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Many have asked, "Why should I believe in God?" But that
is not the real issue, for "the demons believe in God and they tremble."
James 2.19
The real issue is to believe in Jesus Christ as the savior of the world
so I will here suggest 5 reasons why to become a Christian.
Furthermore, by "believe" I do not mean some academic acceptance
of his existence here on the earth some 2000 years ago. But "true"
saving faith is a "total trust" in the person and work of Jesus
Christ so that one places a complete dependence upon HIM as the source
for eternal salvation.
Of course, I will be using the Bible as my authority but if you who are
reading this do not accept the Bible as the inspired word of God, that
is really no issue at this time. The real issue is that God the Holy Spirit
will use the
accuracy of the gospel message here presented, to convict the soul of you
who are seeking, as to the validity of the salvation factors developed.
1. THE FIRST REASON: The inferior quality of life of the non-Christian.
A. Isaiah 57:21, "there is no peace says my God to the wicked"
1. Peace can be defined as a tranquility of soul which is relaxed and
free from inner chaos, doubt and confusion.
2. Jesus taught at Jon. 14:27 that He offers a unique quality of "peace"
which can not be found in the sphere
of the "world."
B. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon speaks of a quality of life which is -
1. Ecc. 1:8, "wearisome" -
All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not SATISFIED with seeing,
nor is the ear filled with hearing.
This word, wearisome speaks of "soul fatigue" which is simply
the frustration of having no "peace" in the life.
2. Ecc. 1:2, "vanity of vanities, - - - all is vanity."
This word indicates "emptiness" and indicates that the quality
of life which does not relate to God on His terms will be filled with emptiness,
which gives no purpose or real fulfillment in one's existence.
3. At Matthew 11:28, Jesus indicates that the quality of life of the unbeliever
is weary and under a heavy burden.
a. Weary translates a Greek word which indicates an inner struggle
to the point of soul fatigue. (again, frustration)
b. The heavy burden refers to an inner need which does not go away, but
continually presses down upon the soul with an ever-increasing pressure
of purposelessness in life.
c. Together these add up to a "frantic search for happiness"
Going round and round in "circles" looking for "something"
and never really finding it.
C. At John 12:35, Jesus speaks of the blindness of the soul.
1. "He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."
Again, this communicates that "wandering" and aimlessness of
the soul.
2. At 1 John 2:11, we find that the one who walks in the darkness, does
not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Again, no direction in life.
D. At Hebrews 2:15, the writer speaks of the non-Christian as one who
is "in slavery all their lives" because of fear of death.
1. This refers to that "unknown quantity" which men fear when
they have no answer that really "satisfies" the soul.
2. At 1 Thes. 4:13, Paul talks about the non-Christian's view of death,
"that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope."
3. They have no knowledge and therefore no real confidence or even hope
of what will happen when they die.
4. And this contributes to the confusion and frustration of life.
E. At Jeremiah 17:9, we discover that the heart is deceitful above all
else and desperately "sick." And the non-Christian is "stuck"
under the influence of this deceptive nature which can do nothing except
contribute to the "insanity" of life (the weariness, the emptiness,
the burden, the frustration) of life without relationship with the God
of the bible.
2. THE SECOND REASON is because of the indictment of divine justice.
A. Hebrews 9:27, "it is appointed for man to die once and after
this comes judgment."
B. The reason is that man is born in a condition of sin, which is basically
the condition of having no affinity with God.
Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and come short of God's glory."
No capacity to relate to God apart from God's provision.
C. Romans 5:6-10 actually describes this condition of the human race by
using four words.
1. Mankind is UNGODLY: The Greek indicates this to be an attitude and
way of life which will not give to God the worship, praise, recognition
that He merits as GOD.
2. Mankind is a group of SINNERS: they express independence from God by
violating His righteous standards.
3. Mankind is an ENEMY of God: An enmity which God, because of His absolute
nature, cannot tolerate.
4. And mankind is HELPLESS: They can do nothing in and of themselves to
resolve the problem.
D. And thus, we find the righteous wrath and judgment of God coming down
on this helpless humanity.
1. John 3:18, "he who does not believe has been judged already"
2. John 3:36, "He who does not obey the Son, shall not see life but
the WRATH of God abides on him."
E. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, "- - - those who do not obey the gospel
of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the just verdict of eternal ruin
(the quality of life that the non-Christian has here on earth, will be
perpetuated forever) away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory
of His power."
3. THE THIRD REASON to become a Christian is because Jesus Christ is the
only way to escape the indictment of God's justice.
A. At John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life;
no one comes to the Father except through me."
B. Acts 4:12, Peter says, "And there is salvation in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men,
by which we must be saved."
C. At John 1:13, John mentions three things that will not provide life
with God.
1. Not of blood: not given life because of any hereditary merit.
2. Not of the will of the flesh: You cannot in and of your personal desire
or abilities, find life with God.
