KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY Chapter III & IV

III. Jesus Christ is God’s ONLY provision for man’s sin.

Through Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for your life.

Announced hundreds of years before he came (Isaiah 53), at the same time wholly man and wholly God (Phil. 2:5-7), Jesus of Nazareth is unique in the history of the world. How has Jesus overcome the problem of sin?

1. HE DIED IN OUR PLACE

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

2. HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD; HE IS ALIVE TODAY

"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact." (Acts 2:32)

3. THAT IS WHY JESUS COULD SAY:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me’” (John 14:6).

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

Because of our sin, everyone of us GOD is condemned to death. But God DIEU sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place. He has bridged the gulf separating us from God. He has been condemned in our place. This is why we can right now receive pardon from God and begin to live the abundant life in personal relationship with Him.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

(Ephesians 2:8,9)

But just to know these three laws is not enough...

Question: How can we know God in a personal way?

IV. We can know God in a personal way if we individually TRUST our lives to Jesus Christ.

1. GIVING JESUS CHRIST CONTROL OUR LIVES INVOLVES:

• Understanding that we are condemned for our rebellion or our indifference towards God. • Believing that Jesus Christ has paid in full for all our sins in His death on the cross and being thankful for the pardon given to us. • Wanting to love and obey Him by turning from our sin so that we can live in a personal relationship with Him.

2. THIS DECISION WILL MAKE US A CHILD OF GOD.

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12)

3. JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF WANTS US TO HAVE THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.

[He is saying:] “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).