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Bottom Line
Life's Purpose
We believe that it's actually possible to have a real and personal relationship to God.
The Bible tells us:
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life. (The Gospel of John 3:16)
Jesus himself said that he came so that people "may have life, and that they
should have it more abundantly." (The Gospel of John 10:10) In fact, the Bible
tells us that God has an amazing plan he desires to work in the lives of each individual:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
However, if you look around you notice that there are very few people actually enjoying
this abundant and meaningful life. That's because there's something which stands in our
way of being able to enjoy this wonderful plan.
Our Predicament
The reason that most people never enjoy this real and personal relationship is because
each one of us have things in our lives which cause division between ourselves and God.
Even the best among us have made decisions based on selfishness or pride which take us
away from God's purpose for our lives. This willful seeking after our own desires is what
the Bible calls "sin." The Bible says:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. (Isaiah
53:6)
The problem is not that God doesn't want to work in us. Rather, our sin places a barrier
between us and God, preventing us from enjoying the life God offers. Unless the barrier is
removed, this separation becomes permanent, for the Bible tells us that "the wages
of sin is death." (Romans 6:23).
If our sin separates us from God, how can we enjoy the abundant life that God offers?
God's Provision
Since we are all imperfect, sinful creatures we are powerless to remove the barrier
ourselves. Fortunately, the same passage in the Bible which warns of sin's deadly penalty
also reveals the way out of our predicament:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord. (Romans 6:23)
God himself has acted to break through sin's separation on our behalf. Through his death,
burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ has bridged the gap between us and God:
That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins
against them. ( 2 Corinthians 5:19)
. . .God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, Himself
man, is between them to bring them together. . .(1 Timothy 2:5)
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us
to God. . .( 1 Peter 3:18)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Christ has opened the way for us to enjoy God's offer of an abundant and meaningful life.
So, how do we receive this marvelous gift?
Our Response
According to the Bible, we receive the benefits of
Christ's work into our lives by admitting our need for him, placing our trust in what he
has done and inviting him to take control of our lives:
For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith, and that is not from yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in to him and dine with him and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even
to those who believe in his name. (The Gospel of John 1:12)
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. (Romans 10:9)
If you sense that God is calling you to accept Christ into your life, you might pray
something like this:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner and that I need you. I accept that God sent you to die for my
sins and raised you from the dead so that I could be brought back to Him. Please forgive
me for the wrong things I have done and come into my life. Help me to trust you and follow
you. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer from a sincere heart, you can have the assurance that God
has heard you and answered it. The Bible promises us "Whoever calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13) Also, there are some things you may do to
nourish this new relationship with God:
1. Get to know God through studying the Bible and setting aside time to talk to God about
what you've read.
2. Talk to God in prayer on a regular basis. For starters, ask him to help you with your
daily struggles and to help you grow in your understanding of him.
3. Find and join a group of fellow Christians who believe the Bible and try to practice
what it teaches. Regular fellowship with other Christians is a great help in learning more
about God's gift of abundant life.
4. Tell others about your decision to follow Christ.
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