How to Have a Relationship with Jesus

"You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'"
(John 3:7 NIV)

"How do you plead?"

"Guilty, your Honor."

A hush sweeps over the courtroom. The people wait expectantly as the Judge prepares to speak. Sunlight filters through the Venetian blinds creating contrasting bars of light and dark across the hardwood floor. Flies buzz around the shackled prisoner's head and sweat runs down his face. The ladies fan themselves with their homemade fans made of legal papers and pages of newspapers. The Judge pours Himself a glass of water and takes a sip; then He turns to the prisoner and says, "I have no choice according to the Law except to pronounce you guilty and sentence you to death."

The crowd gasps all at once. They know that their crimes are far more serious than this prisoner's crimes and they now realize they will be sentenced to death also. The guards laugh and jerk at the prisoner's chains to lead him off to the executioner.

"Wait!" shouts the Judge. The guards stop and the prisoner looks over his shoulder.

"This prisoner is my brother," says the Judge as He takes off His robe. "Unshackle him and let him go. I will take his place."

So the Judge pays the price of the crimes of the prisoner and lays down His life for His brother. Does this ever happen in real life? You bet it does! Jesus our Judge has already paid the price for our sins by His atoning work on the cross. You need to accept this by believing, trusting and obeying Jesus.

***

First, we must understand that we all are commanded to believe in Jesus. If we choose to reject Jesus, we'll face eternal separation-- death-- from God.

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
(John 6:29 NIV)

Even committing one small sin is the same as breaking all the law.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
(James 2:10 NIV)

Everyone of us has sinned and lost the right to have a relationship with God.

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...
(Romans 3:23 NIV)

We all deserve to die (a spiritual death) for our sins:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23 NIV)

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.
(Hebrews 9:27 NIV)

Nothing we can do, no matter how good it may be or no matter how good we think we are, can make us good enough to have a relationship with God without Jesus Christ. We cannot earn our way to heaven. We can only have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ because of His gift of mercy and grace.

... he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit...
(Titus 3:5 NIV)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

But God sent Jesus-- the Author and the Lord of Life-- to be the way back to a right relationship with God. Christ's death on the cross paid the penalty that we deserve for going our own way.

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

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit...
(1 Peter 3:18 NIV)

If you want to receive the eternal life God offers and be in right standing with God, you must invite Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Savior.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
(John 1:12 NIV)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
(Revelation 3:20 NIV)

Why not invite Jesus into your life right now and be saved? Pray this prayer:

"Jesus, please come into my life. I want to turn from living my life and going my own way. Come now and live Your Life in me. Cleanse me from my sins. I receive You as my Lord and my Savior. I will live for You all the days of my life. Amen."

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, you can be assured that you have eternal life.

Jesus said, "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 NIV).