Begin Your Relationship with God
God Loves You
The very God who created the universe desires a relationship with you. Not because He is needy, but because His very nature is love. God wants you to know Him and enjoy His magnificence.
God created you for an eternal relationship.
You are significant because the Creator of the Universe custom designed you in His image.
Job explains,
“You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care.” (Job 10:10-12, NLT)
You are not an accident! God created you in His image. You are very precious to Him.
God desires the very best for you.
God is committed to your well-being. Think about that . . . God cares about you! Not only did He design you, He also has mapped out a perfect course for your life that will result in your utmost joy and fulfillment. Listen to God’s words,
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)
God has a wonderful plan for your life. So it’s all good, right? Wrong! There’s a problem. . .
Separation from God
So, if God loves you and wants you to have a relationship with Him, what’s the problem?
SIN. It’s a small word with enormous implications. Sin separates us from God. Sometimes this is a stumbling block for people. They think, “Really … me … I’m ‘sinful’?”
Wrong Choices
The first man, Adam, was given the choice to love and obey God. For a while, Adam did just that, but eventually he chose to disobey God, and when he did, he began the sad plight of selfishness and rebellion against God that’s prevalent in our world today.
The problem is we all have made wrong choices in life. The Bible calls these wrong choices “sin” which in the original Greek language means “missing the mark” … like an archer missing his target. Sin is the reason for wars, terrorism, social injustice, selfishness, greed, jealousy, addictive behavior, broken relationships … and all the other destructive things we encounter in our world. The Apostle Paul explains,
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NIV).
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 5:12, NLT).
Have you ever really thought about your own personal sin?
Sin Separates Us from God
The Bible teaches us that God is absolutely pure and holy … and that He cannot tolerate sin. The Bible states,
“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore” (Isaiah 59:2, NLT).
“For the wages of sin is death…”(Romans 6:23, NLT)
Just when it all seems so hopeless, God intervenes. He has made a way for sin to no longer be a barrier. God has a solution. . .
Jesus Died for You
God loves us. However, our sin separates us from God. The Apostle Paul explained the consequences and the solution,
“For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NLT).
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NIV).
In spite of our sinfulness, our loving and merciful God found a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him!
Jesus Christ—God’s Solution
In the Old Testament, people “paid” for their sin through the sacrifice of an animal. When Jesus came, He provided the ultimate sacrifice for our sin: a one-time last sacrifice that paid for all sin for all time.
Jesus entered the world through a supernatural conception (Matthew 1:18-25). He was God’s son, born of a woman: fully God and fully human.
When Jesus began his ministry, the Jewish religious leaders hated Him because Jesus claimed to be God (John 10:33)—which He actually was! The leaders just couldn’t accept that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah. In a mock trial they convicted Him and turned Him over to the Romans to have Him executed. Jesus was crucified on a cross and then buried in a heavily guarded tomb. All hope seemed lost.
But, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day … just as He had promised (Matthew 16:21)! Historical records from eyewitnesses testify that Jesus Christ was then seen alive by over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He is alive today!
Wow! Isn’t that incredible? Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so we can spend eternity in heaven with God.
God’s Free Gift
God has made it possible for us to have eternal life!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).
But you may be thinking, “What about all the good things I’ve done in my life? They must count for something!” However, because God is holy, He demands absolute perfection.
“For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws” (James 2:10, NLT).
So regardless whether you keep most of God’s laws or just a few of them, you will fall short of His required standards. It’s not possible to earn your way into heaven through your good deeds. God can only accept sinless perfection. And Jesus was the only one who ever accomplished that.
“He (God) saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. … Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:5,7, NLT).
Jesus is the only way into heaven.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'” (John 14:6, NIV).
Jesus Christ paid for all your sins on the cross … and God’s perfect justice is totally satisfied by the blood of Jesus. He offers you the free gift of eternal life. The questions is, “Will you accept it?”
Spiritual New Birth
So what does it take to begin your personal relationship with God?
Some people believe that they are Christians because they have joined a church. Others think that following certain rules or standards is what’s required. But in reality, Christianity is not about membership, or adopting a code for living, it requires total transformation. Everything must become new.
Jesus explained the process to a religious leader who came to meet with him secretly one night. He told him, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3, NLT
In order for you to begin the journey that leads to heaven you must be born again — this time spiritually. Physical birth produces physical life. Spiritual birth creates spiritual life.
Spiritual new birth is the gateway to a new beginning — the start of your journey with God.
Choose Eternal Life
Because God loves us and sin separates us from God, Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins.
Jesus came to earth to make it possible for us to have a personal relationship with God for all eternity. When He rose from the dead, His mission was accomplished. He is now offering you a pardon for your sins.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12, NIV).
Will you accept this free gift from God by receiving Jesus Christ into your life?
It’s Your Choice
Eternal life is a gift from God. You can’t do anything to earn it! But, like any gift, you can choose to accept or reject it.
“Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony … God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:10-12, NIV).
In the original Greek language, the word “believe” means to “trust in, cling to, rely upon.” In other words, “believe” in the original Greek language requires something active from you. Becoming a Christian is putting your faith in Jesus’ death for you on the cross, and in His resurrection for your eternal life. It is a choice that you make.
Receive Christ by Faith
Do you want the forgiveness for sin that Jesus offers?
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).
In order to receive God’s forgiveness for your sins, you must honestly face the claims of Jesus Christ and believe that He is God, that He died for your sins and rose again, and that He wants to come into your life.
God knows your thoughts and motives. He desires you to come to Him, thanking Him for Jesus’ death for you on the cross. You receive Jesus Christ into your life by personally asking Him to come into your life and forgive your sins. He wants to be your Lord and Savior.
If you haven’t ever invited Jesus into your life, simply pray the following words. But remember, it’s not the words you say but the attitude of your heart that is important.
“Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all my sins—past, present, and future. Thank you for giving me eternal life, which you made possible by your death and resurrection. I receive you as my Savior by faith, and desire you to be Lord of my life.”
When you ask Jesus Christ into your life, you begin a life with Him here on earth that will extend into all eternity. There are blessings for you to experience now as well as in heaven!
Continue reading by selecting a poll response below and discover more about the new life Jesus offers.
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