Get to Know Jesus
There is one single reason why we're even here. The international motto for the ICFG is "To know Christ, to have fellowship with Him, and to make Him known." Most of us in the group already know Christ, and we're all working all the time to have better fellowship with Him. But our biggest concern is for those of you who don't know Him.
If you're reading this and you are thinking, "what do you mean, 'know Christ'?", let me show you what the Bible says about knowing Him. It's not enough to believe that He exists. He wants us to put all of our trust in Him to be the Lord and Master of our lives. The cool thing is that He's not a controlling Master. When we give our lives to Christ, our whole attitude changes. Things we used to want to do we no longer do. Our desires sync with His desires.
Why would we be concerned? There is only one way to obtain eternal life and avoid eternal death. In Matthew 18:3 God says "...Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." We have to become innocent again. God wants us to have a childlike faith in Him and His redeeming grace in our lives. The urgency, though, is described in Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death..." How wonderful God is to us though! Read what follows that sentance..."but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!" What do we have to do to get that gift though? Nothing, actually. We do, however, have to really want it. And if we truly want it, this is what will happen (not necessarily in order):
1. recognize you're a sinner (Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.)
2. ask Christ into your heart (Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.")
3. repentance, or a turning away from sin (Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost'"). That last part's a key thing, because it's the Holy Ghost in us that gives us the direction and power not to sin. (John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them gave He the POWER to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.")
4. confess your sins to God and man (1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.")
5. obtain peace with God (Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.")
6. walk in a new life (Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.")(2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.")
7. baptism - baptism is a symbolic representation of us burying our old, dead nature, and arising in a new nature in Christ (Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.")
If you've decided that you want to follow Christ, but don't know really what to do next, email richmondcfg@acc-richmond.org and we will help you. That's what we're here for. :) We look forward to hearing from you. Take care, and may God bless you.
