Starting anew
– a new creation
When you accept that you fall short of God’s standard, that you have broken the Ten Commandments and that without some intervention you destination would be hell you then need to stop and ask God for forgiveness. God offered the life of his son Jesus on a cross as a sacrifice for your (and my) sin and this enables us to have a relationship with God.
At this point you need to stop and with contrition for your sin say I’m sorry Lord God for my sin. I’m sorry for not loving you and for turning my own way and ignoring you. Please forgive me for my sin through the sacrifice of Jesus that I may come before you clensed. Create in me a new heart that will seek Your will and be glad with Your rule. Place in me your Holy Spirit that I may understand Your words and Your way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Lord God promises that if you pray a prayer like this in earnest that your sins will be forgiven and that you will start anew, learning of God’s love for all mankind.
– born again
As a Christian you are born again, dying from you old life of sin and rebellion and starting your new life being fed by God’s will and obeying his commands. This is the promise that is symbolised in baptism, the washing away of the old life and being brought out of the water a new creation dedicated to God. Jesus promises that each new Christian will receive the Holy Spirit as part of this new birth. While you rely on yourself you are spiritually dead but when you accept Jesus’ sacrifice for sin you are spiritually born and life will look very different through this spiritual birth.
Know with certainty that everyone who accepts and has contrition for their own sin and accepts Christ’s sacrifice for that sin will be cleansed and on judgement day their name will be written in the book of life, to spent their real life in the presence of God. Also know, though, that this choice may not be the easy one and that in this life on earth there will be times of hardship, which God promises will to lead us through and use to teach us.
– learning more about God
If you want to have a relationship with a person you need to know that person. You need to know some details about their life, what they spend their time doing and what they hope for and enjoy. They also need to know about you before the relationship can be two way.
The same is true for a relationship with Christ Jesus. An all knowing God already knows your thought life but you need to learn of Jesus’ wishes and hopes. This can be done through reading the Bible, praying to God, looking at his creation, and talking to other Christians.
An immediate response to God’s gift for a true Christian should be a desire to know more about Him and live a life pleasing to him due to the out-working of the Holy Spirit. This can be done through regular prayer, reading of God’s word and meeting with other Christian’s.
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