How To Have A Relationship With God
You've probably heard people talking about the gospel, about being "born again," or "inviting Jesus into your heart." What does all that really mean? What are they talking about?
Let's break it down and make some sense out of this. First, the Bad News.
The "gospel" simply means "Good News". God has some good news for us and we could all use a bit of that. But first, the "Bad News." God originally created us to have a relationship with Him; to love him and be loved by him. For that to happen, He gave us the freedom to choose to love Him or not.
We're not robots, we have to choose him. The bad news is that we don't. From the very beginning we have turned away from God. We've rebelled and tried to live our lives independently of Him.
That choice, that "bent" away from God is called "sin" in the Bible and sin separates us from God. In fact, the Bible says, "Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins" (Ephesians 2:1). Dead! When you're dead, you can't possibly have a relationship with God. That is some pretty bad news.
Now, some of us may think that we really aren't so bad. We live a pretty good live. We don't lie or cheat. We don't murder people or steal. We don't do drugs and we give money to charity. We even make sure to buy three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies every year.
The Bible's answer to that is "As the Scriptures say, 'No one is good - not even one. No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one.' (Romans 3:10-12) And again it says, "For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). Now the Good News.
God didn't leave us in this mess. He still loves us and made a way for us to get back into relationship with Him, but He had to do something about this sin. So He sent Jesus, His Son, to become a human being, live a perfect life and die on the cross.
Why die? Because the payment required for humanity's sin, our sin, was death. In Romans 6:23, the Bible states, "the wages of sin is death." By dying on the cross, Jesus made the payment that was required. God was satisfied.
Jesus took the penalty and opened up the possibility of knowing God. "For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.(Romans 3:25).
There is even Better News. Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose from the dead! He is alive right now. Remember:
Sin = Death, Jesus = Life.
We can exchange our old, dead life of sin, that if we are honest with ourselves wasn't working too well, for a new, resurrection-powered life in Jesus. Because Jesus is alive we can be sure that we can have this new life too. "He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God" (Romans 6:4).
Again the Bible says, "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.(Ephesians 2:4,5) Finally, the Best News
So how do you do this? How do you start this new life with God. The answer is really the best news. First, recognize and admit that you, yes you, have a "bent" away from God.
You are a sinner and are dead to God. Next, recognize that there is nothing you can do about your sin situation, but that Jesus Christ can and did do something about your sin.
Then, repent. The word repent in the Bible means to have a change of heart and mind. Renounce your sin-life and turn your heart to God. Accept the payment that Jesus Christ made on your behalf. This can be as simple as saying a prayer like this: Jesus, I know I am a sinner and am dead to God. I accept the penalty you paid for my sin and I turn away from it to You. I give You my heart and my life. When you do this; when you turn your life over to Jesus, this is what the Bible says happens:
"God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins." (Colossians 1:14) "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (Romans 5:1) "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:4) The news doesn't get any better than that:
Forgiveness, Peace, No guilt, New life.
We get a fresh start! If you have taken this step, if you have started this new life with Christ, we would love to hear from you and help you on your journey.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
The "gospel" simply means "Good News". God has some good news for us and we could all use a bit of that. But first, the "Bad News." God originally created us to have a relationship with Him; to love him and be loved by him. For that to happen, He gave us the freedom to choose to love Him or not.
We're not robots, we have to choose him. The bad news is that we don't. From the very beginning we have turned away from God. We've rebelled and tried to live our lives independently of Him.
That choice, that "bent" away from God is called "sin" in the Bible and sin separates us from God. In fact, the Bible says, "Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins" (Ephesians 2:1). Dead! When you're dead, you can't possibly have a relationship with God. That is some pretty bad news.
Now, some of us may think that we really aren't so bad. We live a pretty good live. We don't lie or cheat. We don't murder people or steal. We don't do drugs and we give money to charity. We even make sure to buy three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies every year.
The Bible's answer to that is "As the Scriptures say, 'No one is good - not even one. No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one.' (Romans 3:10-12) And again it says, "For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). Now the Good News.
God didn't leave us in this mess. He still loves us and made a way for us to get back into relationship with Him, but He had to do something about this sin. So He sent Jesus, His Son, to become a human being, live a perfect life and die on the cross.
Why die? Because the payment required for humanity's sin, our sin, was death. In Romans 6:23, the Bible states, "the wages of sin is death." By dying on the cross, Jesus made the payment that was required. God was satisfied.
Jesus took the penalty and opened up the possibility of knowing God. "For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.(Romans 3:25).
There is even Better News. Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose from the dead! He is alive right now. Remember:
Sin = Death, Jesus = Life.
We can exchange our old, dead life of sin, that if we are honest with ourselves wasn't working too well, for a new, resurrection-powered life in Jesus. Because Jesus is alive we can be sure that we can have this new life too. "He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God" (Romans 6:4).
Again the Bible says, "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.(Ephesians 2:4,5) Finally, the Best News
So how do you do this? How do you start this new life with God. The answer is really the best news. First, recognize and admit that you, yes you, have a "bent" away from God.
You are a sinner and are dead to God. Next, recognize that there is nothing you can do about your sin situation, but that Jesus Christ can and did do something about your sin.
Then, repent. The word repent in the Bible means to have a change of heart and mind. Renounce your sin-life and turn your heart to God. Accept the payment that Jesus Christ made on your behalf. This can be as simple as saying a prayer like this: Jesus, I know I am a sinner and am dead to God. I accept the penalty you paid for my sin and I turn away from it to You. I give You my heart and my life. When you do this; when you turn your life over to Jesus, this is what the Bible says happens:
"God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins." (Colossians 1:14) "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (Romans 5:1) "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:4) The news doesn't get any better than that:
Forgiveness, Peace, No guilt, New life.
We get a fresh start! If you have taken this step, if you have started this new life with Christ, we would love to hear from you and help you on your journey.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.