1. Am I Right with God?
There is no more important question than, “Am I right with God?” The reason that question is of supreme importance is that the answer determines our eternity. We know from the wonder and complexity of our world that we were created by a power higher than ourselves. God reveals in the Bible not only our origin, but also our purpose in life and our destiny after this life is over.
So how do we know if we are right with God? It comes down to faith. The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is another word for belief or trust. But what, or who, do we need to have faith in? The Bible gives the answer to this question.
The Bible reveals that God created the world good. Since he loved people and wanted to share himself with people, he gave people a choice to either know and love him or to go their own way. But the first people disobeyed God and allowed sin and brokenness to enter the world. Ever since then people have been looking for ways to be made right with God. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is simply to miss the mark. To fail to please God with our life.
God desires people to be in relationship with him, but sin stands in our way. Our sin keeps us from being in in fellowship with a holy God. But God knew that we could never be good enough to remove our sin and earn his favor on our own. So he sent his son Jesus to provide the way of salvation and do what we could never do. Jesus not only lived a perfect life, but he died a terrible death on a cross for the sins of the world. God accepted his death for sin and raised him from the dead three days later. The resurrection of Jesus is proof that God established what Jesus did in the place of sinful humanity. Jesus’ death takes away the penalty of sin and his resurrection provides the promise of new life in right relationship with God.
While many people are familiar with the basic facts of the story of Jesus, many miss the core truth. Jesus was not just a teacher to show the way, but he was the payment for our debt of sin. The Bible says in John 3:16, “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 calls us to believe, or to place our complete trust, in the death and resurrection of Jesus in our place. This is faith.
So what are you trusting in to make you right with God? Some people trust in their own goodness to please God. They believe that when they die, God will accept them if they have done more good in life than bad. The problem with this is that no amount of good can outweigh our sins. Only Jesus, who never sinned, could pay for our sins by laying down his life.
Other people trust in a religious event to make them right with God. They think that because they participated in an act like baptism then they are saved. However, the act of baptism or communion does not provide salvation to people. These are to be actions of people after they enter into a right relationship with God.
Jesus made it clear how to know we are right with God: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). The Bible further says that “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). So being right with God happens at a point in time in this life. But it is not based on our religious activity or goodness. It is based on the point when we realize that we have sinned against God, deserve his punishment, and respond to God drawing us to trust in Jesus for forgiveness of our sins.
Have you come to that point in your life where you knew you were hopeless before a holy God because of your sin? Have you believed completely in Jesus who died on the cross for your sins and was raised to life three days later? Have you experienced the new life that Jesus offers by faith in him? If you have not, why wait any longer? The Bibles says that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Call on the Lord to save you and experience the peace and joy of a right relationship with God. This is the faith that makes you right with God.
If you would like to talk to someone about your relationship with God, please contact us at: info@crossgates.org
So how do we know if we are right with God? It comes down to faith. The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is another word for belief or trust. But what, or who, do we need to have faith in? The Bible gives the answer to this question.
The Bible reveals that God created the world good. Since he loved people and wanted to share himself with people, he gave people a choice to either know and love him or to go their own way. But the first people disobeyed God and allowed sin and brokenness to enter the world. Ever since then people have been looking for ways to be made right with God. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is simply to miss the mark. To fail to please God with our life.
God desires people to be in relationship with him, but sin stands in our way. Our sin keeps us from being in in fellowship with a holy God. But God knew that we could never be good enough to remove our sin and earn his favor on our own. So he sent his son Jesus to provide the way of salvation and do what we could never do. Jesus not only lived a perfect life, but he died a terrible death on a cross for the sins of the world. God accepted his death for sin and raised him from the dead three days later. The resurrection of Jesus is proof that God established what Jesus did in the place of sinful humanity. Jesus’ death takes away the penalty of sin and his resurrection provides the promise of new life in right relationship with God.
While many people are familiar with the basic facts of the story of Jesus, many miss the core truth. Jesus was not just a teacher to show the way, but he was the payment for our debt of sin. The Bible says in John 3:16, “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 calls us to believe, or to place our complete trust, in the death and resurrection of Jesus in our place. This is faith.
So what are you trusting in to make you right with God? Some people trust in their own goodness to please God. They believe that when they die, God will accept them if they have done more good in life than bad. The problem with this is that no amount of good can outweigh our sins. Only Jesus, who never sinned, could pay for our sins by laying down his life.
Other people trust in a religious event to make them right with God. They think that because they participated in an act like baptism then they are saved. However, the act of baptism or communion does not provide salvation to people. These are to be actions of people after they enter into a right relationship with God.
Jesus made it clear how to know we are right with God: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). The Bible further says that “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). So being right with God happens at a point in time in this life. But it is not based on our religious activity or goodness. It is based on the point when we realize that we have sinned against God, deserve his punishment, and respond to God drawing us to trust in Jesus for forgiveness of our sins.
Have you come to that point in your life where you knew you were hopeless before a holy God because of your sin? Have you believed completely in Jesus who died on the cross for your sins and was raised to life three days later? Have you experienced the new life that Jesus offers by faith in him? If you have not, why wait any longer? The Bibles says that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Call on the Lord to save you and experience the peace and joy of a right relationship with God. This is the faith that makes you right with God.
If you would like to talk to someone about your relationship with God, please contact us at: info@crossgates.org