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What does Jesus say?
In a conversation with a man who was curious about him (John 3:16-18), Jesus said: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

From Jesus we learn:
God loves the people of the world.
The reason God loves people is because he created people! God wanted to enjoy a special relationship with humanity so he made our first parents – Adam & Eve – in his image. That is, they were reflections of God– morally perfect, intelligent, and with authority to exercise dominion over the earth (Genesis 1& 2).
Because of this, Adam and Eve enjoyed an ongoing relationship with God in the Garden of Eden living lives of joy, purpose, and intimate fellowship. Today, God continues to love everyone, desiring that same kind of relationship he had with our first parents.

2) Every person is in danger of perishing.
The problem, the bad news, is that Adam and Eve blew it. In choosing to do what they wanted and not what God wanted, they sinned and gave up their privileged position with God. They rebelled against the authority and the blessings of their creator. Consequently, everyone born since Adam and Eve are born in sin and separated from God (Rom 5:12). But because God is holy and just, sin must be punished. There is coming a time when everyone will stand before God and give an account of the sins they have committed. Since no one has lived a sinless life except Jesus, everyone will be sentenced to eternal death in hell as payment for their sins, forever separated from the loving presence of God.

3) God has provided a way of escape.
Thankfully because God loves people despite their sin, He has provided a solution for the consequences of sin. This solution is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to this earth for the sole purpose of bearing God’s punishment for the world’s sins. It was through the cross of Christ that God’s wrath was appeased, his justice satisfied, and the forgiveness of sin was accomplished. Along with that, Jesus’ perfect life was credited to us so we can be seen as holy and righteous in God’s eyes. This is indeed great news!

4) You only need to believe
Such salvation is not automatic. Everyone is not saved just because of what Jesus has accomplished. Though salvation is available to all people, each person individually must accept by faith what God has done. Each person must acknowledge their sinfulness and helplessness before God. They must recognize they can do absolutely nothing to be saved, except believe. That is what Jesus meant when he said, whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
To receive God’s free gift of salvation, God says - 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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom 10:9-10)

This can be done very simply in a short prayer:

"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You."

God’s offer of eternal salvation is free and readily available to all who are burdened by sin. It is for those who feel the weight of sin and long for the freedom found only in a personal relationship with the living God.

And it’s only possible because of Jesus - the living God, the savior, the sovereign Lord and righteous judge.

Who is Jesus? As C.S. Lewis observed, "You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to". (Mere Christianity [Macmillan, 1952], pp. 40-41)