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From beginning to end the Bible's message is about God's relationship
with men and women. Before there was a world, before there were any
distant galaxies, before there was anything as we know it, there was
God. The Bible begins by telling how the eternal God created the world
and everything in it. His special creation was people. He gave them a beautiful place in
which to live, authority over all the other creatures, almost complete
freedom to do what they wanted. He supplied everything they needed and,
best of all, he was their friend. He talked with them, and they with
him.
That glorious beginning, however, was marred by human disobedience, a pathetic attempt to take a course not designed by God, that brought terrible loss to the earth and every living creature. To make matters worse, the men and women God created were unable to reverse the course they began; there was no way they could recoup their losses. Even so, God did not abandon his disobedient creation; he set out to reclaim fallen people, much as a shepherd sets out to restore lost sheep to the fold.
So a pattern of God's activity began, and it is seen throughout the Old Testament. God, being just, must punish sin (rebellion against him) but, being also loving, he himself provided the way of forgiveness. In time, God chose Abraham as the father of his people Israel. To those people he gave the Law (the Ten Commandments), an integral part of the divine plan to bring human beings back to himself. The Law showed Israel (and the whole world) that, because of the broken relationship between God and man, it was impossible for people to please God or to meet his requirements.
The Old Testament provides many references to a special individual who would provide salvation for his people. Moses spoke of "a prophet like me from among your own brothers" and told his people: "You must listen to him." (Deuteronomy 18:15). King David was promised that one of his sons would sit on an eternal throne. Because of that promise, God's deliverer was called the "Messiah," which in Hebrew means "the anointed one" (one of David's titles).
The special individual, the Messiah, was not to be merely a man, however, for man could not mend the broken relationship on his own. Even the great Apostle Paul admitted that he could not help himself because: "... it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me" (Romans 7:17).
The Messiah was to be "Immanuel," which in Hebrew means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14). The Old Testament pointed to a Messiah who would be both God and man, and those prophecies were fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was born a descendant of King David (Luke 2:4) in David's city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He was conceived by a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35). He lived a totally blameless life (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26). Yet Jesus, the Son of God, was arrested like a common criminal, tried on a trumped-up charge, and executed though he had done nothing wrong (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 18 and 19). Dead, he was buried in a tomb. On the third day God raised him from the dead, and with that act the acceptable sacrifice for our sin was completed (Matthew 28:5-7; Romans 4:23-25); the relationship between God and the human race, broken by Adam and Eve, was restored.
When Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, he also removed all guilt produced by that sin. What's more, he lives today and speaks continually to God on our behalf. "Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him" (Hebrews 7:24-25).
Nothing in this world is more trustworthy than God's Word. He assures us that by accepting Jesus Christ, his Son, we freely receive the eternal life he offers. It begins the moment we trust him and continues forever!
How then does God's Word guide us to move in faith toward him? By taking these four simple steps:
Confession
The Bible says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John
1:9). So first you need to confess failure. Like every other member of
the human race, you have fallen short of God's perfect standard and
there is nothing you can do to attain it.
Repentance
Jesus said: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance" (Luke 5:32). And the Bible says: "The Lord ... is patient
with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Repentance is more than simply being sorry
for your sin. It means that, with the strength God promises to provide,
you are willing to turn from sin."
Acceptance
The Bible says: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23) By recognising that
Jesus' death was the price and penalty of your sin, you prepare yourself
to receive him as your personal Saviour. Ask God to forgive your sin and
give you new life. Again the Bible says: "For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God ..." (Ephesians 2:8). What do you do to receive a gift? You
accept it.
Commitment
The Bible says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3: 5,6) Having asked God for
salvation, you can trust him for your future.
To take these steps, you need to talk to God. But remember that a prayer to receive Christ is a life-affecting decision. If you are ready to make this commitment but are not used to praying, or if you find it difficult to put your feelings into words, the following prayer is one you can use.
First, read it to yourself. Be sure your prayer is not mere repetition of words, but is the true expression of your heart. If this is so, then read it again, but this time as a sincere prayer to God. Remember, he promises to hear you and has committed himself to answer.
Here's the prayer ...
Lord Jesus Christ, I confess that I am a sinner in God's sight, and fall
short of his standards. In fact, I cannot even reach my own
expectations.
I am truly sorry and repent of my sin. I recognise that there is nothing
I can do to save myself from sin, but that you died to make this
possible. Thank you for including me among those you died to save.
I receive you now as my Lord and Saviour.
Please forgive and cleanse me from all sin, and give me the assurance of
eternal life. Replace my sins with your salvation. May I be born again
by the power of your Holy Spirit.
As you gave your life for me, I now commit my life to you. Please guide
and strengthen me. Help me to follow you faithfully.
Thank-you for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen.
What Now?
Having received Christ as Saviour, share your faith with others. The
Bible says: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and
it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10: 9,10).
Salvation means that the new life, promised in the Bible to those who trust Jesus, will be yours. As you read the Bible you will find what God wants you to have a life that is pleasing to him and fulfilling for you. Jesus said: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).
| Special Offer |
In 2007 IBS Europe will be releasing two new first edition Bibles in Europe - Russian and Romanian. Following the elaborate development process and rigid methodology, we will be happy to offer high standard translations that use modern language while representing accuracy and faithfulness to the original texts. Both equipped with a wealth of footnotes, these translations are targeted to be used by new believers, for outreach and evangelism, especially among young people, as well as for general reading.
If you are a church, ministry or organization, contact us for ministry pricing, samples, formats, and to request availability information.
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