NEXT STEPS
The Christian life can be likened to a journey. Our goal is to move from where we are in our relationship to God to the next step until we find ourselves in conformity with Jesus Christ. This process, which is called discipleship, takes us from being curious or inquiring, to being connected to fully participating in the life that God has designed for us. To remain where we are in our journey is to be static and unfulfilled. God has great things for all of his people.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a set of beliefs or a certain value system. Being a Christian means that you have been radically changed from the inside out by God’s power, love, mercy and grace. This change begins when your spiritual eyes are opened so that you begin to accept and embrace what the Bible says about God, you, the problem between you and God, and God’s solution to that problem through Jesus Christ.
Who God is The Bible throughout declares that God exists and that He is the creator of all that there is. The God of the Bible is no mere force, idea or principle. The God of the Bible is personal, all-powerful and communicates with His creation in order that He might be known. God wants to be known! The Bible makes this stunning promise in Hebrews 11:6 “…whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” He has communicated Himself to us through creation, the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ.
Who we are Human beings are creations of God with dignity, worth and purpose. Our primary purpose for our existence is to glorify God by enjoying a personal relationship with Him and reflecting His perfection back to Him and to the rest of creation. These perfections include His love, mercy, kindness, holiness, and justice. We each one have fallen far short of this purpose in our lives. Our short-fall is due to our inherent inclination to serve our own interests first, to love our own ways and to rebel against any outside authority—particularly God. We are genetically predisposed to this rebellion that the Bible calls sin and we find ourselves incapable of obeying and pleasing God. The Bible’s sad diagnosis of our situation is that we are in a broken relationship with God and are incapable in ourselves of rightly understanding, loving or pleasing God on our own. (See Romans 3:10-12; 23.) Even our best efforts to live good, moral and kind lives fail to reach the standard of God’s perfection.
The problem between God and us The holiness and justice of God demand that a penalty be paid for our rebellion, our failure to acknowledge God as the rightful ruler of our lives and our actions and attitudes that have broken His good and holy laws. This penalty is a continued spiritual death and eternal separation from God—never achieving the joy, happiness and peace with God that we have been created to enjoy. Our sins are infinitely horrible because they are committed against an infinitely holy God.
The Solution that God has provided for our problem The message of the Bible is called the Gospel—Good News! God is not content that we should remain in our terrible plight of rebellion and condemnation. The Good News is that God, out of His infinite love for His own Glory and for the good of His creation, became a human man in order that He might become His own solution to our problem. We are told in John 3:16 that God loved His world so much that He sent His only Son, whom we know as Jesus Christ, into this world to live as our example and substitute so that we might be brought back into a relationship of forgiveness and peace with God. Jesus’ life on earth was one of perfect morality and conformity with the laws and character of God. Yet he died, he was killed, and by his death took the penalty that was not His, but ours. His example shows us what the perfection we cannot achieve looks like. His substitution is two-fold. He takes our place and our sin-penalty in his death, even though he was completely innocent of sin. He is our substitute by offering us His perfection, so that we may be restored to a relationship of forgiveness, acceptance, and peace with God. God offers us the result of Jesus’ death as a free gift! This is why it is called Good News.
How can I make this Good News MY Good News? Let’s go back to John 3:16 to begin to answer this question. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Making God’s gift my own happens when I believe what the Bible tells me about God, myself, my problem and the Good News of God’s solution. This believing says, “God is holy and just. I am a rebel who deserves the just penalty for my sin. I cannot pay this penalty by my own efforts. My only hope is Jesus.” Romans 10:9-13 tells us this:
... if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
One last word True faith is always accompanied by a conscious turning from sin. It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ; a life-change must also be evident. A decision to accept God’s free gift and to follow Christ as Lord and Savior is also a decision to join with His people in worship and continued spiritual growth. We will be glad to answer any questions you have about receiving this free gift from God and beginning your new life with Him. For more information or materials please contact info@wellspringchurch.org.
