KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY Chapter I & II

Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God. It is God Himself who has revealed these truths to us in His Word, the Bible.

I. God LOVES us and created us to have a personal relationship with Him.

1. GOD LOVES US

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

2. GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIM PERSONALLY

[Jesus is praying to the Father]: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

3. HE OFFERS US A NEW LIFE; AN ABUNDANT LIFE

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..." (2Corinthians 5:17)

[Jesus speaking] “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10).

Question: Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life and this relationship with God? Because...

Man cannot have this relationship with God because of his ATTITUDE.

II. ATTITUDE

Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

(Romans 1:18-21 and Isaiah 53:5,6)

1. WHO HAS SINNED?

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

2. WHAT IS THE RESULT OF SIN?

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). "But your iniquities have separated you from God..." (Isaiah 59:2)

This diagram illustrates that God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows indicate mankind trying to bridge this gulf in an attempt to find security and satisfaction through such things as wealth, religion or relationships. However all attempts will eventually fail because they do not deal with the problem of sin.

The third point gives the only answer to this problem...