1. God loves you and desires to save you."For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16; see also I Timothy 1:15, 2:4 Luke 19:10)
Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
2. Because of sin we cannot understand God’s salvation, so He gives us His Spirit to reveal salvation to us . . . He teaches us how to be saved.
"For who among men know the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the thing of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:11-14)
3. Through the law the Holy Spirit teaches me concerning my condition of sin and punishment for sin, and brings me to sorrow over my sin.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23; see also Romans 3:20, 3:10-12, 6:23, and John 3:36)
4. Through the Gospel the Holy Spirit teaches me that salvation is provided by Jesus Christ.
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12; see also John 14:6, II Corinthians 5:21, and Romans 3:24)
5. Through the hearing of the law and the Gospel the Holy Spirit brings me to repentance. In sorrow I confess my sin--
"If we confess our sin, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9;see also Luke 18:13-14, Hebrews 3:7, and Psalm 32:5-6).
In faith I receive Jesus Christ, am declared righteous in His sight and am given the assurance of salvation in Him--
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God." (John 1:12; see also Ephesians 1:7, 2:4-6, 2:8-9, Revelation 3:20, Mark 16:16 and John 5:24)
6. Upon receiving Jesus, He comes to dwell within my heart.
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20; see also Colossians 1:7, Romans 8:10, John 17:23, and II Corinthians 5:17)
7. When Jesus lives within my heart, He continues to transform my life, daily making me more and more Christ-like.
"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2; see also II Peter 1:3-4, Philippians 1:6, Matthew 5:16; Galatians 6:9-10, Philippians 2:3-4, and I John 3:18)
8. At the end of life, Jesus receives me into His heavenly home, brings me to perfect ion, and brings me to live with Him forever.
"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3; see also Philippians 3:20-21 and I Thessalonians 4:13-18)
