Most people would reply that they'd tried to live a good life, they'd never killed anyone, they paid their taxes etc. I imagine Jesus would accept that, and ask you a question. He would ask you, "by whose standards are you good?"
You see, God is perfect. He is absolutely perfect - the technical term is "holy". He asks us to be holy too, that is the standard. Let's see how we measure up. Most people know that the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) are a summary of God's law - the standard! Let's see how we do.
Commandment 9 - No telling lies
Have you ever told a lie? I know I have. What does that make us? Surely, by definition we're liars, yes? Not a good start, huh?
Commandment 8 - No stealing
Have you ever taken anything that did not belong to you? Some people say that haven't, but I think that just means they're breaking commandment 9 again! So we're thieves too, right?
Commandment 7 - No adultery
Okay, finally one commandment you kept, right? But in Matthew 5:28 Jesus said, "But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart". Have you ever looked at another person with lust? On the street, on the TV, on paper, online (if you see where I'm going with this)? That's the one that got me.
So, standing at Heaven's door we are admitting to being lying, thieving adulterers at heart. So much for the "I'm a good person speech".
The Bible says that breaking God's law is called "sin". It says, "everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). So how can we be made right with God? The Bible also says:
"Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood... We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." (Romans 3:24-25, 22)
That's it! Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. We deserve to be punished for the wrong things we've done. But Jesus took the fall for us (literally!). Forgiveness, wholeness, a relationship with the living God and eternal life are all possible because of Jesus. And it's there for the taking. It's a gift from a God of pure love.
So, how do you receive a gift? Simply by receiving. It's that simple. Many people like to use a prayer like the one below, which I offer as a help. But the key is not words - there are no "magic words", no correct ways to do this. The key is about a change of heart and mind. Many people use the word "repent" which comes from a Greek word "metanoya" and it literally means to change your mind. It's about accepting that reality is as God sees it. We're guilty - not innocent, but God loves us and has done something about our situation. He paid the price for you himself.
If you are ready to receive this amazing gift, you could use a prayer like this:
Jesus, I know I have messed up. I know I should be allowed to take the consequences for myself - but thank you that you love me so much, that you died in my place. I accept your sacrifice, and I ask you to forgive me. Please come into my life right now. Please give me a fresh start with you. Help me to live the way you want me to live, to love as you love, and to be your hands and feet in a broken and hurting world. Thank you for forgiving me. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit, and help me to follow you for the rest of my life. Amen.
Now what?
If you prayed a prayer like that, you need to take some new steps!
Start reading the Bible - if you haven't picked up a Bible in a long time, try the Message (available on Biblegateway.com). Read John's Gospel followed by the book of Romans. Expect God to speak to you through the Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading.
Pray every day! You need to build a relationship with God. Prayer is talking and listening to God. Share everything with God. He knows what you think, so bring your whole self to Him. The broken bits, the doubts and questions, past hurts - and the good bits too! You will find that in His presence you are safe. That's the place to start facing yourself, and it's the place where healing happens! Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, and he will!
Get involved with a Church. Find a good Church which teaches the Bible - and believes the historic Christian faith. Ask, does the pastor believe Jesus is God? Does he/she believe that forgiveness is a free gift - no strings attached?
Tell others! Jesus is too good to keep to yourself! Share Him with others! You don't need to be a preacher, just share what he's done, and what he's doing in your life!
If you asked Jesus into your life, feel free to e-mail me and let me know. If you have any questions, I will try and help - if I can't I'll point you in the direction of someone who can!
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