How Do I Make A Proper Connection With God?
This is a question that most people consider at some point in life. Once you begin searching for the answer to this question you will discover that there is some Bad News and some Good News.
The Bad News is that there are many confusing and contradictory answers people may offer you to this question.
The Good News is that the one true God, the God of the Bible, the God who entered human history in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, has made the answer to this question simple and clear.
The God of the Bible says that properly connecting with Him means becoming a Follower of Jesus Christ.
To be a Follower of Christ is another way of saying becoming a “Christian.” And becoming a Christian is centered in properly relating to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, you must have a proper understanding of some basic facts about Jesus Christ Himself.
Basic Fact #1: Jesus Christ is not just the son of God, He is God the Son, coeternal and coequal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2 [9] For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. John 14 [9] Jesus answered “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
Basic Fact #2: Jesus entered the world through a miraculous virgin birth. He lived a sinless life.
Luke 1 [35] The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you . . . so the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Basic Fact #3: Jesus died a sacrificial death, taking the punishment for the sins of the world (yours, mine, and everyone else’s) upon Himself. On the third day, Jesus arose from the dead and lives forever more.
1 Peter 3 [18] For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
Basic Fact #4: Jesus is the only way one can enter the Kingdom of God (Heaven). He is the Giver of eternal life. He will be the judge of all mankind.
Acts 4 [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. John 5 [22] the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
Basic Fact #5: Jesus is physically coming back to the earth in great power someday to rule and reign forever.
1 Thessalonians 4 [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
If you believe these facts, then all that remains is for you to make a decision to personally place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and become His follower. You might be thinking, “What does that mean?”
First, you need some background information.
The Bible teaches us that every human has sinned and broken God’s law. No one, other than Jesus, has ever lived up to God’s standard of perfection, which is one major reason why our world is the hurtful chaotic place we find today. But the Bible also teaches that even though we have all broken God’s law, He still loves us and has provided a way in which we can be forgiven, and eventually transformed to the very moral perfection of Christ. This way was provided by Christ when He suffered and died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. Therefore, to become a Christian you must trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the all-sufficient payment for your sins. This means that you are convinced there is nothing you need or can do to make up or pay for your sins. You must trust in His death alone.
Romans 3 [22] This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. [23] ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Second, you must come to trust Him personally.
Before trusting Christ you are the director and controller of your life. You live your life based on what you want to do and what you think is right. Once you make a decision to trust Christ, you no longer live by your desires and ideas, but seek to live in accordance with Christ’s desires and the principles He teaches in His Word, the Bible. Trusting in Christ creates a desire in you to follow Him. You believe He loves you. You believe He wants and knows what is best for you. The Bible has a word for this experience. It is called “repentance.” It means that you are taking a 180° turn from a life of self-direction and sin to one that now follows Christ’s direction and pursues righteous behavior. It does not mean you
become instantly perfect. Far from it! But it does mean that your true desire is to be perfectly pleasing to Christ in every area of your life.
John 10 [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 8 [12] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
It’s not a matter of trying. It’s TRUSTING!
Trusting in Christ is a definite decision that takes place at a definite time. There is a time when you are not trusting in Christ and are not His follower. Then, there is a time when you make a definite decision to no longer trust yourself, but to trust Christ and follow Him. You decide that you are no longer going to run your life, and now Christ will run your life because you trust Him more than you trust yourself. Although there may be a process leading up to the decision, becoming a Christian is not a process. It is not something you “try” to do. It is a definite decision. But there is always a process and progression after you have made the decision, as you grow in your understanding of how Christ wants you to live.
Acts 16 [30] “ what must I do to be saved?” [31] They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”
The instant you decide to become a Christian, God gives you many gifts. Three of the greatest gifts are:
1. Forgiveness of your sins.
2. Eternal life in His Kingdom (Heaven).
3. The Holy Spirit to indwell you and seal you as God’s child for eternity, to help you grow in your understanding of God’s Word, and to help you become more like Christ in your character.
Now that you know how to become a Christian (how to make a proper and real connection with God), all that remains is for you to make your decision. If you are ready now, here is a prayer to help you tell Christ your decision. As you pray, let your words express how you truly feel.
Lord Jesus, I want to thank you for creating me, loving me, dying on the cross for my sins, and rising from the grave. Thank you for giving me the gift of eternal life in your Kingdom, as well as forgiveness of all my sins. Thank you for the Holy Spirit to help me understand your Word and put it into practice. Lord Jesus, this day I am trusting in your sacrifice alone for the payment for my sins. I am choosing to become your follower for the rest of my life because I trust you. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, and it expresses what is really in your heart, you are now a Christian, a follower of Christ and a part of the family of God!
John 1 [12] Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— Galatians 3 [26] You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
Whether you have made your decision to trust Christ and follow Him at this time or not, Frederick Christian Fellowship Church wants to offer you a safe place as you continue to consider your relationship with God.
