FROM SINNER TO SAINT

By LINDA GATES

If you have ever had any questions regarding salvation, this book is for you. If you are saved yet do not have assurance of your salvation, this book should answer all these nagging little questions and put your mind to rest. Where does double jeopardy come in and what does it have to do with Jesus? If you have heard the term 'born again', but you don't know precisely what it means, read what Jesus said to Nicodemus. If you are not sure why or if you should be baptized, your questions will be answered here. What characterizes a born again child of God? Will you see your loved ones in heaven? Do good people go to heaven or can they end up in hell? What is the marriage supper of the Lamb and who is invited? Why do you need to be ready - and for what?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Jan 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9783743892606

Book preview

PROLOGUE

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.

God so loves each and every human being in the world that He sacrificed His very own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ because the pure blood of Jesus Christ was the only sacrifice which could save all of mankind.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Jesus Christ's pure blood was the penalty for my sins as well as for yours and every single other person's in the entire world - from that historic moment of His crucifixion until the end of time. How amazing is that? One man sacrificed His very own life-blood for all of human kind. Although people live in sin, in a world surrounded by sin, in the kingdom of satan, God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son in exchange for our lives.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

There is nothing, outside of accepting the LORD JESUS CHRIST, that you can do to have the assurance of your salvation and eternal life in heaven. If you do this one thing, sincerely, with a true, repentant heart, then God accepts that the price for your life has been paid in full. In fact He puts a stamp of approval on your name which reads PAID IN FULL! Wow! How amazing is that? Just a gesture on your part, but a huge sacrifice for God, and the most agonizing death imaginable for our LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST!

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

As the blood was a token upon the houses of the Israelites, protecting them, so the blood of Jesus is a token upon you and me that we belong to God – that we are His children.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.

John 1:7b Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

CHAPTER 1 – GOD'S LOVE FOR THE SINNER

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

We see from the above scripture in the Bible that all have sinned – sin is therefore universal – it includes every single human being in the entire world. There is not one person who is not a sinner. We are all born sinners.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

Romans 5:8-12 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

From the time of the fall of man (when Adam and Eve sinned) each and every human being became sinners. Adam and Eve were without sin until the fall of man. Yet, through their sin, we automatically became sinners.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

The cause of sin entering the world can be laid squarely at the feet of one being – satan.

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.

He caused sin, his sin cannot be forgiven, the penalty for his sin will be required of him at the time determined by God.

Isaiah 14:12-14 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Unlike us, who receive redemption through Jesus Christ, satan will one day be condemned and thrown into the eternal lake of fire.

Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition (Satan); that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Thus, if you feel the need to be angry because you are conceived into this world a sinner, then don't be angry with God, be angry with satan. He is the one who has robbed us of the peaceful existence God intended for man on earth.

Psalm 139:13-18 For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.

What happened the moment sin entered the world? Mankind was no longer able to face God. Adam and Eve hid in the garden when they heard God's voice. They became aware of their nakedness and shied away from Him.

Genesis 3:7-8 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Before this day Adam spent time in God's presence and had fellowship with God. God walked with him and talked with him. Yet, suddenly this amazing intimacy was gone. It evaporated... A darkness set in... The same darkness which satan distributes and causes wherever he is present. Sin separated man and God. Because of sin man cannot stand in God's presence, because God is pure and sinful mankind cannot stand before Him. Holiness and sin does not and cannot mix. It is like water and oil which separates naturally the moment you pour the two together into one glass.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts

God does not hear the prayer of a sinner:

Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

Only through Jesus Christ can a repentant sinner's plea reach God.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth.

Sin not only separated mankind from God – it also caused death to enter into the world. Adam and Eve had the opportunity to live eternally in God's presence. Yet, when sin entered, so did death – not only physical death, but also spiritual death.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezekiel tells us the soul that sins shall die – we are all born sinners however, children up to the age of understanding as well as the severe mentally handicapped (who cannot understand) belong to God. We see this in the example given us of David's child who died. David mourned and fasted whilst the child was sick, but once the child had died David got up, washed himself, dressed, ate and worshipped the Lord. David was comforted by the fact that the child had been taken to heaven. This is how we know that the child was saved.

2 Samuel 12:22-23 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

We have all been given free will to accept God's gift of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. Once you reach the age of understanding, but continue in your sins, refusing the gift of grace from God, then you remain spiritually dead until your time for physical death comes and you reach your final destination or you accept Christ prior to your death.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

Jesus is the only way in which you and I can become spiritually alive.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."

Sin not only causes spiritual death, it also causes sorrow.

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Whilst we are sinners, we do not experience true joy. True joy is not fleeting happiness which may come from an unexpected gift, the overflow of money, a holiday, or whatever else causes people to be happy. True joy comes only from the knowledge of Jesus Christ, from experiencing God's presence which in turn can only come from the infilling of the Holy Spirit in a born again child of God. This is true joy. The world does not know or experience true joy. True joy replaces sorrow – it helps you to cope with even the deepest sorrow.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore

Even if you are having a bad day (no, God's children are not exempt) you will find that true joy comes again in the morning as you turn to Jesus in prayer, worship, read the Bible and experience the renewing of the Holy Spirit! True joy replaces any sorrow – the heartache of a lost child, the sorrow through the death of a loved one, the worry of financial burdens, the pain caused by poor health – all these earthly sorrows and burdens are easier to endure if you have true joy.

Psalm 30:11 "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with