Saturday, March 23, 2013

Educating and Sharing the Love of Christ Image description

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International Bible Fellowship
The Bridge to Life
#1 - God's Love and His plan
God created us in His own image to be His friend and to experience a full-life assure of his love, abundant and eternal. Jesus said, "...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."(John 10:10)"
...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
Since God planned for us to have peace and abundant life right now, why are most people not having this experience?
#2 - Our Problem: Separation from God
God created us in His own image to have abundant (meaningful) life. He did not make us robots to automatically love and obey him, but he gave us a will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."(Romans 3:23)
"...your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)
On our own, there's no way we can attain the perfection needed to bridge the gap to God. Through the ages, individuals have tried many ways...without success. Good works won't do it...or religion...or money...or morality...or philosophy... "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."(Proverbs 14:12)
#3 - God's Remedy: The Cross
Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He died on the cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God..."(I Peter 3:18)
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." (I Timothy 2:5)
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8)
#4 - Our Response
Believing means trust and commitment - acknowledging our sinfulness, trusting Christ's forgiveness and letting Him control our life. Eternal, abundant life is a sacrifical-gift for us to receive. "For 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)
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)
Is there any reason why you shouldn't cross over to God's side and be certain of eternal life?

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