"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Works vs. Love

Some people believe that we can only attain God's favor through works- that we can only have peace with God and gain eternal life if we behave ourselves while we're here on Earth and/or that we perform good deeds. Sort of like if my good deeds outweigh my bad deeds then I will gain God's favor, and He will let me into Heaven when I die.

Others acknowledge that God is holy and perfect; He is omnipotent (can do all things) and omniscient (all knowing). Therefore, He is due reverence. While that's true that God has all these attributes mentioned above and we are to revere God, God does not want us to serve Him because we feel we have an obligation to do so or because it is the only way we can achieve "good points" with Him. The Bible tells us that there is no one who is good enough in God's sight (Romans 3:12) and that our good deeds have no value to Him. As God tells us, our good deeds are as "filthy rags" in His sight. (Isaiah 64:6). God wants us to do good things out of love for Him; He wants us to love Him because we want to, not because we have to.

The only way we can please God and gain eternal life is through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ who died in our place for our sins. It is only through our acceptance of what Jesus Christ has done on our behalf that we can finally be at peace with God.

Some religions teach that we can please God only through prayer, fasting, or some other means. It's done out of reverence to God, but is it done out of love for God? Is it possible that we could love God in a very personal way- that we would be able to know Him and have a relationship with the Person who created us?

"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." (1 John 4:15)

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16)

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." (2 Corinthians 5:18)

How does God show His love for us?

Some say it is impossible for God to love us. Since we are born unto sin and God is holy and without sin, God could not possibly love us or even have a relationship with us because of our sin nature. Although it's true that God doesn't condone sin and it is in complete contrast with His holiness, God still loves us. We know God loves us because He tells us in His Word, but we can also attest of God's love through our own humanity. Being omniscient, God knew from eternity past that human beings would disobey and therefore be born of a sinful nature. He could have chosen not to create us or even possibly destroy us. Fortunately, we're still here!! Also, can we really expect a God who creates human beings to love one another to be Himself without love?

"For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:10-11)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

The Bible tells us that we can know God because He has been manifest through His son, Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that God has come in the flesh. Matthew 1:20-25 tells us about the birth of Jesus Christ.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us".

Note the scripture says that Jesus is "God with us", not "a prophet of God with us" or "a godly man with us", but "God with us". We can rely on the fact that Jesus is truly God in the flesh.

Other scriptures testify to Jesus' divinity.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.How can you say, `Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (John 14:6-11)

God loves us, but He never requires us to love Him in return. God loves us so much that He has given us choice, or free will. We are free to choose whether we wish to reconcile with Him or live in rebellion against Him. Jesus tells us in John 6:37 that "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.". It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done in life, God still loves you and He wants to reconcile with you. If you come to Christ, truly wanting repentance and His forgiveness, He promises that He will not "drive (or turn) you away".

Accepting or rejecting Christ is a "win-win-win" or "lose-lose-lose" situation. By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you "win" by having reconciliation with God, a daily relationship with your Creator, and eternal life with Him. However, by rejecting Jesus you "lose". You will be under God's condemnation, and you will be unable to have fellowship with Him. In addition, you will be eternally separated from Him.

It's your choice...

Please choose Jesus NOW!