires. Now that you have been reconciled to God, you have the privilege of coming to Him in prayer, and He will listen to you. He is Almighty God, and nothing is impossible for Him. If you only believe this, you will be able to look at your problems in a new way. Your problems are no longer such big problems, because now there is One who is able to help you. Your problems have now become God’s own problems. He is your Father, and He wants to help you, His child, get rid of everything that brings you distress. So, begin to pray. The more you pray and turn to the Lord, the sooner revolutionary changes will take place in your life. Set aside a time for prayer just as you set aside time to wash your face and brush your teeth. Pray regularly—and you will see how good the Lord is.
3. Begin studying the Bible.
The Bible contains the written principles and laws of God’s Kingdom. There are laws in the country where you live, and there are the laws of Heaven. Many people suffer, become ill, and lack food and finances because they violate the laws established by God. The better we study His Word, the sooner we will become happy and strong. God’s Word—the Bible—can also be compared to traffic rules. There is no need to explain at length how important they are. Thus, the Bible is a guide for human life; by following it, a person will remain alive and reach the final destination—the eternal life in Heaven. Begin by reading the New Testament first; this will help you understand the most important things you need to know. At first, you will not understand everything, but gradually Scripture will be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit. Also, by attending church, you will learn biblical truths better and better.
If you have questions, contact us, and we will answer you.
