Salvation

You might ask.  Why do I need to be saved?  This is a very valid and important question.  You might say that over all you are a good person and therefore you don’t need to be saved.  But the truth is no one is perfect.  We all have sinned somewhere in our lives.  None of us has walked perfectly.
Scripture tells us: Everyone has sinned and everyone has fallen short.
Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The problem really isn’t your sin but Adam’s sin in the Garden.  It was by him that sin entered the world and by it death came.
Rom. 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
Because of this we were in need for a Savior.  We needed someone to take our place.  So God the Father sent His only begotten Son to take our place on the cross.
Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
That is right, God so loved us that He demonstrated it to us by sending His Son to die for us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Scripture tells us that there is salvation in no other name.
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
You might ask, who can be saved? I have great news for you.  Scripture tells us anyone.
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
Rom. 10:11 For the Scripture says, Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.
What do you need to do? You must realize that you cannot earn it.  It is a free gift.  You must decide to receive the gift of salvation.
Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 
Eph. 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Second you must believe and confess.
Rom. 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom. 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
You must make Jesus Lord of your life.  You must choose to live for Him.  Don’t worry, we will talk about how He will help you do this. 
So if you would like to become a child of the King, I would like to lead you in a prayer.  And if you will pray it with me we can take the first step. 

“Heavenly Father, I come to you now and I acknowledge my sins to You.  I confess that I am a sinner and ask for Your mercy.  I ask that You forgive me by the Blood of Your Son Jesus.  I believe that He is Your only begotten Son.  That He came in the likeness of man.  That He died on the cross and rose again according to the Scriptures.  I ask that You wash me clean from all unrighteousness.  Jesus, I ask that You take ownership of my life.  It no longer belongs to me.  It now belongs to You and I ask that You direct it according to Your love. “
I have great news for you.  If you prayed that prayer, Scripture says that you are born again and that you have received the gift of eternal life.
Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Scripture also says that because you have confessed your sins that the Father has cleansed you from all unrighteousness.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Baptism
Now, if you have asked the Father to forgive you and have asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, there is still more. Scripture tells us that there are two kingdoms:  A kingdom of darkness and a Kingdom of His Son.  This is also referred to as the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven.
Col. 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, Scripture tells us that being born again is just the beginning.  The Father wants us to enter into the kingdom.  You might ask how?  The bible tells us that we do it through the baptism of water and Spirit.
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (new, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb again and be born?
John 3:5 Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. So first, let us discuss water baptism.  It does not matter if you have been baptized before.  I want you to be baptized according to your new confession. Christian baptism is identifying with the Lord’s death.
Rom. 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Rom. 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It is important to understand that baptism serves in a few different capacities.  First, we bury the old nature and when we come out of the water we come out in newness of life.  Second, we identify with our Lord’s death and say yes and amen to all that was accomplished on the cross.  Third, it serves as our public confession of are faith. This is important because of what our Lord Jesus said:
Luke 12:8  “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God."
Luke 12:9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Matt. 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Luke 12:9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. Scripture also states that baptism an important part of our salvation experience:
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We will see in other places that Peter found this to be just as important as Paul.  (See Acts 10:47-48; Acts 19:1-6)
Water baptism is not an option according to Scripture.  It is a very important part of your new birth.  It must be done.  We also see that the baptism of the Spirit was equally important to the Apostles.  Paul, John and Peter all make a point to lay hands on new converts for the baptism of the Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-6)
Jesus did nothing in His earthly ministry until He was baptized with the water and the Spirit.  (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; 4:1; John 1:29-34)
The way that you receive the Holy Spirit is through faith.  There is no way to earn it.  Like your salvation it is a free gift.  (Gal 3:1-2)  The same Father who forgave you through the Blood of Jesus is the same Father who gives you freely His Holy Spirit.