I Finally Figure Out Who God Was! - Part 2

   Here is part two of yesterday's post, and it is a little bit longer.  Please read carefully and pay close attention as you read this entry. 

The following is when it all clicked, it all made sense.  It was beyond figuring out who God was; it was experiencing God and His presence.  God is not found by the terms or definitions of man. He is not found in the things made by man.  Not even in idols, trinkets, or even buildings of worship.  God is not found in the rituals of religion either.

Abandoned church in Nicaragua

    It was in these three following verses that opened the doors to the mystery of who God was.

  

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

     Do you really understand this verse and what it is saying?  No one is without sin not me, not my parents, and not even my pastor.  Everyone has sin.  Can you accept and agree with this in your own personal life.  The only one who lived without sin was Jesus Christ, the son of God.  For me admitting I had sin was a no brainer, of course I had sin and lots of it.

The first part of Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death...

     Wow! That is very bad news.  The consequence of sin is death.  That means no heaven.  Why? How could this be?  Let me explain, God is Holy, righteous, pure, He is the complete absence of sin.  If sin were allowed to enter heaven, then heaven would no longer be heaven.  Sin would contaminate the Holiness of God's kingdom.  Let me put it this way.  If you had a bottle of the purest water and then added one drop of poison, then would the whole bottle of water would be poisoned.  Sin is like an infectious disease.  If it is allowed to continue, then it spreads.  Medically, infection must be destroyed, ultimately infectious materials are incinerated.  Hence, sin must burn in a place called Hell.

The second part of Romans 6:23 … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

     This is even a bigger WOW!  Eternal life, does that mean no death, no consequence, and no hell?  Not so fast, here is where I figured out who God is.  It all centers on the gift, the gift of God.  So what is this gift?  Jesus Christ, He is the gift.  Jesus stepped down from heaven without sin, by being born of a virgin.  He lived a life without sin, and then He died a horrific death on a cross.  Three days later, He defeated death and rose to life.  How, because Hell is for sin.  Hell could not hold onto our savior because He had no sin.  The gift is this; Jesus Christ died in your place.  He willingly suffered the consequence of your sin. He defeated death and therefore redeemed you of your sin. 

     If you were standing before me and I had a gift in my hand for you, what would you have to do in order to receive this gift?  You may be thinking, say please, say thank you, do something for it, have a birthday, celebrate Christmas, earn it…. The answer to all of those statements are no.  There is only one thing you can possibly do in order to receive that gift, you have to take it in order to receive it.  Until you physically reach out your hand and take it, you have not received it.    

     The gift of God is the same way.  You cannot take Jesus with your hands, you cannot take Him by going to church, you cannot take Him by having a bible, you cannot take Him by simply knowing He existed, you cannot take Him by celebrating Christmas or even Easter.  Jesus Christ is not a material gift that you adorn your house with or even wear around your neck.  He is not a statue or any kind of idol made by the hands of man.  There is only one way you can receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.  That way is faith.

Romans 10:9-10 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. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

     This is how you receive the gift of eternal life:  You must confess Jesus as Lord of your life, because He is the son of God, and He died on the cross taking your consequences.  He defeated death because He was without sin and therefore redeemed you of your sin so that you may have Life.  This is not a belief on a simple historical event or even a ritualistic religious practice.  This is a relationship with a living savior.  It is believing, in faith, that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that He died for you. It is surrendering your life to The Lord Jesus Christ by entering into a relationship with Him.

     It clicked, I finally figured out who God was.  I prayed a simple prayer like this:  "God I know I am a sinner, and I know I deserve death because of my sin.  I believe with all my heart the Jesus is the son of God and that He died on the cross for my sin.  I believe that He rose from the dead, that I might be redeemed from my sin and have eternal life.  I surrender myself to you and ask Christ to be Lord over my life.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen!" 

     It was at that moment, that my soul came alive.  All those close encounters and feel good experiences that I had felt before.  They were all just a glimpse of what God had in store for me.  The moment that I truly surrender my life to Christ, He did what He promises in His word.  I John 4:13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  When you receive the spirit of God, there is no question, and there is no doubt who God is.  He literally changes you from the inside out. 

     This gift is for everyone. God does not desire that anyone should perish without knowing who He is. 

     Do you want this gift? If so, have the faith and pray just like I did. If you make this decision and ask Christ to be Lord of your life, please share this with me in either a comment or email.  Then follow up with a Christian pastor and be baptized.  More than anything find a church that will disciple you.

New believers in Nicaragua 

giving their lives to Jesus Christ

May my life be the proof and evidence of His love