Ministry

A personal relationship with Christ


WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GOD?

GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

God loves us even if we haven’t loved him.
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us.” (1 John 4:10)

God wants us to know him.
The Bible says God is at work in everyone’s life. “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:27)

God does not want anyone to perish.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)


WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?

OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD HAS BEEN BROKEN BY SIN

We have all made choices showing we are inclined to be:
Passively indifferent to God
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Or actively opposed to God
“And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.” (John 3:19-20)

The result of our choices to resist or ignore God results in spiritual death (eternal separation from God).
“We are dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)

“And thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)


WHAT DID GOD DO FOR US?

GOD HAS PROVIDED A SOLUTION FOR OUR LOST RELATIONSHIP

Jesus Christ came to do what we could not do for ourselves.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

He came into the world to show us and bring us to the Father.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6)

He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin.
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18)

He rose from the dead to show that His claims were True.
“I (Apostle Paul) passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.   He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.   He was seen by Peter* and then by the Twelve.   After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)


WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

WE MUST EACH PERSONALLY TRUST JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR

Our own efforts to earn God’s acceptance are inadequate.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

We must admit our need for forgiveness.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.  Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner!’ ” (Luke 18:13)

We must receive Christ and His offer of salvation as a gift.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)


WHERE DO WE BEGIN?

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BEGINS TODAY

You can begin your personal relationship with God by putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. You may find it helpful to express your new faith in words similar to these:

Dear God, I know that my sin has separated me from You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die in my place. I now trust Jesus to forgive my sins. I invite Him into my life as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for receiving me into Your eternal family. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


WHAT’S NEXT?

YOUR TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST BEGINS AN EVERLASTING PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

God’s commitment to you:
God assures you that if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, He has given you eternal life. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)

God promises to never leave you. ” I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

God has forgiven all of your sins, past, present, and future. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away.  Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.   He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross..” (Colossians 2:13-14)

God has given you His Spirit to enable you to live in a way that pleases Him. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

 

Contact FBCC: If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today, please contact us and let us know.