How To Know | |
The Design | Thousands of years ago King Solomon, inspired by God, wrote down this simple but profound truth: "He (God) has also put eternity in the hearts of men." (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Though he was one of the wealthiest and wisest people to ever live, he discovered - what you and I, if we're honest, know to be true as well - that the stuff of this world doesn't satisfy, doesn't bring lasting purpose, doesn't fill the void of meaning or answer the heart's deepest questions in a person's life. The truth is, it was never intended to. We are meant for something more. We are meant to have a connection with the Divine. The Bible clearly maps this out in its very first book, Genesis - that we as human beings from the beginning were created with a specific divine design. And that design is to be in a personal relationship with God, to know Him and love Him and live life as He designed it to be lived. |
The Crisis | However, this is not how things are. Our deconstruction began when sin entered the picture - man's rebellion against God, choosing to live life on his own terms. With sin our disconnect from God is total, and the result is not only an aimless life apart from our Creator but an eternity separated from Him as well. You and I are guilty of breaking God's law (see I John 3:4; Exodus 20) and the consequences are dire (see John 3:36). But God does not end our story there, mired in hopelessness. His love for you and for me is so great that He launched a rescue mission, pursuing us with the possibility of a new life, the chance to be born again. Our desperate situation called for the most extreme of measures. The only way to satisfy and uphold the justice of a holy God was to pay for our eternal sin crime with a substitute who could completely and totally fulfill the death sentence leveled against us- "For the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23). |
The Remedy | God sent the only qualified, acceptable "payment" - His Son Jesus - to earth to die in our place so that by believing in Him and receiving by faith His sacrifice on our behalf, we become declared righteous (see Romans 1:16-17), we receive eternal life, a home in heaven (see I John 5.13), we are restored to our original design, that of a loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ (see I Peter 3:18 & 1 John 4:9-10), and the eternal void of meaning in our life is filled (see John 10:10). The way this truth can become a reality in your life today is through faith - believing that what God says in His Word, the Bible, is for real, and then by coming to God on His terms: agreeing with God that you have broken His law and are guilty of sin (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned..."), accepting Jesus' death sacrifice for you as the only way to get to God John 14:6- 'Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."), willfully turning from sin and from living life on your own terms - the Bible calls this "repentance" (Luke 13:3 - "I tell you the truth, unless you repent you shall all likewise perish."), and by turning to Jesus and placing your faith in Him John 1:12 - "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.") |
The Restoration | Right now, right where you are at, you can voice your heart's desire to Jesus through prayer and commit your life to Him - and that is exactly what it is - a life-commitment, responding to God Who is desperately pursuing you as the Great Lover of your soul. For God to ask for a lesser commitment would not only cheapen it but would be completely unsatisfactory in dealing with our spiritual condition. We don't just need a spiritual band-aid, we need a total life-transfusion. It is this that God offers us (see John 17:3) wrapping it up in an ongoing, purpose-driven, outrageous love relationship with Himself. And it's one you can be confident in forever (I John 5:11-13: "And this is the 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."). This is where the journey begins, and God leaves the invitation open to you... it is the only answer to the call of eternity in m your heart. You can form your prayer something like this: "Dear God, I believe that You are telling me the truth in Your Word and I agree with it. I confess that I am a sinner and I need to be rescued - I need a Savior. I believe that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on a cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I believe that He rose from the grave, conquering sin and death, and now offers me eternal life - a love relationship with You forever. I want that. So right now Jesus, I turn from my sin in repentance and I turn to You. Come into my life, forgive my sin, and give me eternal life. I commit my life to You. Thank You for becoming my Savior, my Friend, my Lord. I love You. Thank You for loving me. Guide me now as I follow You. Amen." f |