6 Words That Will Change Your LifeSample

My Uncle Jack was wicked, by his own admission. He spent time in prison for choking two cops unconscious when they were trying to arrest him. In his younger years, he was routinely in trouble with rival gangs. 

On a dare, a preacher from the suburbs nicknamed “Yankee” knocked on Uncle Jack’s door. Yankee explained that one of his Christian friends had dared him to come tell Jack about Jesus. 

Shirtless and tattooed, with a beer can in each hand—one for beer and the other for spitting chewing tobacco—Jack invited Yankee to sit down with him at the kitchen table. 

Jack was expecting a religious talk, but he got something else. He heard that Jesus died for the wicked, just like him. My Uncle Jack had always thought heaven was for religious folks who dressed up on Sundays and went to church with the rest of the do-gooders. Jack figured he didn’t make the cut, and would most assuredly go to hell. 

But Yankee shared a different message—that Jesus came to save sinners. All Jack had to do was believe that Jesus died for him and receive the free gift of eternal life. 

When Yankee asked him if this message made sense, he yelled “Hell YES!!!” This became Jack’s sinner’s prayer, and he began a journey of transformation that day. I knew that if Jesus could save my Uncle Jack, He could save anybody…even me. 

Look at the Gospels and you’ll see that Jesus associated with prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners, the very scum of society in those days. 

Take a look at Romans 4:5, and you’ll see three simple requirements for salvation: 

1. You must not work for it. 

Those who think they can earn their way into God’s good graces don’t understand God’s grace. Grace is unearned. Doing something to earn it is like trying to pay for a gift given on Christmas. 

2. You must trust God. 

Salvation is not a matter of trying, but of trusting and accepting. It’s not a matter of what we do, but what Jesus has done. We come to God with simple childlike faith, trusting Him to save us based on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and He saves us.

3. You must be wicked. 

I love the use of the word “wicked” in Romans 4:5. We’re not just talking about those who are mistaken, struggling with poor choices, or a little bad. We’re talking about full-on, rage-against-God sinners. God only justifies the wicked who actually realize they are wicked. Those who think they are righteous are wicked too. They just refuse to acknowledge it, and therefore have no need for a Savior.  

But when we see ourselves as wicked, quit trying to save ourselves through our own efforts and simply put our faith in Jesus, we are justified—declared righteous.  

Does that sound like good news? 

Yes!