To know Jesus Christ as LORD … It is not really another answer … It is not really another key … It is not really another bridge … It is really about the Way.
It is not really what you do … It is not really what you’ve done … It is not really what you feel … It is really about the Truth.
It is not really about how … It is not really about where … It is not really about why … It is really about the Life. Your innermost being was created to connect with the true God in intimate fellowship. Through Adam, sin changed the world; and as fallen, sinful beings there is nothing we can do to restore that original intended fellowship with the true God. Sin damages, sin destroys and sin separates. Sin separates us from God on earth and sin can separate us eternally from God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Yet … The truth is that God the Father loved us and in grace sent His beloved Son Jesus Christ who was without sin as the saving way by His death on the cross. He then gives us life now and for eternity by the Holy Spirit who raised Christ and will empower all who believe and receive Him as LORD and Savior.
To find the way, the truth and life we must know Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. “There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them” (Acts 4:12 NLT).
To know about Jesus is not enough, to know that He died on the cross is not enough and even to know that He rose again is not enough. To realize that we are sinners is not enough, to go to church is not enough and even to be a good person is not enough. To be sincere and to even do good things to others is not enough.
It isn’t about knowing about who Jesus is; we must accept and know Him as our Lord and Savior. We must respond to His amazing saving grace. It is that grace that is even now drawing you in faith to the forgiving Father through Jesus the Good Shepherd who died for your sins. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:44).
To know Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior we must fall before the cross. We must realize we are separated from God by our sin and headed for eternal death (Is. 59:2, Rms. 6:23, Eph. 2:3). We must accept and receive Him into our hearts. Jesus himself stated, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:7). God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11). Therefore humbly and prayerfully before God we come to know Him as the LORD and Savior by …
Believing in faith that Jesus is the Son of God. We must let God’s Word (The Bible) renew and convict us by the Holy Spirit to believe that Jesus Christ left his place in heaven came to earth and lived in the perfect will of God without sin. And believe that he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day and now reigns on high as our intercessor. And believe that He is returning as the King of Kings to judge the world and take His church (all who believe on Him) to dwell in His presence forever. See Mark 16:16, John 1:1,12-14; 3:5-21; 14:26, 16:8, Acts 5:30-32, 8:37, 18:8; Phil. 2:5-11. Acknowledging and Repenting of our sin. We must bow with a broken heart repenting of our sin and turning to give our life to God. See Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:37; Romans 3:23, 5:12; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Rev. 3:19. Calling on the name of the LORD. From the beginning of God’s Word until the end of the Bible we are told to prayerfully call on the name of the LORD for mercy, power and salvation. Calling on the name of Jesus means accepting Him alone as the LORD and master of our lives by grace. We call on Him for salvation, for forgiveness, mercy, grace and daily needs. See Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 10:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Eph. 2:7-9; Psalms 79:6, 116:13; Isa. 12:4; Joel 2:32 . Confessing Jesus as the Christ and Lord of your life. If we have believed and have repented of our sins we must be willing to openly confess to others and before God that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. He is now our master in all that we do and we should be willing to penly confess it. See Matthew 10:32-33; 16:16-17; Romans 10:9-11; Hebrews 4:14. Being Baptized into Christ. To be baptized in water as a believer in Christ is the Biblical pattern of obedience in being forgiven of our sins, demonstrating our faith, coming into salvation through the New Covenant of Christ and for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It represents our dying to ourselves and our desiring to put on the risen Christ as the new living garment of grace. See Mt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38-39, 8:26-39; Romans 6:1-14; Ephesians 4:4-5, 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:26-28. Since the early days of the church, water baptism was the accepted practice that gave witness of saving faith in Jesus Christ. From 379 AD, Basil the Great "…baptism is ransom, forgiveness of debts, the death of sin, regeneration of the soul, a resplendent garment, an unbreakable seal, a chariot to heaven, a royal protector, a gift of adoption" (Sermons on Moral and Practical Subjects 13:5). Being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills us, lives in us, empowers us, teaches us, guides us, convicts us, gifts us and will raise us up on the last day. See John 14 &16; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12, Eph. 2:13, 5:18, 1 Cor. 12 &13, Rms. 8 &15:13, Titus 3:5. May your life be abundant as you grow and live in the body of Christ which includes all His followers and is the church around the world. Let Christ be your Lord (Rms. 14:9, Col. 3:23). Let Christ set you free (John 8:36). Let Christ be your example (1 Peter 2:21). Let Christ release you (Romans 8:1-39).
Let God build you (Eph. 2:10-22; Phil. 2:12-13). Let God forgive you (1 John 1:9, 1 Peter 4-5). Let God give you wisdom and revelation and Let God love through you (Eph. 2:17-18, I John).
Let the Spirit sanctify you (2 Thess. 2:13-14). Let the Spirit gift you (1 Cor. 12:1-11). Let the Spirit guide you (John 16:5-15). Let the Spirit bear fruit in you (Gal. 6:22-25).
If you have any questions about finding the way, the truth and the life or about any aspect of your decision to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please contact Pastor Steve at pastorsteve116@yahoo.com or by phone at 507-223-5626. Antelope Hills Christian Church 2075 280th Ave, Canby, MN 56220
This material may be copied in part or in whole as long as permission is obtained and acknowledged. 9/08 SRMaas
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