Knowing God
How to Begin a Personal Relationship with God
Think about it...a personal relationship with the creator of the universe! What an awesome opportunity! Read through the following information to understand some of the issues that are basic to establishing a personal relationship with God. Take your time with this and ask God to give you understanding with each point.
| CONSIDER THESE TRUTHS | CHECK IT OUT |
|---|---|
| 1. About God | |
|
a. He is Holy. He is more awesome than anything or anyone you know! He is absolutely righteous. |
Isaiah 2:2 Psalm 99:3 Revelation 15:4 |
|
b. He is Love. His love is perfect. He loves you. He wants the best for you. |
1 John 4:16 John 10:10 |
|
c. He is the Creator. God created everything, including you. In this sense, He knows what is best for you. He also created laws (guidelines to live by) for your own good and for His glory. |
Colossians 1:16 Psalm 139:13 Joshua 1:8 Psalm 1:1-3 |
| 2. About You & Me | |
|
a. We all have sinned. The first man ever created, Adam, disobeyed God, and because of Adam’s disobedience, a deadly spiritual disease called sin entered the world. As Adam’s spiritual descendants, we have all been infected with sin. And, like Adam, we have all sinned against God by breaking His laws. |
Romans 5:12 Romans 3:23 Isaiah 53:6 |
|
b. Sin must be judged. Because God is Holy and Righteous, He cannot accept or ignore sin. To do so would violate His character and corrupt His nature. The penalty for sin is separation from God and death. |
Romans 2:5-6 Romans 6:23 Isaiah 59:2 |
|
c. We cannot “make–up” for our sins by becoming a better person or doing good things. Any sin against an infinite God has infinite consequences. Man cannot “work out” a solution that can “outdistance” the problem of sin. Only God can do that. Review Lesson 21 if necessary. Man’s greatest need is not to become better, but to become new (Lesson 58). |
Romans 8:3-4 1 Peter 1:18-19 |
| 3. God’s Provision | |
|
a. Because God loves you so much, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your sin. Jesus died on a cross to rescue you from sin and its consequences. But death could not defeat Jesus, and three days after He was laid in a tomb, Jesus rose again. |
Romans 5:8 Ephesians 2:4-6 |
|
b. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God offers you: |
2 Corinthians 5:15 |
|
Acts 13:38 Ephesians 1:17 |
|
John 3:3-8 2 Corinthians 5:17 John 16:3 Galatians 5:16 |
|
Ephesians 2:10 |
|
John 3:16 |
|
1 Corinthians 2:9 |
| 4. Your Decision | |
|
a. Salvation is a gift. What God offers you through Jesus is a gift. And though it is free, it was quite costly to obtain. It cost God more than we could ever understand. It cost God His Son. |
Ephesians 2:8 Romans 6:23 2 Corinthians 9:15 |
|
b. A gift is not yours until you receive it. You cannot earn a gift, and it cannot be forced on you. But a gift is not yours until you choose to receive it. You receive God’s gift through faith, by trusting Him. You may begin a personal relationship with God by praying the following simple prayer. |
John 1:12 John 5:24 Romans 10:8-9 |
“Dear God, I have been separated from you by my sin. I thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying in my place to rescue me from the penalty and power of sin. I am ready to give you control of my life. Forgive me, fill me with your Holy Spirit, and make me the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Click here if a) you prayed that prayer and would like help in knowing what to do next b) you are not ready to pray that prayer, but would like to learn more or c) you have another question about your relationship with God. We would love to connect with you via secure email.
Here are some important things you need to know about your new life in Christ!
- Because you have believed and confessed, you are saved! (Romans 10:9-10)
- These are the wonderful things that have happened to you:
- You have been born again; this means you are a new creation in Christ! (1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
- The Holy Spirit of God now indwells you forever so you can have a personal relationship with Him and He can empower you to follow Him as your Lord! (1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 6:17)
- The angels of Heaven are now rejoicing in the decision you have made and we are rejoicing with them (Luke 15:10)
- Because there was nothing you did to earn your salvation (it is a gift from God), there is now nothing you can ever do to lose your salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 10:28)
- You are sealed with His Holy Spirit and guaranteed eternal salvation. (Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21)
- God’s Holy Spirit will now testify to your spirit that you are His child and that you will be with Him forever. (Romans 8:16-17)
- It is very important for you to grow in your new relationship with Jesus Christ. Growth in your relationship comes through talking to God continually and reading His Word, the Bible, daily. It also comes through meeting with other Christians for fellowship, worship, encouragement, accountability, Bible study and service. Meeting together with other Christians like this is called the church. You need to find and attend a church that believes and teaches the Bible.
- It is now important for you to rejoice witih others in the decision you have made, both Christians and non-Christians. In the next 24 hours, try to tell at least 5 people about your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Finally, there are basic things you need to do to grow in your relationship with God. Visit the GROWING IN GOD section to learn more.