There are many important decisions that we make in this life. Usually we think of these decisions such as the person we marry, the career we pursue, and even the place that we will live.  While all of these might be important decisions, the most important decision is when we decide to trust Jesus Christ as our personal saviour.

I meet many men in the county jail that have either recently received Jesus Christ as their savior, or I have had the privilege of leading them to Christ during a chapel service.  There are some basic things that I like to share with people that have made a recent decision for Christ, but in the county jail I just cannot talk with people one-on-one very often. So that is the purpose for this little booklet.

I also know that these little studies get passed around inside of the jail cells and it may be that you are reading this and have not made your decision to trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. I would like to invite you to do so as you read this. There are four things that a person needs to understand and accept in order to trust Christ as our personal savior. #1 is that we are sinners. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;. I have never found it hard to convince people of this. When we look into our heart and examine our actions and our deeds in our life in comparison to God it is easy to see that we have sinned before Him. #2 is that there is a penalty for sin. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; … A wage is what we earn, for instance at a job that pays hourly we get a wage for the hours that we work. Here we are talking about the wages of sin, in other words what we earn as a result of being a sinner and the Bible says that is death. I have always found that the Bible will define important words. The Bible defines this “death” in Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. This death is like all death in that it is separation from others yet the Bible says the second death is in the Lake of Fire which is for eternity, in other words the death is eternal separation from God. #1 the reality of sin & #2 and the penalty of sin are the bad news. Now let’s look at the good news, #3 Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is the good news, the fact that God loves us and the cross that Jesus died on is the proof. Jesus was that sinless man, born of God and as a result, the sinless man was able to die for the sinful man and that is exactly what happened. Jesus Christ died for you, and in doing so he paid the penalty (death) for your sins. Salvation is accepting what Jesus Christ did for you. Now let's look at the second half of a verse. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The gift of God is clearly stated as eternal life and it is found through Jesus Christ, the one that died for us and paid for our sins, but I said there were four things and #4 is how we make our decision and trust Jesus Christ as our savior. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. I want you to notice the difference in “belief”. This belief is not a mental decision but rather a decision that is made from the heart, trust. Salvation is making the decision to trust Jesus Christ is our personal savior. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Salvation is experienced when we call on the name of the Lord in prayer. We call on the name of the Lord because we realize that we're Sinners, we realize there's a penalty for sin and we realize that Jesus Christ paid that penalty and is waiting for us to accept him. If you've never trusted Christ as your savior I invite you to do so now. Repeating some words will never save you, but praying some words from your heart will.  I hope you understand the difference.  Lord Jesus I know I've sinned, I know I deserve to go to hell, but I know you love me and died for me. I realize you have paid for my sins and I trust you as my savior. Thank you for saving me in Jesus name I pray.

The end result of accepting Christ as our personal savior is eternal life, and as short as this life is, making sure we have eternal life is without a doubt the most important decision we have ever made.

Assurance of salvation

I really think that the most important thing to understand about salvation is that when we have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, we have salvation and have been born into his family. 

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:. 

Be sure and notice in the verse above that it is a result of receiving him (Jesus) that gives us the right, ability and power to be sons of God. 

There is a reason that the verse below is the world's most popular verse.

John 3:16 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. 

Be sure and notice that believing on the Son is what allows God to declare that we have everlasting life.  Notice again that we have eternal life right now! It is not what we're looking for, it is what we possess now.  Think about it, look at the verse again.

You see according to the verse below, when we have Jesus Christ as our personal savior, it is the difference between eternal life and eternal death.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 

Having Assurance of salvation takes place when we simply believe what God's word says about salvation. For instance, think about the verse below and answer the questions that follow.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

1)  According to the verse, what is God's gift?

2)  How long does eternal life last?

3)  When I accept God's Gift of salvation, what do I have?

The whole thing about Assurance of Salvation is to trust what God says in His word above what our heart or emotions say.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Our emotions and opinions will change with time, but God's Word does not change. Now this leads me to my next topic I want to talk to you about.

Have a final Authority in your life

What is the final Authority in your life? A final Authority is that which has the final “say so”.  A final authority has the last “say so” and there is no body that can “trump” it.  

Let's think about an example. As you sit in the jail cell there are many arguments made about the laws which we have broken or at least been accused of breaking. There are an untold number of opinions about whether or not the laws are valid, or worthless. The whole argument is about what is right and wrong and you have heard countless arguments about, who knows how many things like I am describing here.

