A noted physician
recently said, "Medical science is giving us longer life, but no reason
to live."
Science cannot
deal with the purpose of life.
The meaningless,
frustrated, unhappy lives of many people indicate that
Eventually graduates
sends his children through school
marries
continues to work
gets a job
eventually retires
has a family
dies
buys a house
Is this all
there is to life? Something seems wrong. What is it?
"God created
man in his own image." Genesis 1:27
Man was created
with:
1) the capacity
for fellowship with God
2) a will
(an ability to choose)
God wants our
fellowship but He doesn't force us to love Him. The
choice is ours.
Let's look
at the beginning of man's history in the Garden of Eden
God said to man,
"of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat...for
in the day you eat thereof you shall surely die." Genesis 2:17
Satan said, "You
shall not surely die...you shall be as gods." Genesis 3:3-6
Man did eat;
"Therefore God sent him forth."Genesis
3:23
1) missing the
mark--a failure to be what God created you to be.
2) a deliberate choosing to do what is wrong--rebellion against God.
3) a condition
in which you are separated from God.
For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
"The wages of
sin is death....." (death is separation) Romans 6:23
Nothing man can do of himself--good works, being baptized, joining
a church, moral living--none of these can bring him into a right
relationship with God. (See Eph. 2:8-9)
Man
is separated from God and unless something happens, he will be
eternally separated. "Just as man is destined to die once, and
after that to face judgment" Hebrews 9:27
What
is God's answer for man's helpless condition?
God
continued to love us and sent His Son Jesus Christ to die and
pay the penalty for our sin.
"Jesus
said unto him, I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me." John
14:6
Jesus Christ
is the only bridge by which man can come to God.
"But
God proved his love toward us in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" Romans
5:8
"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." I Peter 3:18
Although Christ died for all men, why aren't all men Christians?
Because every man must make a personal response-by Faith
By
Faith
YOU CAN RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN INVITE HIM INTO YOUR LIFE.
"Yet
to all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, he
gave the right to become the sons of God." John 1:12
Once Christ comes into your life He want to be your Lord and master
and give meaning and real purpose to your life. He can do this
only as you allow him to.
"And
he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for
themselves, but for him who died for them, and was raised again."
II Corinthians 5:15
"For
this very reason, Christ died, and returned to life so that he
might be Lord." Romans 14:9
Jesus
Christ paid the penalty for man's sin and became the only
bridge by which man could come into fellowship with God.
You must
appropriate what Christ did on the cross for you by receiving
Him personally. You can do this by:
recognizing
your need for Him.
being
willing to turn from you sin--Christ can give you the
power once He comes into your life.
believing
Jesus Christ died for you.
inviting
Him into your life.
"For
everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans
10:13
Dear
Lord, I know I have done wrong. I am willing to turn from my sins.
I believe Jesus Christ died for me. Please come into my life and
forgive me of my sins. I receive you into my life as my saviour
and Lord as best I know how right now. Amen.
You can pray
this prayer. Remember that becoming a real Christian is not just
saying words but receiving a person--Christ.
DID YOU ASK
CHRIST TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SINS AND COME INTO YOUR LIFE? DID
YOU MEAN IT? WHAT HAPPENED?
"And this
is the record, that God has given us eternal life, and this life
is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have
the Son of God does not have life. 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 5:11-13
Jesus said,
"and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37
Believe God
and His word, not your feelings.
the Son of
God, and that He died on the cross, was buried, and rose again
that I might have forgiveness of my sins and experience His indwelling
presence in my life, I have this day received Him. I do confess
Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Saviour.
- copyright Max D. Barnett 
According
to the Bible, SIN is:
Dear
Lord, I know I have done wrong. I am willing to turn from my sins.
I believe Jesus Christ died for me. Please come into my life and
forgive me of my sins. I receive you into my life as my saviour
and Lord as best I know how right now. Amen. 
