How to Begin Your Relationship With God
Realize that you don't have a relationship with God because of sin. (Gen. 3; Jer 17:9, Eccl. 7:20)
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
Realize that sin pays a wage and God has a gift for you - freedom from the penalty and power of sin now and future freedom from the presence of sin. (Prov. 14:12; Jas. 1:15; Rom. 8:1)
"For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
Realize there is nothing you can do to earn God's FREE gift (A relationship with Him Romans 3:21-30, 4:5)
"For it is by Grace (undeserved favor) you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Realize you express your reliance on the Savior and receive God's gift by faith through believing (knowing, assenting, appropriating) the gospel. (John 3:16; Rom. 1:16-17, 4:5)
"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 bured, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." (I Corinthians 15:3-5)
The Gospel: Christ died, was buried, arose (He was seen) for our sins! (I Corinthians 15:3-5)
The following points are given to help us understand the terms which God provides eternal life. These are facts that all who would receive eternal life must accept and believe.
1 . I must accept God's evaluation of my condition before Him. (Ephesians 2:12, 2:1, Luke 19:10, Isiah 64:6, Romans 3:10-12, 23, 7:18)
2. I must understand what God has provided for me. (Romans 3:24, 5:6-8, I Corinthians 15:3-4, II Corinthians 5:19-21)
3.I must believe that Eternal Life is God's FREE gift to me apart from any human goodness, rituals, or law-keeping. (John 3:16, Romans 4:1-16, Ephesians 2:1-9, Philippians 3:3, Titus 3:5)
4. I must rest/trust/rely/believe on what God has provided for me through His Son Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13, Romans 1:16-17, I John 5:10-13)
5. I must admit that only rejection of Christ and His word at the Cross condemns man, NOTHING else. (John 3:18-19, John 36, John 16:8-9, Galatians 2:21)
Eternal Life is a matter of GRACE (God's riches at Christ's expense - the unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor of God.) It is entirely the work of God. Man's only and full responsibility is to accept what God so freely offers. In doing so man honors God who receives all the credit and all the glory. (Romans 3:24-28, 4:1-2, I Corinthians 1:29-31, II Corinthians 10:17, Galatians 6:14, Ephesians 2:9, Philippians 3:3)
