You did not see this movie by accident as God made a way for you to view it by the obedience of Mel Gibson in the making of the movie, and many Christians around the world who were praying that it would touch people just like you. Before we find the Lord, we are all lost in a world filled with evil. Everywhere in this world we find heartache, strife, sickness, poverty, injustice and a host of other ills. Why can't men live in peace and enjoy the good things in this earth? The Bible (God's book to mankind) gives us the answer to these questions and tells us how to be born again and what that means. He tells us in His Book that all the troubles in the world are due to either my sin or someone else's. All of mankind is sinful, thus separated from the holiness of God. The Bible says: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

What exactly is sin? The Bible says that sin is a heart condition. It is a condition of rebellion against God, which stems from pride. God created us to be like Him, but our pride and rebellion make us fall far short of that purpose. Our actions, though they may be "sinful" are really only the fruit of our rebellion against God. Our outward actions merely mirror our true inner condition. It is our true inner condition that God is concerned with. He knows the "real you" better than you yourself do, because he sees "the inner man" and all your secret thoughts and motives. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13 (NIV)   "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8

Though one may lead a "good life" on the outside, God looks on the heart. It is the nature of man to look on the outward, but outward appearances can be deceiving. We cannot deal with our sin by "cleaning ourselves up" the outside, when our problem is a heart condition. "Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin" John 8:34 (AMP).  We are all slaves to our sinful nature, and we can only be cleansed from within. Since sin is the root cause of all our troubles, we must deal with our sin first if we want less troubles in our lives. How do we get rid of sin? God tells us in His Word that by nature we are "...dead in trespasses and sin;" (Ephesians 2:1) and that we are "...alienated from the life of God..." (Ephesians 4:18). Just as a body without physical life is declared physically dead, so anyone who is separated from God is described in the Bible as spiritually dead. As long as we remain spiritually dead, we cannot know God.

We all need a new life. We need to be cleansed from sin and it's penalty (which is death) and restored to fellowship with God who made us all. That is what Jesus Christ (God's Son) meant when He said we "must be born again" (John 3:7). "...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Without the experience of the "new birth" we have no hope of enjoying the glories of heaven nor escaping the terrors of hell. Have you been born again? The "new birth" is not a religion, not living up to a creed, not a set of rituals, nor joining a church or denomination. It's a transformation. Our old nature is changed and we receive a new one. Old things pass away and all things become new in Christ. We receive a new heart, new desires, new ideas, and a new direction because of this new nature. A birth is the coming into being of a new life which has the nature of its parents. When you were born the first time, you were made a partaker of the nature of natural man. When you are born again, you become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).  God can become your heavenly Father. After we become a child of God, He will lead us to a group of people who will help us grow in Him.

The greatest attribute of God is that He is a God of love. He loves you and me. He loves all sinners and wants to save every one of us from hell and the terrible results of our sin. His Word tells us, "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). God hates sin because of what it produces-- war, sickness, poverty, etc., but God loves the sinner. God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, so that we might have new, everlasting life. The Bible tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). By His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus made a way for our salvation. He broke the power of sin and death, making it possible for us to have everlasting life. The life of God raised Jesus from the dead and He was the first born Son into the kingdom of God. You can become His child too by accepting Him in your heart right now. Just talk to Him from your heart with a prayer similar to this:   

"Dear God, I realize I am a sinner, but I ask you to forgive my sins and cleanse me from all evil.  Help me to turn away from all wickedness and come into my heart and save me right now.  I believe that your Words in the Bible are true and I want to live by them.  Thank you for being merciful to me and guiding me into a new life with You in control.  I surrender to your will and ask you to help me to walk in it. Thank you for how Jesus suffered and died for me so that I might have eternal life; now, help me to live for Him every day.  I am asking this in His name. Amen."

For additional help or if you have questions about the Bible go to the Internet site below:

www.BibleResources.org