ENCOUNTER
What if I told you that there was one decision you could make that would cataclysmically change everything. Would you be interested? Knowing and developing a relationship with Jesus Christ is that decision. It is quite literally the difference between life and death. It is not only the most important decision of your life, but it is one that can change the way you think, speak, and live. You'll find purpose for your very existence, and begin to have a perspective shift as God reveals himself to you. One encounter with Him changes everything.
RELIGION vs. RELATIONSHIP
The world has had it's share of religion. Religion so often creates this exhaustive list of rules in attempt to measure up and earn morality. Christianity in itself in the western world has become very "religious" while often times missing Jesus in the process. Jesus addressed the Pharisees, who we so "religious" in their ways that they missed God himself standing right there in front of them. Religion so often leaves people in a place of striving for an unobtainable perfection or has them complacent and simply going through the motions like attending church on Sunday. This plays out in the world as non believers see Christians acting, speaking, and living no different than themselves. This is the case as they have built their Christianity on the hollowness of religion rather than on Christ himself. Religion is a constant striving for morality that can leave you depleted, feeling like you can never measure up, and sometimes evening questioning the legitimacy of the God you are serving. Knowing Jesus is quite the opposite of religion. Knowing Him involves relationship. It requires you to talk, commune, and listen to His voice. It is life changing and life giving. Your relationship with Him can start today.
GOD
Let's begin by gaining a small glimpse of God and his divine kingdom. God's majesty is shown throughout scripture as infinitely powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere all at once (including the past, present, and future). God is the creator of all things, we see this in Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things we created through Him and for Him". This shows his divine authority stretching from every grain of sand to every ruler over the world, and how it all was created for Him. Isaiah 43:6-7 "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made." We see in Isaiah that we (the human race) were created for a purpose, designed by the Creator of the universe to show His glory, His greatness, His goodness, His beauty, and His majesty. So our lives have an immediate purpose to them, to continuously glorify God.Even in all of His authority and power God shows us (through David) that doesn't separate Him from his creation. Psalm 138:1-4 "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all." God the creator of all things wants to engage with you simply because his is good.
SIN
Sin enter the world through the first man Adam, and has plagued humanity since. Every human regardless of how good they may seem are sinful beings when compared to God's standard. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Sin came at a cost, and that cost was death. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death" God and his eternal kingdom is separate from sin. So by sinning we have created this chasm between God and ourselves and have assurance that death is inevitable. Our unholiness (via sin) means we could never stand in the presence of the Holy God who is and always will be absent from the presence of sin.
JESUS
God decided to send part of himself to reconcile this chasm. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ marked the first coming of God's divine character that manifested in the natural world. Jesus was 100% God AND 100% man. Jesus spent his time teaching of his Father's kingdom, healing the sick, blind and lame. He lived his life free from sin, yet experienced the pain, struggle, hurt, temptation that is so common to us. He was then call by his Father to be the atonement (reconciliation) for ALL sin (past, present, and future) through his death. Despite not sinning, he was crucified on a cross with the weight of the world's sin on his shoulders. After his death his body was then buried in a tomb and then sealed of with a giant stone. After three days had past, the stone was rolled aside and his body rose to ascend back to his father in heaven (this ascension to heaven is what separates the Christian faith from all the other religions in the world, as no other religion's god has defied death) The death of Jesus Christ on the cross bridged the very chasm we had created from our Creator. We can now enter the presence of the Holy God upon departure from this earth holy and blameless in the sight of God the Father. He looks upon us and sees his son Jesus, the mediator of our sins. God made a way through the death of his son Jesus so that we may spend eternity in his presence. Talk about love, God surely is love.
ETERNAL LIFE
The journey to ensuring eternal life is by faith alone. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That word believeth stems from the words commit, faith, and trust. Later Jesus says in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Not only was he identifying the path to the one true God he was also stating that his death would make the way for us to be in Heaven with the Father. Paul demonstrates the magnitude of the death of Christ in Corinthians 5:21 "For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Taking a step of faith to begin your relationship with Jesus is the single biggest decision of your life. You do not have to clean up your self to come to Christ. The beauty of the relationship with Him is that he wants you just as your are. His grace and mercy are simply incomprehensible to our finite minds. It is important to mention that you genuinely must desire to want this relationship with Christ. Our desire for Christ and his Lordship over our lives must be the ONLY thing involved in this decision. If you are just seeking to avoid going to hell, or have any other selfish desire for eternal life you have missed the point. We inherit eternally life when we exercise our faith in the life and promises of Jesus. This means that we believe he was God sent to us in human form. We believe that he was assigned to die for ALL sin closing the chasm. We believe that after his death on the cross that he rose again, defeating death and is now seated at the right hand of His father. And we believe he is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Jesus says in Matthew 16:24 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me". There are two critical takeaways from this verse. First one is to deny ourselves and the second is taking up our cross. This verse means that your walk with Him isn't promised to be roses. In fact the cross was an instrument used in death, meaning death to self is eminent. This verse also means He will be right there with you every moment. Even in the midst of the hardest and most difficult times in your life he will be there leading you through them. So this walk with God is never promised to be easy, yet you will experience the fullness of joy as you walk alongside of the Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Now that you have learned about the Gospel of Christ, you are now primed for your first action step, the acceptance of this free gift of eternal life God has given you. Click the pray button below and join Dr. Tony Evans in a prayer on how to take this first action step.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Press into God. Do this by reading your Bible, praying, and gathering with other believers. This is only the beginning. There is an enemy that seeks to draw you away and destroy your relationship with the Lord. Plug into a local church body, meet with elders and/or leadership and share with them that you have just began a relationship with Christ AND express your desire for discipleship (spiritual growth). Your relationship with God will truly begin to prosper when you center everything around HIM.
SHARE THE BIG NEWS
We typically celebrate a birthday in some way or another, and that is just for one year of life. The decision you just made to follow Christ is for ETERNITY (no end). Share this with family, friends, and US! Have people encourage you and pray over your new journey as a follower of Christ. This ministry is 100% focused on advancing the Kingdom of God, so we would love to hear your story. It is truly a blessing to hear how God uses this ministry, and it means everything to us here at Kingdom Eternal when you share your story. If you began your relationship with Christ right here on this page click the button below and share the details with us so we can pray for you.