By: Charles Box

Here are some questions you should answer:

• Are you making an honest effort to win the souls of others to Christ (John 15:1–8)? 
• Do you use your talent to glorify God (Matthew 25:14–30)? 
• When there is a choice to be made between some worldly pleasure and service to Christ, do you gladly put the Lord first (Matthew 6:33)? 
• Do you do your best to live better than the world? Dress better than the world? Talk better than the world? Act better than the world (Matthew 5:13–16)? 
• Are you willing to forgive others (Ephesians 4:32)? 
• Do you really want to go to Heaven? Now is the time to be serious about eternity: Are you ready for the Judgment Day? “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). 
• Do you see the need to serve Jesus faithfully? Have you reached out in obedient faith and accepted salvation (Acts 2:36–41)? God gave His Son to save you. The Spirit of God is inviting you to come to Jesus and to be saved (Mark 16:15–16).

[Editor’s Note: Salvation is freely offered, but it is conditional. One must turn to the Word of God—the Bible, and for everyone living today, especially the New Testament (Romans 10:17). From the Scriptures, a person needs to derive faith that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God—the Christ, Savior and Redeemer (John 8:24). Consequently, one must repent of his or her sins—turning from ungodliness to Jesus Christ (Luke 13:3). Thereafter, anyone seeking true salvation is willing to confess or to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 10:32). Forgiveness of sins, then, is obtained by imitating the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord (Romans 6:3–6), trusting in the blood of the Son of God to redeem us (Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5). As a new Christian, he or she ought to feed on the Word of God to mature (1 Peter 2:2) and devote himself or herself to Christian service (1 Corinthians 15:58). Finally, at the Judgment, even if faithfulness and Christian service resulted in persecution unto death, eternal life will be yours (Revelation 2:10). Throughout life on any occasion when sin may enter your life once more, repentance and prayer (as a Christian already) will allow one to receive forgiveness (Acts 8:22). In addition, sins of which a Christian may not be aware can be forgiven by continuing to walk in the light of God’s Word (1 John 1:7). This note in no way diminishes the value of brother Box’s article but is intended to be a valuable asset for readers of the article or a stand-alone summary of anyone’s pursuit of the forgiveness of sins. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]