Let's take it a step further. You go to court, and the judge is the supposed final authority. Of course, you can appeal his decision if you don’t agree, which means he is not really the final authority.  He is the final authority unless a higher judge says he is wrong, and then on and on it goes. When I say the Bible is my Final Authority, I am saying there is no appealing its decision and declaration.

Let me offer you a better way of thinking. The Words of God are the final authority in everything. There is no appealing what God says.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  

I have made the decision in my life that the Word of God, those 66 books found in the Holy Bible, is the final Authority in all matters of faith and practice. I want to challenge you to do the same thing. In reality this makes life, especially our spiritual life all the more simple. God's word settles it all. 

One more attempt at explaining this, it ain't what your mama taught you, it ain't what your pastor taught you, Sunday school teacher or that cellie that talks about God a lot. It is what we find inside of the Holy scriptures, those 66 books we find in the Bible. In my Christian Life I have met many people that don't have this “Final Authority decision” settled in their life and they go back and forth between opinions and what scholars, pastors or preachers say. At the end of the day we should follow the example below.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

Listen to your mama. pastor, sunday school teacher and that cellie, but if you find that they contradict the Bible, go with the Bible.

The next thing I'd like to talk to you about is….

 Our family Position and Opposition

Have you ever known someone that “had it all”, as we say “born with a silver spoon in their mouth” because of the family they were born into. My friend when you are born into God's family God declares that you really have it all.

Our family position is a child/son of God

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

Our faith in Jesus Christ makes us a child of God and not only a child of God but joint heirs with Christ. Think on that. 

Be sure and notice the difference between our Heavenly Father and earthly father. I have a position in my earthly fathers family, but the sad news is that my biological father left when I was in diapers. This does not happen with my Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 13:5 .. . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

Since the day that I accepted Christ, I have loved to study about my Heavenly Father, a perfect example in all things that I need. If I could challenge you to make study, it would be a study of what it means to be a child of God born to our Heavenly Father and the promises that are made about that.

One of the biggest blessings is that we can talk to our Heavenly Father as his child.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Just as sure as we have a family position, we need to understand . . .

We have a family opposition

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

I invite you to read Matthew 4:1-11 and see how Satan tried to fool and deceive Jesus Christ. Make no mistake, there is family opposition and that tricky Old Devil wants to ruin your life. When I was a Lost Sinner, Satan was not worried about me, a hopeless drunk bound in the bondage of sin, but as a child of God he wants to stop, hinder and destroy my ability to live a victorious life for God. Make no mistake, in the Bible (my Final Authority) the main way that Satan works is in religious or spiritual deception.

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

This leads me to my final topic I'd like to leave you with and that is that…

Our biggest battles are Spiritual Battles.

Many of us, yours truly included, have done a lot of bad things and we think how difficult it is to get our life straightened out. Our biggest mistake is we try to do it ourselves and we cannot, we fail every time. All we see are the physical sins that we have done and the grip they have on our lives and we fail to see that our biggest battle is the spiritual battle and understanding that this is where the victory comes from. It has always fascinated me that we think that we are the only ones going through our struggles.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

I get asked very often, “but what do I do when I sin after being saved?”. The very fact that we get convicted (feel wrong about it) of sin is a proof that salvation has taken place, (Hebrews 12:6-8).  When we get convicted of our sin, we need to practice this verse  . . . 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Our part is to confess our sins and God’s promise is forgiveness and cleansing. This is not being saved again, that is a one time birth that took place.  This is part of maintaining a healthy relationship with our Heavenly Father.  

It blows my mind certain things that I find in the scriptures. I would like for you to consider the following that the Apostle Paul wrote. He wrote half of the New Testament books yet he had struggles and he also had the victory over those struggles. Think about this text, it's amazing.

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

I heard it said that Paul had “I” trouble. Count the number of “I” in the text above.  Paul came to the same miserable internal condemnation because of his repeated failures to do that which he desired to do and to stop doing things he knew were wrong. 

Now, Paul continues in Chapter 8 with the answer to his problems. 

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

The lifelong Pursuit for the child of God should be to learn how to walk after the Spirit and in doing so we get victories over the flesh. 

The biggest battles are “Spiritual Battles”. That's why it is so important to have a “Final Authority” and understand the most basic of truths. As a child of God I have eternal life, and I have a position in God's family but I do have opposition. that opposition is both satanic powers and this old nasty flesh.

The better we learn the word of God, the better we can put it into practice. The more we gain victories over sins that have dominated our Lives. These victories come little by little.

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.