1 John 4:7-8 (NASB) “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
God is love. His very nature is love. He is the benchmark and the standard for all of our expressions of human love. So, if we truly want to love others, then we must first begin by knowing God and His love for us.
1 John 4:9-10 (NASB) “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
God is our creator and He lovingly designed us according to His perfect desires and will. We sin when we deviate from Him and His intended plans for us. For example…
God created us to be His people.
We sin when we reject God’s authority and go our own way.
God created us to love Him and each other.
We sin when we act in selfish and unloving ways.
God created us male and female.
We sin when we try to change our gender identity.
God created marriage to be between a husband and a wife.
We sin when we redefine marriage as a same-sex couple.
God created sex for the enjoyment of the marriage relationship.
We sin when we have a sexual relationship with someone to whom we are not married.
God created us to experience reality and be sober-minded.
We sin when we become drunk or high on illegal drugs.
Because of our sins, we are separated from God and each other. Our separation from God leads to both spiritual and physical death. Without God’s help, there is no hope for us. We will pay the penalty for our sins by spending eternity separated from God’s presence in a place called Hell.
Thankfully, God loves us even though we have sinned against Him. He sent Jesus Christ, the Son of God, into this world so that we might live through Him. He loved us by sending Jesus to be the propitiation or substitute for our sins.
John 3:16 (NASB) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
God loved us so much that He sent Jesus into this world to save us from His judgment against our sins.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (NASB) “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep”
Jesus took our sins upon Himself, endured God's wrath in our place, and died for our sins so that we may be reconciled back to God. After Jesus died on the cross, they placed his body in a new tomb. But, Jesus did not stay in the grave very long. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus' resurrection proves that He is the Son of God. He has the authority to forgive our sins and the power to raise us back to life. Jesus appeared to over five hundred different people who all saw Jesus alive from the dead before He ascended into Heaven.
Acts 3:19 (NASB) "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”
God invites us to change our way of thinking about sin and return to Him. This doesn’t mean that we will be perfect, or that we will always do what is right. But, it does mean that we are committing ourselves to live for Jesus Christ. With God’s help, we will be disciples of Jesus who follow Him. He promises to send His Holy Spirit to help us become more like Jesus.
ROMANS 10:9,13 (CSB) "...if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved... for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"
When you “confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord," you are devoting your life to Him. You are committing to obey Jesus' commands, follow His teachings, and tell others about Him. When you “believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,” you are believing that Jesus conquered death, is alive forevermore, and will one day raise you back to life too.
Do you believe that Jesus was crucified on a cross, buried in a tomb, and raised back to life? Are you ready to turn away from your sins and commit your life to Jesus? If so, then please pray…
Dear God, I have sinned against you and others. Please forgive me for my sins. I turn away from my sinful ways. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is the Lord of my life. I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Thank you for forgiving my sins and reconciling me back to Yourself. Thank you for saving me and giving me everlasting life, in Jesus' name, Amen.
Welcome to God’s family. Please contact us and let us know of your decision to follow Jesus so that we may help you grow in your relationship with Christ.