First, let me ask the one from my testimony page: Are you saved? Please re-read the question. Please notice I did NOT ask:

• Are you a good person
• Have you ever killed anyone
• Have you partaken of the sacraments
• Have you been baptized
• Do you go to church
• Do you give money to the church
• Do you give money / time to charity
• Are you kind to animals
• Do you recycle

I asked if you were saved. What do I mean by that if I don't mean any of the stuff in the list above? Can you know for sure that you are saved? Yes you can! What I mean by the question "Are you saved?" is this:

Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save you? Do you realize that you need to be saved? Yes, You do need to be saved! You say, "well, I know that I'm not perfect" Good! Many people still don't realize that, so you're off on a good foot there! However, you may also say "but I haven't…(insert act(s) generally considered as heinous and evil here). Good again! Many in this world have performed such acts, and are paying the price. So you're wondering what you need to be saved from. That's easy! You need to be saved from the penalty of sin: eternal death in a real, literal, burning Hell. You must be rescued from an eternity of conscious torment, from which there will be no parole, no mercy, no annihilation, no relief, and no means of escape!

"Me?" you say, "I'm going to Hell? Why? What did I do?" You must go because of sin. Sin is a problem that all of us people have! Sin is a problem because it causes a separation between God and us. That is why Jesus Christ came. Let me show it to you:

Jesus Christ was born of a virgin named Mary. Why must it be done that way? Because, if a human man were the father of Jesus Christ, then He would have had the same sinful flesh that you and I have. Then, He could not have been a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Also, if Jesus were born of a human father, then He could not have raised Himself from the dead. Read this:

The death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ is what we call the Gospel. The word Gospel means good news. And what better news could there be than "our Redeemer liveth!" This is the hope we have for salvation, which can be said to be acceptance with God and fellowship with Him.

Still you ask why you need Jesus. Could I keep the 10 Commandments and be OK? Actually, yes, BUT the question is not MAY you keep the Commandments, but CAN you keep them? Here's the first one:

Ex 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Can you maintain a relationship with God where NOTHING comes between you and Him? Not even in a monastery! Want to try another commandment?

The "street names" for violating this commandment include "lying", "fibbing", "telling tales", "stretching the truth", and so forth. Not doing too well, eh? Well don't feel lonely, neither could I! "It's too much! The standard's too high!" Read this:

No, nothing' wrong with the law! The problem is with us! But Jesus, since He was God in the flesh (read 1 Timothy 3:16), could keep the Commandments. And He did do it for read this:

Note the last few words there. That is really amazing when you see this verse here:

Pr 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:

I think you can see the verse is saying the longer you flap your tongue, the more likely that you'll cut your throat with it! And that's what I'm getting at with my title up there (thought I'd forgot that didn't you!).

I call this page No Apologies because of a profound statement made by a preacher along the lines of that verse in 1 Peter. Here's the situation: you want to get to Heaven (who doesn't, really!). To get there you must get past Jesus Christ.

So Jesus will be the Judge, and Jesus will be the Standard. That profound statement by the preacher went like this:

Jesus said a lot of things in the Bible. And there is NO RECORD of Jesus EVER repenting of saying ANYTHING! While God repented of making man, and changed His mind, Jesus never apologized for anything He ever said, and never needed to! That's how perfect He was!

Let me show you some things He said! A "rich young ruler" came to Jesus wanting to know how he could get eternal life. Since this man was a Jew, Jesus told him to do something many thought would get them eternal life: keeping the Commandments. Anyway, the young man said he had been doing that since he was a child. Jesus didn't say "okay, you're cool", but went one deeper with the fellow. Jesus told him to 1) sell his goods, 2) feed the poor and 3) follow Him. And so the ruler left Jesus. After that Jesus said "hey, it's tough!" (I am summarizing there! For the actual quote look up Matthew chapter 19). Jesus wasn't sorry He said what He did! He offered no apologies. Or how about John chapter 6 where a lot of people came out to hear Him preach. Jesus said out loud to them that many were come to get something to eat (like He had miraculously fed multitudes). Towards the end of that chapter we read that many people turned away from following Jesus that day. Yet we never find Jesus sitting on a rock, pounding Himself in the forehead with His palm and saying "Stupid! Stupid! Why did I say that! When will I learn?!" Nope, He offered No apologies.

Here's another aspect of No apologies. In Matthew and Luke, we have the account of the temptation of Jesus (the real thing, not some Martin Scorcesse movie!). Satan tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread so He could eat. Jesus responds with "It is written". When Satan tempted Jesus to cast Himself from the high place, Jesus responded in the same way: with scripture! Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with an offer of the kingdoms of earth in exchange for His worship. Jesus responded with "it is written" I don't believe that as the angels were supplicating Jesus, that He was thinking: "boy, I wish that I'd used THAT verse on the Devil! Boy, I'd tore his head clean off with that one! I should've used…." Nosiree, not even in His victory, No apologies!

So friend, how about it? How will YOU measure up against a man who had:

Here's How: You trust Him to save your soul! Jesus Himself says:

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Matthew 11:28

All you have to do is ask Jesus to save your soul, and forgive you for your sins! He says if you'll come to Him, He'll in NO WISE cast you out! Ever hear of the Sinner's prayer? Why not just say that right now:

Lord Jesus, I realize I am a sinner in your sight. I believe you died for me, so I ask you to please save me from Hell and please forgive me of all my sins. Thank you for saving me, and help me to live for you the best that I can, for Jesus' sake, Amen.

You won't regret it!