3. Not of the will of man: men cannot "join forces" in some kind
of philosophy or "religion" to find life with God.
D. According to Acts 13:39, no system of law can provide this life.
E. Isaiah tells us of the inadequacy of idolatry: Isaiah 45:20-21,
"Who carry about their wooden idol and pray to a god who cannot save."
F. Isaiah also tells of the inadequacy of the occult. Is. 47:10-15
Which I provide here from the NASB.
And you felt secure in your wickedness and said, No one sees me,' Your
wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; For you have said in
your heart, I am, and there is no one besides me.' But evil will come on
you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on
you For which you cannot atone, And destruction about which you do not
know Will come on you suddenly. Stand {fast} now in your spells And in
your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth;
Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling. You
are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who
prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and
save you from what will come upon you. Behold, they have become like stubble,
Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame;
There will be no coal to warm by, {Nor} a fire to sit before!
So have those become to you with whom you have labored, Who have trafficked
with you from your youth; Each has wandered in
his own way. There is none to save you.
G. But Jesus Christ is the savior of the world.
1 John 4:14
H. Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
John 1:29
I. It is Jesus who carried our sins in his own body on the cross.
1 Peter 2:24
J. It is Jesus who invites, "come to me you who labor to weariness
and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
4. The FOURTH REASON is the future inheritance that God gives us in
place of the judgment we deserve.
A. Romans 6:23 indeed says that the wages of sin is death (spiritual
separation from God).
B. But it continues to say that the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
C. The nature of that "eternal life" is an existence for
all eternity in the presence of God, sharing His Love and blessing where
-
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and there shall no longer be death;
there shall no longer be mourning, or crying, or pain . . .
He who overcomes shall inherit these things,
and I will be his God and he will be my Son."
Revelation 21:4, 7
D. Jesus Himself promised that He would come again and take all those
who have trusted in Him to a "home" in heaven.
"Let not your heart be troubled
Trust in God, trust also in me.
In My Father's house are many dwellings;
If it were not true, I would tell you
because I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go to prepare a place for you,
I will come again
and take you to Myself,
So that where I am
there you may be also."
John 14:1-3
5. And THE FIFTH REASON is because of the potential for true blessing and
fulfillment in life here on earth through Christ.
A. John 10:10, "I am come that you might have life (salvation)
and have abundance (an abundant life on earth)"
B. Matthew 11:29 - True rest for the soul
C. John 15:10-11 - true inner joy
D. John 16:1 - true inner stability
E. John 16:33 - true inner peace
(which surpasses all human comprehension - Philippians 4:6-7)
F. This quality of life is available ONLY to the one who has entered into
the family of God by trusting in Christ as personal savior.
6. How does one become a Christian?
A. When you hear the message of truth, the gospel of
salvation, the Holy Spirit will
convict you of three
things.
1. Your NEED for salvation; that is,
the fact that you
are indeed a sinner
who exists AND lives in violation
of God’s righteous
standards.
2. The PROVISION that God has made
through Jesus
Christ as the
Savior of the world.
3. The JUDGMENT that will come upon
all who do not
believe in Christ.
That judgment is to spend eternity
in constant misery,
separated from God in the lake of
fire.
B. Upon understanding this information provided through
the
convicting of the Holy Spirit, you
must CHANGE YOUR MIND
about your present belief system that
causes you to reject
God’s system for salvation. This is
called REPENTANCE.
C. Once you repent (change your mind), then you must
accept
the truths of the gospel as taught in
the Bible.
This is called BELIEVING IN CHRIST AS
SAVIOR.
1. Recognize the need that you are a sinner under the indictment of
divine judgment.
2. In humility accept God's verdict concerning your sinful status and
accept the fact that He is the only one who determines the proper
policy for reversing
that verdict.
3. Accept the fact that Jesus died in your place, taking your sins upon
Himself in order that He might bring us to God the Father and give us
eternal
life.
4. And then in that humility acceptance, simply express yourself to God
the
Father in the privacy of your own soul, in your own words that you
are
in fact consciously and completely trusting
in Christ as the one who
saves you from the penalty of sin.
5. And at that very moment of time, you will be born again into the family
of God and given eternal life which God will never ever take away from
you.
7. Once a person becomes a Christian, the most important thing for him
to do is to learn God's word, the bible. There are several basic doctrines
that are essential in order for the new believer to come to an understanding
of the new quality of life he has entered. Without a basic orientation
to the Christian way of life and the wonderful provisions God has given
us in order to live above the still present and powerful pull of our sin
nature, the new believer will very quickly revert to old habits and character
flaws and will not be able to experience the promised peace and joy of
the abundant life.
8. Please write to me if you are interested in learning more about the
Christian life or have questions about anything pertaining to Christianity
and the Bible.
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