JUST AS THERE ARE PHYSICAL LAWS THAT GOVERN THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE, SO ARE THERE SPIRITUAL LAWS THAT GOVERN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
Law #1 – God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
God’s Love
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
God’s Plan
[Christ speaking] “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life?
Because . . .
Law #2 – Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God‘s love and plan for his life.
Man is Sinful
“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 own 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 an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man is Separated
“The wages of sin is death” [spiritual separation from God] Romans 6:23
God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. Man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as leading a good life, philosophy, or religion, but he inevitably fails.
The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf . . .
Law #3 – Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for your life.
He 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. 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 one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6
God has bridged the gulf that 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.
It is not enough just to know these three laws . . .
Law #4 – 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
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those 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 may boast.”
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:1-8
We Receive Christ Through Personal Invitation
[Christ speaking] “Behold, I stand at the door 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 (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives and forgive our sins and to make us what 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.
You Can Receive Christ Right Now by Faith Through Prayer
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. 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, I invite you to pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
The Bible Promises Eternal Life to All Who Receive Christ
“God has given us eternal life, and 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 life.” 1 John 5:11-13
Do Not Depend on Feelings
The promise of God’s Word, the Bible – not our feelings – is our authority. The Christian lives by faith in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. Feelings are the result of our faith and obedience.
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14:21
Now That You Have Received Christ
The moment 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, Colossians 1:27)
Your sins were forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
You became a child of God. (John 5:24)
You received eternal life. (John 5:24)
You began the great adventure for which God created you. (John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Can you think of anything more wonderful? 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
Go to God in prayer daily. (John 15:7)
Read God’s Word daily [begin with the Gospel of John]. (Acts 17:11)
Obey God moment by moment. (John 14:21)
Witness for Christ by your life and words. (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8)
Trust God for Every detail of your life. (1 Peter 5:7)
Allow the Holy Spirit to control and empower your daily life and witness. (Galatians 5:16, 17; Acts 1:8)
Fellowship in a Good Church
God’s Word instructs us not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” Hebrews 10:25.
If you do not belong to a church, do not wait to be invited. Take the initiative; call the pastor of a nearby church where Christ is honored and His Word is preached. Start this week and make plans to attend regularly.
This information was taken from a Campus Crusade For Christ Bible tract.
