A church whose headship is the
          LORD Jesus Christ

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

This verse encapsulates the essence of Christianity. Notice that -

• Eternal life is a FREE gift from God - known as His unmerited grace
• We only need to believe in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, God incarnate
• By believing we receive God's free gift - there is nothing else that we can or need do
• What is this gift? - Eternal life means that we will remain in God's presence forever
• And when do we receive this FREE gift? - the instant we believe! (not when you die but NOW!)
• By accepting it you will NOT perish - as those who reject it assuredly will
• Why this FREE gift? - because God LOVES YOU while YOU are still in your sins

• Jesus' death on the cross of Calvary was the NECESSARY and SUFFICIENT conditions for those who put their trust in Him to receive eternal life.
• It was NECESSARY because without this sacrifice and shedding of His blood all mankind would fall short of God's perfect standard and so never achieve eternal life.
• It is SUFFICIENT because Jesus declared triumphantly 'It is finished'. He had finished the work of salvation so that everyone need do nothing else other than accept Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.

• Does this mean that having accepted Jesus as our Saviour and Lord we need not do 'good works' - NO! James and Paul agree that 'good works' is proof that the Holy Spirit is at work in a Christian's life.
• But 'good works' in themselves contributes nothing to our salvation - that is entirely the free gift of God's grace because of what Jesus achieved on the cross of Calvary and our acceptance of our need of the one and only Saviour, Jesus Christ.
• James 2:26 states that 'Faith without works is dead' and Paul states in Ephesians 2:8-9 'For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no-one can boast'.
• So 'good works' is a mark of being a Christian but 'good works' does nothing for your salvation. 'Good works' is a fruit not a root - Jesus Christ and His death and ressurection is the root. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord, then one of the fruits of your salvation will be 'good works'.