The Everlasting Gift of Easter

 Posted by Jimmie Dale Burroughs April 8, 2023

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all. His gift of eternal life to each of us who will accept it by trusting in Him is a result of His resurrection from the grave nearly 2000 years ago. The resurrection is the capstone of the Christian faith, without which there would be no hope now or ever. But thanks be to God, we have hope according to our Lord Jesus Christ:  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). I might ask you the same question: Do you believe this? If so, that is proof that you have received the greatest gift of all, eternal life.

We celebrate Jesus’s life and the newness of life we have in Him, but it is also the proclamation of our freedom from sin and its sentence of death. We are no longer in bondage to sin and a prisoner of Satan. Because of His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave, Jesus gave us the freedom to live eternally with Him and the angels of heaven, a place that goes beyond our wildest imagination. On this Easter, let us celebrate and acknowledge the freedom that is available through Jesus Christ. The dread of death no longer has a hold on us who trust in Him.

What an incredible gift: “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” (John 3:16 KJV). The Apostle Peter said, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3 NIV).

Easter is a day for us to celebrate our new life in Jesus because He died to pay the price for our sins and rose from the grave as a promise to us that even though we die, we also shall live again. Consider the value of your soul: The Bible says, “What does it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul” (Matthew 16:26).  If you have never trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, consider it today. Is your soul more valuable and its destiny than anything else to you? What are you waiting for, considering life is so fragile, and you cannot guarantee another day of life? The Bible says today is the day of salvation. Please don’t put it off another minute.

On this Easter, take time to express your gratitude to God:

• Thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed on you.
• Thank God for the new life He has given you through Jesus, His Son.
• Thank God for the freedom He has given you from the death penalty for sin.
• Thank God for giving you the privilege of being a part of His Kingdom.

If you have yet to accept the new life in Jesus, do so now. Below is a step-by-step guide from the Bible on how you may do so:

YOUR NEW LIFE

Here is a question for you to consider: “If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity? The Bible says it would either be heaven or hell.” It can be heaven.

Finding God is as simple as ABC.

A – Admit
Admit to God that you are a sinner. Repent of your sins and turn from them. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

B – Believe
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died, was placed in a tomb, and rose again, and accept His forgiveness of your sin. “While we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

C – Confess
Confess to God your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. “If you will confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Would you like to receive Jesus as your savior right now? If you believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of your sins, and arose from the grave on the third day, tell Him in prayer what you already believe, and ask Him for forgiveness for your sins: “For whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 KJV).

How to Pray:

Understand that it is not a prayer that saves you; it is by God’s grace, and your faith in Him: “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” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

The prayer is your way of communicating your faith in Jesus to God and the desires of your heart to be forgiven.

Dear God, I ADMIT that I am a sinner, and I am sorry that I have sinned against you. I BELIEVE in my heart that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins and rose from the grave. I CONFESS my sins and want to turn from them. Please forgive me. I invite Jesus to come into my life and be my savior and Lord. Thank you for loving me and saving me, In Jesus’ name. Amen.

After we receive Jesus as our savior, God commands us to be baptized. Find a Bible-believing church, tell the pastor your decision, and request to be baptized by emersion in water.

If you prayed the prayer above, the Bible says, “For whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 KJV). Did you sincerely trust in Jesus to forgive you, to save you, and to come into your life? Do you believe He is in your life now? That being the case, what has He done for you?

Receiving Christ brings great privileges into our life. Through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, we are born into the family of God. The Holy Spirit indwells us, comforts us, and will guide our lives if we submit to Him.

There is more: You may wonder if you should join a church. There is no command in the New Testament that you should, but it is advantageous to do so because associating with other believers can be an avenue for your spiritual growth. Getting involved in a Bible study group can motivate you to learn the powerful truths of God’s Word. But here is where the problem comes in, finding the right church. Not only has liberalism infiltrated the government, but it has also infiltrated the church. There are also many cults that can be damaging to your faith rather than enhancing it; I will give you some guidelines when searching for a Biblical Church:

• The Biblical Church is a Bible-believing, evangelistic church which teaches the Bible.

And endeavors to share the gospel locally and worldwide through missions.

• The Biblical Church believes the Bible is the inspired word of God and proclaims it to be the true Word of God without error.
• The Biblical Church baptizes by emersion just as John the Baptist of the New Testament times.
• The Biblical Church believes that salvation comes through faith and by the grace of God and not by works or baptism.

If I were a new Christian, I would meet with the pastor of a church after I visited and ask him what he believes concerning the Bible. If his answer is anything less than a belief that it is the inspired word of God, you need not go any further. Leave and find another church. If you get past the first question, ask what they believe is required to be saved; if it differs from the Bible plan of salvation above, for example, if it adds things like works or Baptism, move on. The third question concerns Baptism. If they offer baptism by sprinkling or pouring, move on. Baptism by emersion is the only kind offered in Scripture.

Once you have found a true Bible teaching and practicing church, you must tell the pastor of your salvation experience and ask to be baptized. This is not an option; it is a command given by Christ Himself in the great commission He gave to the church in Matthew 28:19, just before He ascended into heaven. Last, find a place of service in the church. There are many places in the church where you can serve, even as a new believer.

Now that you are settled in a Bible-believing church, set up your own time of private worship, Bible study, and prayer, and do so consistently each day at a time convenient for you. The gospel of Matthew is a good place to start reading the Bible for a new Christian. Click Here: This is a study guide on Matthew. I also highly recommend listening to Dr. J. Vernon McGee, https://ttb.org/, an excellent Bible teacher on the Internet who teaches the entire Bible in just five years, teaching 30 minutes a day, five days a week. I believe if you stick with it, you will know more of the Bible than the majority of church members, some who have been church members for a very long time.

Learn how to share the gospel with others. You can adapt the presentation of the gospel above as a guide on how to present the gospel. There is also a good book, Evangelism Explosion by D. James Kennedy, published in 1996 …– eBay), written on this subject. I also hope you will continue to read the many articles on this website that can help you. If you have questions, you may contact me: http://otobefree.com/?page_id=84. I also encourage you to read my article: “How I know the Bible is the Word of God:” http://otobefree.com/?page_id=244. I know that this is a lot of things to do, but you can take it one step at a time and design it to your own time schedule:

• Read God’s message to you every day in the Bible. Start with the book of Matthew.
• Keep the line of communication open each day with prayer.
• Tell others the good news about Jesus and His saving power.
• Worship regularly in fellowship with other Christians in a Bible-teaching church.
• Demonstrate your new faith in Christ through your love and concern for others.

Remember, be sure to find your place of service in the church. There are many places in the church where you can serve, even as a new believer. May God bless you in your new journey in life.