Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe,
so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.
GOD LOVES YOU, AND OFFERS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
God's Love
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal live." (John 3:16)
God's Plan
(Christ speaking) "I am come that they might have life, and might have
it more abundantly" (that it might be full and meaningful) (John 11:10).
MAN IS SINFUL AND SEPARATED FROM GOD. THEREFORE, HE CANNOT KNOW AND EXPERIENCE
GOD'S LOVE AND PLAN FOR HIS LIFE.
Man is sinful
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn
self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God
was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion
or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible call sin.
Man is sinful
"For the wages (the penalty) of sin is death" (spiritual separation from God)
(Romans 6:23).
This diagram illustrates that God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two.
The arrows illustrate that man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life
through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy or religion.
JESUS CHRIS IS GOD'S ONLY PROVISION FOR MAN'S SIN. THROUGH HIM YOU CAN
KNOW AND EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE AND PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
Jesus died in our place
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose from the Dead
"Christ died for our sins... He was buried... He was raised on the third
day, according to the Scriptures... He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve
(Apostles). After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)
He is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man
comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6)
This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
WE MUST INDIVIDUALLY RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD; THEN WE CAN KNOW AND
EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE AND PLAN FOR OUR LIVES.
We must receive Christ
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even
to them who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
We Receive Christ through Faith
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift
of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
(Read John 3:16)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
(Christ is speaking): "Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart), and knock; if
any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (this is repentance) and trusting
Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people
He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have
an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
These two circles represent two kinds of lives:
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The right circle represents the CHRIST-DIRECTED LIFE.
|
|
Christ is in
this life and is on the throne. |
|
S
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Self is yielding to Christ. |
|
Interests are directed by Christ, resulting
in harmony with God's plan. |
Which circle best represents your life?
The following explains how you can receive Christ:
YOU CAN RECEIVE CHRIST RIGHT NOW BY FAITH THROUGH PRAYER
(Prayer is talking to God)
God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude
of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I need You. I Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open
the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins
and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person
You want me to be."
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?
If it does, pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
How to Know That Christ is in Your Life
Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where
is Christ right now in relation to you? Christ said that He would come into your life. Would
He mislead you? On what authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? (The
trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word.)
The Bible Promises Eternal Life to All Who Receive Christ
"And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, ant this life
is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son
of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe
in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal
live" (1 John 5:11-13).
Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave
you (Hebrews 13:5). You can know of the basis of His promise that Christ
lives in you and that you have eternal life, from the very moment you invite
Him in. He will not deceive you.
An important reminder...
DO NOT DEPEND UPON FEELINGS
The promises of God's Word, the Bible -- not our feelings -- is our authority.
The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and
His Word. This train diagram below illustrates the relationship between fact
(God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling
(we feel like we are saved).
God and His Word provide the Facts regarding our salvation. Without the engine (FACT), the
train will not operate. Our Faith in these Facts (or promises) provides the other necessary
ingredient for our salvation. God promises He will save us if we 'Believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and you will be saved' (Acts 16:31)(FACT). When we 'believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ' with all our heart (FAITH), WE ARE SAVED!!! There will be days we will not FEEL
like we are Christians. Feelings may come and feelings may go. We may have a headache.
We may be sick. We may be angry. During these times, we will not FEEL like we are Christians.
Yet, according to God's Word, WE ARE SAVED!!! Because of the FACT, and our FAITH in that FACT!
We cannot depend on our feeling or emotions, but we place our FAITH (trust) in the trustworthiness
of God and the promises of His Word.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST
The moment that you received Christ by faith, as an act of the will, many things
happened, including the following:
- Christ came into your life (Revelation 3:20 and Colossians 1:27).
- Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14).
- You became a child of God (John 1:12).
- You received eternal life (John 5:24).
- You began the great adventure for which God created you (John 10:10);
2 Corinthians 5:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Can you think of anything more wonderful that could happen to you than receiving Christ? Would you like to thank God in
prayer right now for what He has done for you? By thanking God, you demonstrate your faith.
To enjoy your new life to the fullest...
SUGGESTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN GROWTH
Spiritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ. "The righteous man
shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:11). A life of faith will enable you to
trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and to practice the following:
G Go to God in prayer daily (John 15:7).
R Read God's Word daily (Acts 17:11)- begin with the Gospel of John.
O Obey God moment by moment (John 14:21).
W Witness for Christ by your life and words (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8).
T Trust God for every detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7).
H Holy Spirit - allow Him to control and empower your daily life and witness
(Galatians
5:16, 17; Acts 1:8).
FELLOWSHIP IN A GOOD CHURCH
God's Word admonishes us not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together..."
(Hebrews 10:25). Several logs burn brightly together; but put one aside on the cold hearth and the fire goes out. So it with your relationship to other Christians. If you do no belong to a church, do not wait to be invited. Take the initiative; call the pastor or a nearby church where Christ is honored and His Word is preached. Start this week, and make plans to attend regularly.
SPECIAL MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTIAN GROWTH
If you have come to know Christ personally through this presentation of the Gospel, be sure to fill out the Feedback Form on this Web Site and mention your decision in the comments box. I will be sure to send you material to assist you
in your Christian life.
Most of this information was written and copyrighted in 1964 by Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. In the discussion of Fact, Faith, and Feelings, I wrote
the information on Feelings.
