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Life in
Relationship with Jesus Christ
Jesus spoke to his followers
about life. No, not just about family, work and
leisure time, but about what constitutes true life.
These sayings of Jesus are recorded for us in the
Gospel of John, the fourth book of the New
Testament. In Chapter one and verse 4, the author,
who scholars believe was one of the 12 disciples of
Jesus, wrote, “In Him (Jesus) was life and that life
was the light of men.” True life begins and ends in
Jesus Christ.
We all have witnessed this
reality. Our culture is full of those who on the
surface have it all, but underneath the surface
there is despair, loneliness, hopelessness. The rich
and famous get divorced just like the poor and
infamous. The movie actor suffers through feelings
of self-doubt and worthlessness, just like those who
work a nine-to-five job. Money, in and of itself
cannot buy true inner joy and peace. These emotions
come from a completely different source. The Bible
teaches that source is Jesus.
Our relationship with him
results first in a sense of divine acceptance.
Children exhibit a variety of behaviors all designed
to get Mom or Dad’s attention and gain their
approval. Some children work to excel in academics
or sports motivated by the desire for parental
approval. Other go to the opposite extreme and
engage in marginal behaviors as a cry to be noticed
and recognized as a person of value.
We all have at one time or
another attempted to relate to God our heavenly
Father in the same way. One has become religious in
an attempt to manipulate God into doing what you
desire. Others have rebelled against him determined
that he would accept you on your own terms. All the
time what you wanted was his approval. That
approval only comes through faith in Jesus Christ
and what he has done for you.
Life,
continued
You see man really is prone
towards evil. This tendency is easily identified in
the world’s struggle with terrorism. Taking the
life of an innocent human being is evil, without
question or debate. But in talking with a business
owner recently he told me that two of his employees
had recently quit after he installed video cameras
in his store. He was putting them in to watch for
shoplifters, but they knew that their activities
would be monitored as well, so they quit. Perhaps
just a guilty conscience? Perhaps even our “white
lies” are rejected behaviors in the sight of God.
In fact the New Testament tells us that “there are
none righteous, no not one.” (New Testament,
Romans 3:10). What appears
morally acceptable to us because everyone else is
doing the same or because we aren’t hurting anyone,
is unacceptable to God. God has said, “For ;my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
(Found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter
55:8,9)
So when we enter into a
relationship with Jesus Christ we come acknowledging
that there is no good thing that we can do to please
our heavenly Father. We simply come in faith and
believe that Jesus’ death on the cross is a solution
for my tendency towards evil. There is forgiveness
for all the times you gave in to that tendency, and
there is the development of the tendency towards
good. Above all there is that divine acceptance,
not for what you do but who you becoming in Jesus
Christ. This sense of acceptance from God is the
beginning of true life.
Beginning Your Relationship with Jesus
The life God has promised to us
through Jesus Christ begins in prayer. Prayer
is simply talking to God, being open and honest with
him about your life and your desires.
You must know that Jesus desires
and has made possible an eternal relationship with
you. Man broke that relationship shortly after
creation when Adam and Eve boldly rebelled against
God.
You broke that relationship when
you followed that internal tendency toward
selfishness and you too broke the law of God.
The answer for this brokenness is
found in the death of Jesus upon the cross. He
took your punishment for sin, that is eternal death
and offers to you eternal life. The letter to
the Romans says, "For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (6:23). So you must first acknowledge
the condition of your relationship with God.
Secondly you must put your faith
in what was accomplished at the cross. Your
eternal life does not come from your service to God
and the church. It comes from believing that
God has done for you at the cross. "For it by grace
you have been saved, through faith-and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God-not of works, so
that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9 NIV)
Then the relationship begins!
Forgiveness is the door that opens to eternal life.
Every day you seek his will in your life, your
relationships, you work and your service unto Him.
This means that you will find a
spiritually alive church to attend. You will
follow the Lord's example and command and be
baptized in water. And you will actively read and
study the Bible to understand and apply its truth to
your life.
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