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Synopsis from atstracts.org

Like a slashing swing that cuts a golf ball, our character is cut right through, revealing what we are really like inside: sinful.

TRACT TEXT

It is no easy feat to cut a golf ball these days. With new technology, golf ball manufacturers have been able to produce even soft covers that are virtually impossible to slash open. What a wonderful thing it would be if life were the same!

But life is more difficult. Certainly uncontrollable circumstances bring physical and emotional pain. We add to this by making bad choices of our own. No matter how hard we try, we cannot make life perfect. Usually we cannot even make it easy.

Each moral error we make is like a slashing swing that cuts deep into an old-technology golf ball. Our character is cut right through, revealing what we are really like inside: sinful. And try as we might, there is nothing we can do by ourselves to repair our damaged character. We are born sinful, and we are always sinful. Like the cut golf ball, our sinful self must be completely replaced. No great golfer would play even one shot with a cut golf ball. And a holy God cannot tolerate even one sin.

Consider this.

The rules of golf tell us the many ways we can transgress on the golf course. The Bible talks about the many sinful acts that can separate us from God. In golf, for each illegal action, we receive a penalty. But in life, just one illegal action leads to the greatest penalty of all: eternal separation from God. This is why the Bible is much more concerned with the solution to our sinfulness than with the penalty for it.

The Bible's solution to sin is simple: our old self must be tossed out. A new person must replace us.

"How can this be?" you might be asking. An intelligent man once asked Jesus Christ the same question when Jesus told him that he must be born again. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb...!" (John 3:4) the man asked. Jesus' reply was simple: "Believe" (Read John 3:16-17).

Great golfers have a tremendous ability to believe in themselves. They calculate the distance to the green, consider the wind conditions, visualize the shape of their shot, then trust their swing to do exactly what they have in mind. Even the slightest hesitation in the swing can send the ball anywhere but at its target.

Yes, belief in yourself can make you an excellent golfer. It can make you good at any number of skills. But belief in yourself cannot erase your sin. It cannot restore your broken relationship with a holy God. It cannot get you into heaven.

To enter heaven, you must believe in the only one who can remove all sin. He is the one who can replace your old life with a new life, one in which your sin will not disqualify you. His name is Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus Christ (and only through Him) we can receive the three greatest gifts ever offered:

ONE

We can be freed from the chains of sin. Sin enslaves us in many ways—through addiction, shame, guilt, fear—not one of which is good. By believing in Christ, who died to save us, we can be set free from sin.

TWO

We gain abundant life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. When Christ ascended to heaven, He promised the Holy Spirit would come to strengthen and equip believers. Indeed, the Spirit has come, and each believer is gifted to serve Christ.

THREE

We receive eternal life with God. Death does not defeat us. When Christ rose from the dead, He conquered death. Now we know that while our physical bodies will one day expire, our spiritual bodies will be raised to fellowship with Christ.

The greatest golfers are often recognized for the work they do on the practice range, programming swings that eliminate errors. But there is no amount of work that will repair a cut golf ball, and there is no amount of work that will repair our sinful lives.

Jesus Christ has offered us a free gift: complete salvation from sin and death. Let today be the day that you choose eternal life!

Read on to find out how you can become new in Christ.

Many people make an initial commitment to Jesus Christ in a church or during a large evangelistic outreach, such as a Billy Graham or Promise Keepers event. However, it is perfectly acceptable to come to Christ right where you are. You will have to pray, which simply means talking to God, so you may use language that is comfortable to you - there are no magic words.

First, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, that He died to remove the eternal curse of your sin and that He rose again, forever establishing His power over death.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Second, you must tell Him that you are aware of your sin and believe He can remove its eternal curse over you.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

You can come to God by praying a prayer like this:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know I am sinful and I need your forgiveness. I believe that You died and rose again to pay the penalty for my sin. I now receive You as my Savior. Please forgive me and give me eternal life. Amen.

If you made the decision to receive Christ through this tract, please contact ATS using the Respond button below. If you want to know more about the golfing ministry of Links Players International or about joining a local Christian golf fellowship, you may contact LPI at 1-800-90-LINKS or www.linksplayers.com

Bible references: NIV - Adapted from an article by Links Players International

Cover Photo by Eyewire - Printed in USA - ©2002