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Have
you heard of the four spiritual laws?
Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical
universe, so
there are spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.
Law#1: God LOVES you,
and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
God's Love: "For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish,
but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
God's Plan: Jesus said, "I came that they might
have life, and might have it abundantly" (that it might be full and
meaningful) (John 10:10)
So why is it that most people are not experiencing the
abundant life?
Because...
Law#2: Man is SINFUL
and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's
love and plan for his life.
Man is Sinful: "For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 )
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because
of his stubborn
self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with
God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active
rebellion or
passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man is Separated: "For the [result] of sin is death"--spiritual
separation from God (Romans 6:23)
The diagram below illustrates that God is holy and man
is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows show that man is
continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own
efforts, such as living a good life, following specific philosophies or
religions, etc.
The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
Law#3: Jesus Christ is God's
ONLY provision for Man's sin!
Through Him you can know and experience God's
love and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place: "But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Romans 5:8)
He Rose from the Dead: "Christ died for our sins...
He was buried... He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...
He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve disciples. After that He appeared
to more than five hundred..." (I Corinthians 15:3-6)
He is the Only Way to God: "Jesus said to him, 'I
am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but
through Me.'" (John 14:6)
The diagram below illustrates that God has bridged the
gulf which
separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die
on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins:
It is not enough just to know these three laws. The Fourth
Law is essential...
Law#4: We must individually RECEIVE
Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord; then we can know and experience God's
love and plan for our lives!
We Must Receive Christ "But as many as received
Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those
who believe in His name" (John 1:12)
We Receive Christ Through Faith: "For by grace you
have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift
of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." (Ephesians
2:8-9)
When we receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth: "I
tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born
of water and the Spirit. Do not be surprised when I say you must be born
again. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
(John 3:1-8)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation: Jesus said,
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him." (Revelation 3:20)
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance)
and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to
make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for
our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience.
We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of will.
The two diagrams below represent two kinds of lives,
the self-directed life and the Christ-directed life:
Which circle best represents your life?
Which circle would you like to have represent your life?
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer!
(Prayer is talking with God)
God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your
words as He is
with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross
for my sins. I
open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord.
Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life.
Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen
We're thrilled that you have decided to follow Christ
and we would love to help you grow as a Christian. Please contact a pastor
at the church
(636) 586-2881, We'll talk with you and give you more information to help
you grow in your faith.
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