To Whom It May Concern

This is an open letter … "To Whom It May Concern." If you are reading this letter then you are the one it was designed to reach. I hope my words contain only the truth and will be easily understood; that you will be able to receive them with more than just mental assent, an exercise in thought; but also that this truth will be planted deep in your inner being, what is called your spirit and soul.

I have talked to many people, good people, good moral people, who because of the good, clean moral life they are living … never think of themselves as sinners needing salvation. I completely understand the thought process that reason plays when you say to yourself …

"I'm a good person; I don't take the name of the Lord in vain, I'm not caught up in the visible outward sins; I don't smoke, drink, chew or run around with those who do. I'm faithful to my spouse, don't steal or cheat on my taxes; I try to be understanding of others and care for those in need by giving … etc. I think I'm a good person … I believe in God. Why do I need salvation?"
My response to that is … yes you are … by the world's standard you are a good person and that's wonderful. But that isn't enough; if it was then Jesus died … for nothing.

A morally good man may think he has obtained righteousness by what he does or doesn't do, but in time will find that he has no foundation to stand on, especially before God. I don't care if you are the most perfect creature in all of creation; in and of yourself, you do not merit or deserve anything from God. He owes us nothing. But God loves us and gives us undeserved grace and mercy anyway.

I've heard other people say, "I just don't feel the need for Christ in my life. He made me as I am and He loves me. I'm happy with my life." Well, let me say this; if you believe in even the smallest chance that there is a Holy God of judgment, and that He is going to hold each person accountable for sin … but you feel that you have met God's requirement of no sin in your life … then you are right, you don't need Jesus.

But if you aren’t sinless, if you have committed even one sin then you qualify as a sinner and will stand before God in judgment. In God's eye, sin is sin; it doesn't matter if it's a small lie or murder, if you have broken one of His commandments it's the same as if you have broken all of them … sorry.

You see, it's not so much that a commandment has been broken; but rather it's what the consequence of that sin brings. Sin breaks our relationship with God the Father and because He is Holy, this Holiness in the presence of sin … any sin … causes Him to separate Himself from us and that sin.

But God has made a way to restore that relationship … His name is Jesus.

If for no other reason than the fear of God's judgment and to escape eternal Hell, I would recommend crying out to Jesus for help. In Bible theology it's called the cry of … attrition … having been motivated to escape from the punishment for sin. In my opinion that is a valid reason. I say whatever it takes … it's that important.

Perhaps a better way is called … contrition … and that stems from having an awareness that we have done wrong and have sinned against God which in turn brings true repentance of the heart and soul.

There is one underlying thread found throughout the Word of God and that is … all have sinned and all need a savior.

This is the state of all mankind; all have sinned because of the sinful nature passed on to us from Adam. We are not guilty because of Adam's personal sin, but our bodies of flesh, our human nature is polluted from that original sin, and whether we know it or not, we are condemned with an appointment for natural death and then the judgment.

"How can that be" … you never even asked to be born. You just woke up in your birthday suit screaming at the top of your lungs one day. Why will each one of us be judged for something we didn't have any control over?

I don't know … but I do know that because Adam's sin nature is born in each one of us, and by our yielding to that sin nature we all commit sin and become sinners. This is the case with the whole world and all who dwell in it. All have sinned.

Jesus was the only man in whom this spiritual law from Adam didn't affect; the reason being … His father wasn't made of flesh … His father didn't pass down the sin nature to Jesus because His father was God Himself. Jesus was the Word of God covered with human flesh like we are, yet without sin. This was the main reason Jesus could live a sinless life; and by doing so He became the one perfect sacrifice to be offered for sin. Only God could meet God's demands.

This open letter is not written to enter into a theological discourse on how Jesus, as God in the form of human flesh fulfilled His mission to … "seek and save those who were lost." In other words, to bring salvation to you and me. He just did.

What is salvation? How can we know that all our sin, past, present and future has been taken care of? What must I do to be "Saved?"

The Apostle Paul was asked one time by his jailer, the most important question a man can ask … "What must I do to be saved?"

Paul's answer was … "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved."

How do you believe on Jesus? Salvation must be personal; and it starts with …

1.) Believe … in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God. It's more than just knowing a fact of history and agreeing mentally that Jesus once lived.

2.) Know … that all have sinned, including you, and because of personal sin, a personal savior is needed.

3.) Understand … that salvation is a free gift, you can't earn it, and you don't deserve it … you are saved only by God's grace through faith in what Jesus has already done, His death on the cross.

4.) No other name … has been given whereby we must be saved. It is because the blood of Jesus only … cleanses us from all our sin. Call on that name.

5.) Repent … of sin and from sin by thinking differently, changing your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct and purpose in life.

6.) You must be born again … Jesus said, born again from above, through His Spirit, His Life that He gives you. Paul said it this way … "You are a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away, all things have become new."

7.) By Faith … in Jesus. Jesus said … "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by me." There's only one way, no matter what you think, and that only way is Jesus.

You may say … "I don't believe there is only one way." Well, you may not believe in the law of gravity … but that doesn't mean it's not true.

I have listed only seven steps, I'm sure more could be listed; but if "To Whom It May Concern" will take these steps and believe that Jesus, as the Son of God lived, died and arose with power over death, Hell and the grave, you will receive salvation, you will be born again. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. It's called the good news of the Gospel.

God will no longer be able to see your sin or hold you accountable for it. Why? Because God took all your sin and placed it on His Son Jesus who was willing to be judged guilty of all sin, yours and mind. He died for us so that we wouldn't have to.

Salvation. It's a costly free gift … paid in full by Jesus … so why turn it down?