The First Step To Knowing God Series

What is the first step in knowing God?

1. ADMIT YOUR NEED — Your faults, failures, bad habits and human conflicts are all indications that your need is critical. Such shortcomings in your life God calls sin. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) These sins are proof that you are a sinner. A sinner is a person with an evil nature, who is without God and thus without hope. Therefore, you need God.

2. ACKNOWLEDGE GOD'S SOLUTION — God loves you very much! And He proved it by what He did for us. He provided a solution to your problem, and a plan for your life. God’s solution was to send His Son Jesus Christ to live the perfect life, and then die the perfect death on the cross for our sins. But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God’s plan is for you to know Him, and experience His quality of life. Jesus Christ explained this when He said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

3. ACCEPT GOD'S PROVISION — God has made ample provision for all your needs through Jesus Christ. As a sinner, you do not deserve this, and there is nothing you can do to earn it. However, Jesus Christ paid the price for you through His death on the cross. Therefore, God offers this great salvation to you as a free gift. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) Your part is to accept by faith what God has done for you, and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (John 1:12)

4. ACT ON THE TRUTH — That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. (Romans 10:9) If you have never done this, it is now time for you to come to know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A simple faith transaction is all that is necessary. Just direct your conversation to the one and only, invisible, yet ever present God. He is eagerly waiting for you. You may tell God something like this:

5. PRAYER — “Dear God, I admit that I am a needy person. Most of all I need you. All my faults and failures are proof that I am a sinner. I accept the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as full payment for my sins. I now ask You to come into my heart, Lord Jesus Christ, and take complete control of my life. I thank You for my forgiveness, and I praise You for living in me. Jesus Christ is now my Lord, my life, and my all! I can do all things through Christ who is my strength. Thank you, God, for the privilege of knowing You.”

6. CONCLUSION — If you told God this, and it was your heartfelt desire, then you have just become a Christian. Congratulations! You have made an excellent decision. This is the greatest thing that could ever happen to anyone. The Lord Jesus Christ described it as being born of the Spirit (John 3:8). Your new birth results in a new life. It is the Christian life, which is really the life of Christ Himself. And He is now your life! You have been made one with God the Father through your union with Christ! You have just entered a new realm, the kingdom of God. You are now a brand new person, a child of God!

And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).

Knowing God is the way to life! Knowing God is also a way of life!

Copyright©2005 Dr. Lewis Gregory

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