God has a story for every life. It is a love story like no other. When God created mankind, He fashioned us in His very own image (Genesis 1:26). That doesn’t mean that we are gods or that we look like God, but that there are things in us that reflect His image– things that no other living creature has. Think about the exquisite creative genius of man to create art, music, architecture, and other beautiful works. Animals can’t do that, but we have creativity that stems from our Creator’s imprint on us. Another part of His image in us is that He created our souls with a longing to find Him and a spirit that is uniquely designed to know that He exists. Romans 1:20 states, “For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities– His eternal power and divine nature– have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” We can spend our lives denying His existence, but He has given us proof of His existence through His creation. Our souls, too, give us proof by a longing within us that can’t be satisfied apart from communion with Him. We can try to fill that longing with money, food, drugs, sex, power, or any other deceptive method of contentment that life offers, but none of those things will satisfy. Because we were made for God. His imprint is on your soul, and your soul was made to connect with Him.
God’s perfect fellowship with mankind changed when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against their Creator. They embraced the lie of the enemy that they should disobey and choose their own way of doing things. They passed that sin nature down to all future generations, including you and me. We live in a broken world as broken people. God’s image is still imprinted on our souls, but it has become blurred and disfigured by sin. We are guilty of crimes against God, and because God is a righteous judge, our crimes have a penalty. “Wait,” you say. “I’m not that bad. I go to church and treat others with kindness. I try to do the right thing.” Romans 3:10, 12 tells us “There is no one righteous, not even one…there is no one who does good, not even one.” Because God is perfect, His standard is perfect, and nobody can achieve it. That’s pretty bad news for us because the penalty of our sin is the spiritual death of eternal separation from God. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death.” BUT KEEP READING! “THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” John 3:16 tells us “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.” God loves us so much, that He came to earth as both God and man in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life and willingly took our punishment upon Himself. He had no crimes of His own to pay for, so He was the only one who could do this for us. He basically took the rap for us all. The suffering His human body endured was unimaginable, but the glory of His divine nature conquered death with His resurrection after three days. He was seen by over 500 people after His resurrection. The Bible tells His story, God’s captivating story of redemption and grace. It is this story that beckons us to be restored to God. But how?
First, we have to abandon our efforts to save ourselves. Going to church and doing good works are useless because salvation is “not of works” (Ephesians 2:9), “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy” (Titus 3:5).
Next, we need to acknowledge Christ’s payment for our sin. No matter how bad the sin, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). His blood is the only, the all-sufficient cleansing agent to make us pure before God. Isaiah 1:18 promises “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”
Finally, we have to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9 asserts that “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If someone were to send you a million-dollar check, even though it is an incredible gift, it would do you no good if you didn’t cash the check. God’s gift of salvation is a gift, but it is our choice to accept it. God doesn’t force us to love Him because love that is forced isn’t really love. He invites us into a relationship with Him through the way of Jesus Christ. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). All roads do not lead to heaven. Jesus is the only way. If you have never received this incredible gift, you can do it this very moment. Just talk to God sincerely from your heart. You can say something like this:
Dear God, I know that I have rebelled against your standards by going my own way. I confess that I have tried to live my life apart from your authority. I thank you that you love me so much that you made a way through Jesus to rescue me from my sin. Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. I believe you rose from the dead. I open my heart now, by faith, to receive you, Jesus, as my personal Savior and Lord. Come into my heart, forgive my sins, and save me, Lord Jesus. Help me to live for you and put you first in my life. Thank you for your precious gift of salvation. In your name I pray, Amen.
If you received this greatest treasure of salvation today, Welcome to the family of God! I would love for you to email me at deeperrootsblog1@gmail.com so that I can pray for you. I hope that you will connect with other believers through a church that teaches from the Bible. Tell the pastor about your decision. Read God’s instruction manual, the Bible, starting in the book of John. Start talking to God every day. I hope that you will also connect with other believers through this blog, joining in with comments and encouragement for one another.
Lastly, as you learn to make Jesus the Lord (boss) of your life, you will still sometimes mess up and go your own way. That doesn’t mean you have lost your salvation. When we sin, we don’t “feel” like a Christian. But the assurance of our salvation is not based on our feelings or anything we do, but on the promises of God’s Word. “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” (I John 5:13, emphasis mine). Confess those mistakes to God, turn away from your sin, and He will forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). This journey of following Jesus is a growth process. After we have received salvation, the process in which God makes us holy is a life-long growth process that won’t be complete until heaven! May you grow and flourish and establish deeper roots in Him!
–Bobbie