How to Find God
From BibleWiki
Contents |
[edit] Need for Salvation
In the beginning, God created man and created a perfect place for us to live called the Garden of Eden. God saw all that he had created and said that it was good. Genesis 1:31 However in the garden there was a single tree, the Tree of Knowledge that God told Adam and his wife, Eve not to eat from. God did this because he wanted man to love and obey him. God created many other fruit-bearing trees in the Garden, but only one that Adam and Eve could not eat from. Genesis 2:16-17 During this time, God would physically walk with Adam and Eve in the garden, because all was perfect and good. Adam and Eve where deceived into eating the fruit from the tree of Knowledge Genesis 3:1-6, which brought about a curse from God. Genesis 3:14-19.
Because all of mankind, like Adam, has sinned Romans 3:23, we are, we are destined to be permanently separated from God, and cast into hell upon death. The bible says that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a) but God doesn't want that for you:
- "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1b)
- "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
- "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10b)
[edit] Our Solutions
People try many things to get around this problem:
- Some people try ignoring God, or not believing in him
- Some people use science to explain him away
- Some people try doing good works
- Some people try philosophy, or morality
However, none of these work. The Bible says: "There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12, Isaiah 59:2)
[edit] God's Solution
Because God is perfect, no one can enter his kingdom without also being perfect, and therefor one must be cleansed of thier sin. The only way for you to be saved, is if someone perfect would volunteer to take the penalty for you. Unfortunately, there is no perfect person, and therefor no one can do this -- except God's son himself. God knew that the only way for you to avoid the penalty for your sin would be to send someone perfect -- his own son -- Jesus to earth to accept the penalty for all of your sins: past, present and future.
- "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5)
- "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18a)
- "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
[edit] What does this mean for you?
You must trust and follow Jesus Christ as your personal savior (Revelation 3:20; John 1:12; Romans 10:9):
- Know and understand what Jesus has done for you, and that he would have done it even if you where the only sinner.
- Accept that life-changing fact that Jesus died for you
- Pray and ask Jesus to enter your life
Prayer is simply talking to God as if he where standing there with you. An example is as follows:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness.
I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from
my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life.
I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.
In Jesus' name, Amen
[edit] God's Promises to You
- "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
If you sincerely asked Jesus to come into your life:
- "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does no have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:12-13)
When you receive Christ, you are reborn Spiritually, and God gives you his Spirit, which becomes a part of you. This is known as regeneration or rebirth.
[edit] What Next?
- Get a Bible and study God's word. God's word is also available for free on websites like BibleGateway, and there are lots of resources on BibleWiki to help you.
- Pray and read your Bible every day. God wants to have a relationship with you.
- Spread God's plan of salvation with others; this is called the Great Commission, one of God's most important commands.
- Find a church near you findachurch.com, and get involved in worship, fellowship, and ministry with other Christians.
- You are now an ambassador of Christ, change your life to follow and serve Him. Demonstrate God's love by loving and serving others.
