Steps to Peace with God
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN?
Some people believe they need to get their lives straightened out before they come to know Jesus. They avoid God because they do not feel worthy. Even though no one is worthy to approach God, the good news is that He allows us to surrender to Him as we realize how sinful we are.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Sin separates us from God and we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 is a great verse for explaining that there is no one who is good enough to even approach God. However, when we read further from Romans 3:24-26, we find that God has made a way to be forgiven of our sins. We believe in Jesus.
“Being justified as a GIFT by His GRACE through the REDEMPTION which is in CHRIST JESUS: whose God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:24-26
Essentially, there is nothing we can do to be saved. However, in the verses above, we see that God gave everyone a gift, and that gift is grace. That grace is the redemption, and that redemption is JESUS! We believe that Jesus is that Gift God gave. Then Paul says God displayed Jesus publicly as a propitiation. This is a sacrifice that satisfies our debt and God’s wrath toward us. All we have to do is believe that God can, will, and does forgive us of all our sin. There is NOTHING that is too great to be forgiven from God.
1. Repent of the sins in your life
”For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14
2. Receive JESUS in your heart and totally surrender your life to Him.
“for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved”
—Romans 10:13
3. Rejoice that you are a child of THE KING
“instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,”
Titus 2:12-13
Surrender your life to Christ. Give it all to Him. He needs to be the LORD of your life.