Have you ever been so thirsty that you feel like you could drink an entire bottle of water in about 30 seconds? The funny thing about quenching thirst is that at some point, you’re going to be thirsty again. No matter how much water you drink, or how fast you drink it, quenching your thirst is only temporary. One day beside a well, Jesus used this analogy to help a woman understand how she could have everlasting life. He said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

You see, only Jesus can give you water that will quench your thirst forever and give to you eternal life. At this point, you might be asking, “why do I need this living water?” Well, we learn from God’s Word that we are all sinners (we do things that are against the law of God), and that we inherited this sin nature from Adam.

Romans 5:12-14 ¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam …

1 John 3:4 ⁴ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

God gave us His law to reveal our sin. No matter how hard we try, we cannot keep the whole law of God. Breaking only one part of the law is the same as breaking the entire law.

Romans 7:7 ⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

James 2:10 ¹⁰ For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

The Bible explains that as sinners (those who do not know God), we will be punished.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 ⁸ in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

This is where the reality of God’s love comes in. You see, as sinners, we all deserve to be punished. But because God loves us, He made a way for us to know Him, and escape that punishment. The Bible tells us that God made only one way … through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his life so that everyone would have the opportunity to know God and experience forgiveness and eternal life.

John 14:6 ⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Romans 5:8-9 ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Romans 5:15-21 ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. ²⁰ Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Did you notice what it says in Romans 5:15? It states that eternal life through Jesus Christ is a “free gift.” Did you know that there is nothing you can do to earn God’s forgiveness? Notice what the Bible says about salvation.

Ephesians 2:4-9 ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

It is by faith in Christ, and by this alone, that we are saved from the punishment we deserve. The amazing thing is, God made it so simple to experience His love and forgiveness. We must simply receive the free gift of salvation that He has offered to us.

John 1:12 ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Romans 10:9-10 ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 ¹³ For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

God made it that simple. Call on His name. Tell Him that you understand that you deserve to be punished for your sin, and that you know you stand in need of a Savior, who is Jesus Christ. Tell Him that you are, right now, placing your faith in Jesus. Don’t wait … even a few minutes from now may be too late. We don’t know when our lives may end, and we don’t know when Jesus will come again to call out those who are His children. If your life ends without receiving Christ, you will experience eternal punishment. Today is the day of salvation. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, please let us know. We want to help you get started in your walk with the Lord! Email us at lmbc@lmbc.org or call us (304) 736-7676 or 1-800-691-LMBC.