The Soul Winning Resource

17-Minute Bible Way to Heaven Video

Thorough Gospel Film

A Transcript of a Gospel Presentation

Sin and It’s Penalty

The first thing I show everyone is Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” This is typically the easiest point to understand, we’re all sinners. You understand you’re a sinner right? 

Of course, we all are. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” the Bible teaches that sin has a penalty, which is death, but when it says death it’s talking about going to Hell, I can show you this in Revelation 21.8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” So, when the Bible says the penalty of sin is death, it’s talking about Hell and the Lake of Fire. See how it lists all these really bad sins, but then it also says “all liars” even lying makes us deserve Hell. Let me ask you, have you ever told a lie before? 

Everyone has lied before, and that means we deserve Hell. But, God loves us and he doesn’t want us to go to Hell, but he wasn’t kidding when he said that the penalty for sin is Hell. Now, do you know what God did so that we can be saved?

Christ and the Payment

God sent his Son Jesus Christ to the world to die for our sins, so that we could be saved from Hell. Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” are you familiar with who Jesus is? The Bible says that Jesus is God the Son. There is only one God, but God is three distinct persons, 1st John 5:7. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” The Bible teaches that God the Word became flesh, he came from Heaven John 1.1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” and was born of a virgin, that’s who Jesus was. So Jesus was the Son of God because only God was his Father, he didn’t have a human father, only God the Father was his father, but he was also God in the flesh 1st Timothy 3.16. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Now, understanding with our human, finite minds can be a little complicated to ponder, but it’s clearly what the word of God says.

And so as the Son of God, Jesus lived a completely sinless life and always did good and did many miracles and wonders, but then when he was around 33 years old the religious crowd at the time didn’t like his message so they beat him, spit on him, whipped him, and put a crown of thorns on him. He was a bloody mess, and then they crucified him on the cross. The Bible says in 1st Peter 2.24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” that he bore our sins in his own body. He died under the weight of our sins. So every sin you have ever done, and ever will do, and every sin I have ever done or will do- it was as if Jesus had done it. He was being punished for our sins. Then they took his body when he had died, and buried it in the tomb. Now let me ask you this, when he died, where do you think his soul went? Most people think his soul might’ve gone to Heaven, but look at what the Bible actually says in Acts 2.31. “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” So when he died under our sins, his soul then went to hell, and he burned and suffered in Hell for three days and three nights. The good news is that he didn’t stay in Hell, but three days later he rose again from the dead, and was loosed from the pain Acts 2.24 “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” He showed the disciples the holes in his hands. He resurrected bodily. 

The Bible is really clear that Jesus did die for everybody. It says that he died “not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world” 1 John 2.2. Now, not everyone is going to Heaven, we saw a list of people that are going to Hell. The question then is, if Christ died for our sins and made the payment to save us, what do we have to do to be saved? There is something that we must do to be saved. 

What we must do to be saved

The bible has that question in Acts 16, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” “What must I do to be saved? And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” That is all. He did NOT say, “Join a church, and you’ll be saved. Get baptized, and you’ll be saved. Live a good life, and you’ll be saved. Repent of all your sins, and you’ll be saved, NO. He said “believe.” Even the most famous verse in the whole Bible, whose reference is written on the bottom of cups at many restaurants and you’ll see it on signs at football games, It’s so famous. Everybody’s heard of it: 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.” Again, all it says is to believe. That’s all that’s required. And it says it’s everlasting, which means everlasting. It means forever. Now, we have two different definitions of the word believe. If a child says they believe in fairies, they’re not saying they trust in fairies but that they think they’re real, whereas if I were to go play in a game and you said you believed in me, you wouldn’t be saying you think I’m real, but rather than you had faith or confidence in me. When it says to believe in Jesus, it isn’t saying to just think he is real, but to place all your faith in him for salvation. This can be shown in Ephesians 2.8-9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” You cannot save yourself. We cannot do any works to be saved. He did everything, he died for our sins and paid for our salvation, all we can do is trust him and receive that free gift.

Galatians 2.16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Sin is the transgression of God’s law, so to turn from sin, would be to turn to obeying God’s Law. We cannot be saved by doing the works of the Law. God says that anyone who tries to be saved by doing the works of the Law will not be saved.

The Gift of Eternal Life

Now, notice it calls salvation the gift of God. Let’s look back at Romans 6:23. Again it says salvation is the gift of God, and it’s eternal life. Eternal means it never ends. So let’s do an example, pretend I offered you a Bible as a gift, but you have to pay me $30, is that a gift? No, it’s a purchase. Here, you can have this Bible, but you have to mow my lawn once a week, is that a gift? No, that’s a job. What about this, I’ll give you a Bible, but if you make me upset, I’ll take it back. Is that a gift? No, it’d be a loan, temporary. Not a free eternal gift. Salvation is a gift. Jesus paid for it. You don’t have to pay an indulgence to get it, you don’t have to surrender to the Lord or turn from your sins or do any service for it, and you can’t do anything or any amount of sins to lose it. It is free and forever. Once you are saved, you are always saved. 

