Start Here: God's Law, Our Sin, and God's Love in Christ

Step 1. God is holy, and His law is good.

God made us and loves us, and He has told us how to live: to love Him with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). His commands are not a burden invented to restrict us; they show us His character and what human life is for (Psalm 19:7-11; Romans 7:12).

Step 2. We have broken God's law, and that is what sin is.

Sin is not only the harm we feel; it is the violation of God's law (1 John 3:4). Every person has sinned and falls short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), and we cannot undo it, outrun it, or earn our way back (Romans 3:20).

Step 3. In love, God sent His Son for sinners.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus lived the obedient life we have not lived, bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In Him, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people's sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Step 4. God calls us to repent and believe.

Repentance means turning: turning from sin and turning to God (Acts 3:19). Faith means trusting Jesus Christ, receiving Him rather than presenting our own record (John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8-9). God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), and He promises to receive everyone who comes (John 6:37).

Step 5. In Christ, God forgives completely.

In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7). If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us (1 John 1:9). Forgiven people are reconciled to God; they have peace with Him (Romans 5:1, 10-11).

Step 6. Forgiveness is the door into a new life.

Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God gives His Spirit to those who belong to Christ (Romans 8:9-11), and the life that begins now, lived by the Spirit and gathered into Christ's church, is the beginning of the life that does not end (John 3:16; Romans 6:4, 23). The law we broke becomes, for the forgiven, the shape of a life lived in gratitude and love (John 14:15; Romans 13:8-10).

Where to go next

If you are reading this as someone exploring, you are welcome to take your time and examine everything on this site. If you are ready to turn to God, you do not need this site's permission or a special form of words. Confess your sin to God, trust in Jesus Christ, and tell another Christian what God has done. We would count it a joy to hear from you through the Support page.

The Essays go deeper into the questions this page has raised. You can also compare world views side by side and weigh what each one teaches.