A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
"In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began." Titus 1:2
God's promise: Eternal life
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some
men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance."
2
Peter 3:9
God wants all of us to be reconciled to Him (to be brought into a right relationship with Him), but He gives us all that free choice.
God loves us and didn't come to give us a bunch of commandments that He knew we could never keep -- God provided the answer to sin. The purpose of the law was so that we would understand what sin was. The law only established sin; without the law, there would have been no sin.
God wants to transform our lives by changing our hearts, change that goes deeper than the surface of rules or traditions.
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Galatians 3:24
"I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Romans 7:7
Trying to keep God's commandments won't save us, or make us acceptable to God, nor will going to church or trying to be a good person. There is absolutely nothing that we can do to earn a place in heaven. Christ was the perfect sacrifice and only through Him do we have permanent forgiveness of sin.
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Romans 8:3
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God." Hebrews 10:12
God wants our works, or the sacrifices that we make, to be a result of our faith -- the effect of it -- not an attempt to win His favor. Our love for God will give us the desire to please Him and our actions will be the result of a changed heart, the evidence of our faith.
But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18
We all have a sin nature. We know right from wrong, but because of our sin nature, there is an inherent desire in us to choose wrong.
"For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." Romans 7:19,20
Some people may even lead better lives than others and may be better mothers or parents, but salvation isn't based on our own actions. If our good works were sufficient, it wouldn't have been necessary for Christ to come and take our place -- to die on the cross for our sins.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4
We are all offered the choice -- the free gift of salvation -- it has already been bought and paid for; all we have to do is accept it.
People want to come to God on their own terms and they judge themselves by their own standards, but our thoughts and attitudes determine our actions and they are a direct result of our state of mind and our individual character.
"For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
God has perfect character; God has set the standard; and God wants us to serve Him on His terms and for the right reasons.
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Romans 3:10
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24
God has provided the only way for us to be reconciled to Him and that is through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, believing that Christ shed His blood for us so that we might have eternal life.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Galatians 3:11
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
God's promise is for everyone.
"For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom
for all, to be testified in due time." I Timothy 2:5-6
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:5-6
Death is not the end. We are all going to die a physical death one day, but without Christ there is a also a spiritual death, separation from God.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
Religion stifles; it requires that we work our way into heaven. God's grace and mercy gives life, and real living is knowing Christ.
"I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly." John 10:10
All God requires is that we come, that we acknowledge Him and our need for Him, and that we ask Him into our hearts by faith.
"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9,10
"For
whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved."
Romans 10:13
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all
your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
Jesus said unto
her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? "
John 11:25-26
Lord,
I recognize
that I'm a sinner and that salvation is a free gift: it cannot be
earned. I accept the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, and believe
that He shed His blood on the cross for my sin--that he took my
place, that He died, was buried, and rose again. Lord, Jesus, I
invite you into my heart today, by
faith, and receive you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you
for the forgiveness of my sins and for the gift of my salvation.
Amen
"But as many as
received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name." John 1:12
By putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you are reconciled to God! God is enough and there isn't anything you can add to that. Getting to salvation isn't a process: it happens immediately. It's the path to maturity in Christ that is the process.
photo courtesy of ChristArt.com
"And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we
know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His
Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. "
I John 5:20
If you've made a decision to give your heart to Christ, I would love to hear from you! You can reach me through the Contact page.