Where Will You Go?
Who am I? Where am I going in life? What's the purpose? What happens when I die? These are questions that have been with us for a long time. The most trustworthy book of all explains the answers to those questions. Taking a look at Genesis 1-3, Revelation 4, John 3 and 14, and even whole books like Romans, Galatians, Colossians, James, 1st John and Ecclesiastes can give us some clues.
We were made in the image and likeness of God; not to have His position or rights, but to be in fellowship with Him and control life on Earth. However, the first man and woman sinned, and we've all borne the burden of their sins, and our own, since. Sin is doing what's wrong, or not doing what's right. When we sin, we sin against God Himself, and because God is infinitely good and holy and innocent, all sins against Him are infinitely offensive. For that reason, and because God won't allow sin in Heaven, those of us who choose to follow the forces of darkness will end up where they're going, for as long as they'll be there, and we will have to serve an infinite sentence, because we've sinned infinitely against God. However, God didn't want that for us, but what could be done about it? What could satisfy His infinite justice, and His infinite mercy?
God is one God, as three beings: the Father, His Word and Son, and His Holy Spirit. The only way to pay for infinite sin is to either pay for it infinitely, or for someone infinitely innocent to pay once for it, for all time. Since the Word is God, He is infinitely innocent. He came to Earth as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, or Messiah. His perfection meant that He was sinless. He taught us the truth behind the Old Testament, angered the self-righteous, and welcomed sinners one and all. His ultimate act of love for us was to suffer and die on our behalf. If that was the end of the story, we might have no hope; after all, what hope would we have for a life lived in someone's death forever? However, that's not the end. Jesus went to the spirits in prison and preached to them for three days and nights, and then He took the keys of death and Hell from Satan and returned to life in a glorified body, giving those of us who have gone through His death hope of a perfect future and perfected selves. His offer of a new and better life, though there may be trouble and trials still, is still open to everyone. Forty days later, after being seen by over 500 people, He went back up to Heaven, where He now sits on the right hand side of God the Father as our lawyer and sacrifice, if we'll accept His offer. How do you take this offer?
You've just heard the Gospel. If you believe it, truly believe it, it will make changes in you that will make you want to change, and that means you are born again. No one can come to Christ, unless the Father draw him. He who comes to Christ will not be cast out. You have been destined for salvation from the foundation of the world! So, what do you do next? The next thing to do is to repent of your sins. "Repent" is just a fancy way of saying you make a total 180-degree turn from your old self, life and way, and prepare to accept the self God made you to be in Christ, the new life Christ offers you, and the Way Christ taught. Once you've repented of your sins, you confess to God that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and your Lord and Savior. Call on His Name. Believe in Him as the Son of God and the perfect Savior through His death, burial, and resurrection. Confess with your heart that He is the Son of God and your Lord and Savior, and believe that God raised Him from the dead.
What comes next? You find yourself a church that preaches the Bible, even if it offends you at first, and get baptized into Christ, making an official declaration of your salvation and new life in Christ, buried in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life. You meet with the church regularly, and set aside time every day for studying a good Bible (I recommend an Interlinear or King James Version, but you can find one you get the most out of in learning and growing). You then start living out the Christian life, as the Bible outlines it and the Holy Spirit, which now lives within you, guides you. You're not perfect, so you will still sin, and you may get some doctrines wrong, like I did for a long time, but you'll find that you don't want to sin, like you did before you were born again. When you do catch yourself sinning or become convicted of sin, just like when you become convicted of false doctrine, you confess to God your sins and pray in Jesus' Name for forgiveness. He'll remove your sins from you as far as the East is from the West.
This has been my outline of what the Bible says about being born again, but you should study it for yourself, and you should count the cost as you are able.
If you would like to pray, but you don't know what to say, here is a prayer you can use:
"Almighty God, I know I'm a sinner, and without help I have no hope. I don't deserve forgiveness, but I desperately need it. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son, that He suffered and died for me, shedding His perfect, innocent blood, Your blood, to pay for my sins forever. I call upon His Name, and I say that He is my Lord and Savior. I repent of my sins, and pray in Jesus Christ's Name that you would save me, that you would make me born again, clean and new inside and out. I trust in Your promises, and I believe I am saved, born again of the Spirit. Thank you for the wonderful gift of salvation. In Jesus' Name, amen."
If you have been born again, welcome to the family of God! Let us know in a message about your being drawn to follow Christ, and we'll respond as soon as possible. God bless you all!