Knowing God
Are you a good person?
Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Most people will answer, “yes.” You probably answered, “yes,” in your mind when you read the question. How do you know you are a good person? Is it because you haven’t killed anyone, or you haven’t cheated on your spouse, or because you try to always make the right choices? In order to know whether you are a good person, you must have a standard of good to which you are attaining. Did you know that God has provided for us a standard of good which we are to follow? You are probably already familiar with it, if only by exposure from the American news media. God’s standard of good is the Ten Commandments.
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make a carved image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet.
So what?
You may say, “So what? I follow the Ten Commandments, I should be set.” Alright, lets test your assertion. Have you ever told a lie – even a little white lie? Yes you have. Everyone at some point or another has told a lie. Therefore, you have broken the ninth commandment. Have you ever stolen – even a pencil from your office or teacher’s desk? Of course you have. Everyone has, at some point or another, taken something which they do not own without the owner’s permission. That means you have broken the eighth commandment. Have you ever looked at another person with lust? You bet you have. Jesus said that if you even look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. Have you ever harbored anger against somone – held a grudge? Jesus says that if you hold anger against someone, you have committed murder in your heart. So by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer at heart. You are a law breaker.
God will overlook it . . .
When you stand before God for your judgment, what will He do? You may believe that He will overlook your law breaking because they are minor infractions of His law, nothing major. Lets see how that plays out in a worldly court. Here is the scene:
The judge says, “Sir, you’ve been found guilty of stealing and murder. Do you have anything to say before your sentencing?” You reply, “Yes your honor. I really believe that you’re a nice guy and that you’re going to overlook this and let me go free.” The judge replies, “You’re right. I am good, and because I’m good, you will be held accountable for your actions.”
If an earthly judge knows how to deliver justice, God most certainly knows how. So yes, God will hold you accountable for every time you break His law.
Then who can possible be found innocent?
It is impossible for man to keep God’s law perfectly. In the Bible, breaking God’s law is called sin. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And God is very clear in the Bible that “the wages of sin is death,”(Romans 6:23). If God’s law is broken, then it must be vindicated. Hell is one way God serves justice to sinners. If you sin, you deserve to go to Hell. Hell is a real place, created for Satan and his angels, and filled with real people. People die and go there every day – and it is just.
You said Hell is one way . . .
God in His mercy has provided another way for Himself to be vindicated. Romans 6:23 ends like this: “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus Christ, God’s only, perfect Son, took our penalty when He died upon the cross of Calvary. Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He took the punishment that we deserve. He was perfectly sinless – completely innocent. It may be likened to something like this:
You go speeding through a 15mph zone for deaf and blind children at 130mph. You are caught and are issued a $100 billion fine, or life imprisonment. You could never pay the fine, so prison is your only choice. Then at the last minute, a wealthy stranger pays your fine on your behalf. You are a free man.
Jesus Christ stepped in on your behalf, paid your infinite fine, and saved you from eternal prison (Hell). Then on the third day after His death, He rose from the dead, sealing the deal, and proving His authority to pay your debt.
How can I let Jesus pay my debt?
Jesus’ death was a payment large enough for all of humanity, past, present and future. It is only a matter of accepting His payment on your behalf. Romans 10:9-10 tells us that, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” It is a life-saving decision to accept His payment for your sins, confess Him as Lord and King, and have faith that Christ alone will grant you salvation.
Simple instructions
If you have read this article and have been convinced by the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain salvation, take a moment in the quietness of your heart to pray to Christ and:
- Confess that you are a sinner
- Confess your belief that Christ alone can give you salvation
- Repent – turn away – from your sins
- Believe by faith that Christ has saved you
If you have done this then you can be assured that Jesus Christ has saved you from an eternity in Hell. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” You can be assured that nothing will ever separate you from Christ – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:38-39. And you can be assured that God has a plan for your life – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them,” Ephesians 2:10. Please contact us and let us know if you have made a decision to follow Christ. We want to encourage you in your first steps as a new Believer in Christ. You are now part of a larger family, and you will need support. Being a disciple of Christ is not always easy, and it is vital that you get plugged into a local fellowship of believers. If you are in the Sterling area, we would love to have you come and worship with us on Sundays. May the Lord bless you and keep you always.
For more information about sharing your faith using the Ten Commandments, visit Way of the Master