Now, many people have a problem with the gospel because they want to say that we have to do something and they think that if we cannot lose our salvation then we can just sin and live however we want, and I want to show you something to help explain this, look at 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:” When we believe on Christ and get saved, we become God’s children. Look at Psalm 89.30-34. “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” This is a really bad christian. They’re not living right, they’re not walking in righteousness, they’re not doing good works, they’re not keeping the commandments, and God says he will punish them, but it’s punishment on this earth, because he says that he will not take his love from them. This is just like with my children. If my children do something wrong, I punish them, but I don’t stop loving them, I don’t kick them out of the family, and I don’t put them in the oven. They’re my kids. In the same way, once you’re saved you are a child of God and he will punish you for sin, but he doesn’t kick you out of the family and he will not break his promise. And what was his promise? He promises to not send you to hell, and he promises eternal life, look at Titus 1:2. “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Is there anything God can’t do? God cannot lie. God promised that if you believe on Jesus Christ that you have eternal life and that you will not perish, so if you believe on Christ today, no matter how sinful you live afterwards, he’ll punish you on this earth, but he won’t send you to Hell.

John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” So if you believe on Jesus Christ, the Bible says you have everlasting life, presently. You don’t get it in the future, but you get it the moment you believe on Christ. You are going to live forever. He even promises that you won’t go into condemnation. So, If you believe today, you receive everlasting life today, and Christ promises that you can never go to Hell. Once you’re saved, once you believe on him, you’re saved forever, and no matter what, you can never lose your salvation. 

One additional proof if needed: Are you familiar with the story of Lazarus? Jesus rose him from the dead, but look at what Jesus said just before he did so, John 11.25-26. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Jesus says if you believe in him you’ll never die. Never. Never is a strong word. He didn’t say you might die, nope, never. If you believe on Christ, you can never go to Hell, you’re saved forever. Jesus then followed up asking if they believed that, so let me ask you. Do you believe Jesus can give you eternal life that never ends?

How does it all work? Romans 4.2-8: “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” So we see here that Abraham is counted as righteous, he’s saved, simply by believing. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” We have two types of believers. One does works after salvation and is paid rewards by God for the works, to prove that the works have nothing to do with Salvation. The other believer does zero works after salvation, they get no rewards, and yet they are saved by believing alone, they are counted as righteous simply by faith alone. This shows that works are not automatic and are not evidence of salvation. “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Christ on the cross was imputed all of our sins and died in our sin account. When we believe on Christ we are imputed all of Christ’s sinless righteousness and God will not impute any sin to us. God is not going to charge us for any sin in the flesh after salvation. With the death of Jesus he took away all our sins. Salvation is based on faith alone, without works. We cannot trust Jesus and our deeds. Salvation is 100% by grace.

You and your decision

Now, the gospel is pretty clear in the Bible, wouldn’t you agree? Unfortunately, many people will go to Hell because they still think they have to do some works to be saved. Jesus was actually asked if few or many will be saved, look how Jesus responded: Matthew 7.13-14. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” The question is this. If being saved is so easy, and all I have to do is believe, then why are most people going to Hell? Well, Jesus answers this question Verses 22-23. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many people who believe in Jesus, they call him Lord, and they even do many things in his name, and yet Jesus sent them to hell, why? It’s because they were trusting in their works. If you have any trust in your works at all, you cannot be saved. If you’re trusting in other things, and you say, “Well, I’m going to heaven because I’m a good Christian, or I do all these good things.” he’ll say to depart from him. You must trust with all your heart, Romans 11.6. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” It’s not 99% Jesus, and 1% me. It must be all on Jesus. There can be no good thing that I have to do in order to be saved, it’s simply trusting him alone and receiving a free gift.

Review: In order to be saved you must understand these things. You are a sinner, and because you’re a sinner you deserve Hell. Jesus Christ the Son of God, God in the flesh, died for all of your sins and paid your sin debt and rose again from the dead bodily. Christ offers salvation as a free gift that you only need to believe on him to receive this free gift. You don’t have to earn it or do any works or ceremonies, it is simply by trusting alone. Once you trust in him you cannot lose it because it is eternal. If you agree and believe this, follow the next steps.

Since you understand that now, I’m going to show you just a couple more verses. Romans 10.9-10, 13. “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Now that you have changed your mind and understand that it’s by believing only and that you cannot lose it, the Bible says to call on the Lord and place your trust in Christ. The last verse I’ll show you is John 4.10. “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” When Jesus led this lady to the Lord, he told her that if she would ask, then he would give her to drink. Salvation is this simple. Jesus paid for salvation and all we have to do is trust him and what he did, and just ask him for the gift of salvation, and the Bible says that he will give it to you. Now, I like to give an example using a chair. If I say that I believe this chair can hold my weight, but if I just stand there, that’s believing a fact, not faith. If I sit down in the chair, but I hold myself up a little, that’s partial faith in the chair and partial faith in myself, but if I rest all of my weight in the chair and I’m relaxed not worrying if I’m going to fall, that is 100% faith in the chair. That’s what you have to do with Jesus. It’s not just simply thinking he is real, and it’s not you doing good works or living a good life plus Jesus, no it’s total trust and resting in Christ to save you. The way you do this is by praying to the Lord and confessing you’ve changed your mind and that you’re trusting in him alone, and rely on him to save you, asking for salvation. Does that make sense? Awesome, what I’m going to do now is put a simple prayer. It’s not a magic prayer that you have to repeat, but it’s the fact you’re calling on the Lord in total faith in him and asking to be saved, I am just going to help you find the words to do that, so you can pray to the Lord something like this:

“Dear God, I know I am a sinner, and I know I deserve Hell, but Lord I believe that you love me, and that you sent your Son Jesus to die for me, and I know that he rose again from the dead. I’m only trusting in you Lord, please save me right now, and give me the gift of eternal life. Thank you for saving me, Amen!”