DO YOU FEEL CLOSE TO GOD… OR FAR FROM GOD?
Many people see themselves as close to God because they:
- Try to be a GOOD PERSON
- PRAY
- Go to CHURCH
- Simply BELIEVE IN GOD
However, the truth is that NONE OF THESE can make us close to God.
All people have sinned—this means that we’ve all done things that are wrong, and separates us from relationship with God. There is only one way to be made right with God.
HOW CAN WE BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD?
It’s not by being a good person. Our definition of “good” is often different than God’s. To be good means to be sinless, and that only applies to Jesus…not us. We could never be good enough.
It’s not by praying. Though expressing thanks to and dependence upon God is a good thing, it doesn’t make us right with Him.
It’s not by going to church. Though God’s people are called to be together continually, this doesn’t bring about forgiveness of sins.
It’s not by simply believing. Though faith is necessary for salvation, faith is much more than simply believing in God.
THIS IS HOW WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.
God is good, and He loves all people. God is also just, and this means that He must punish sin.
The payment for sin is death, and everyone who has sinned must die…that’s all of us.
However, Jesus never sinned, and because He died on the cross, for those who turn from their sins and trust in Jesus for salvation, we will receive forgiveness for sin.
We aren’t made close to God through being good or praying, going to church or simply believing. We’re made close to God when we turn from sin and trust in Jesus.
THIS IS THE GOSPEL.
God created the world as the perfect place where He would live in relationship with people.
However, instead of following God, we decided we knew what was better for ourselves. So we disobeyed, and this brought sin and brokenness into our experience. This is why so many bad things happen in our lives.
Thankfully, God wasn’t content to leave us in this broken state, so He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins.
One day, Jesus will restore all that sin has broken, and if we’ve trusted in Him as Savior and devoted our lives to following Him, we will be part of God’s family and invited into heaven, the perfect place for God to live in relationship with His people…for eternity.
This is THE GOSPEL. This is GOOD NEWS!
DO YOU WANT TO BE CLOSE TO GOD?
Here’s what the Bible says:
- Romans 3:23 — For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 5:8 — But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 10:9 — 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.