God created us for an eternal relationship with Him. That relationship begins when we accept Jesus’ death and resurrection as the complete payment for our debt to God because of sin.
But it does not end there. God wants us to know Him personally in an individually intimate way. He wants to interact with us daily.
Through this interaction, we develop hope that carries us through life’s trials.
The closer we come to God within this fellowship, the more Christ-like we become.
As we grow in Christ, we become more confident in the hope that develops in us for the future grace and understanding that we will live beyond this earthly state in a glorified existence in the presence of God that never ends.
No matter what we struggle with or the trials that we encounter along the way, there is always a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
But where do we begin?
Our relationship with God begins when we recognize our sinful state compared with the holy standards of a righteous and just God.
Even though every individual is born in a hopeless state and lost in sin, God loved us and sent His son to die in our place to reconcile our relationship with Him.
From that point on, our relational growth in Christ is proportionally dependent on our deliberate interaction with the word of God. In this interaction, God works in and through us for His honor and glory and enables us to live a grace-filled life. By grace, God saved us, and by grace, we live every day.
God’s word should be an integral part of our daily lives. Reading God’s word enables God to speak into our hearts and minds. It is the standard by which we evaluate everything we see and do. Attending church and engaging with other believers throughout the week further enhances the worship experience and strengthens the relational bond. The Holy Spirit, over time, transforms us into increasing Christ-likeness as we digest the truths we encounter and apply.
We are all born sinful and separated from God by our sinful nature. As we grow, the evil tendencies that each of us have increasingly become part of our lives. Some of those tendencies are deeply ingrained into who we are, but they are nonetheless wickedness in God’s eyes.
When God begins the transformation process, He reveals our innermost thoughts and desires and, over time, strips away our iniquities.
Each individual is different, as is the sin in which we engage. As we interact with God’s word through Bible reading, pastoral teaching, and fellowship with other believers, God reveals our sinful tendencies and calls on us to repent and turn from our wicked ways.
Our society frequently glorifies and promotes what the Bible reveals as sin. The word of God is the standard by which God will judge us. Everyone will one day give an account of his or her lifestyle, actions, and choices before God.
Many Bible principles and teachings are challenging to accept, and we may struggle to incorporate them into our lives. Yet, obedience to God’s word may force us to make difficult decisions and drastic life-altering changes.
Standing firm on those principles in a divisive and conflicted world is equally challenging.
But our lives depend on doing so.
Those living in sin, who are unrepentant, living in opposition to God, and do not have a relationship with God through Jesus, will not enter the Kingdom of God. Instead, God will reveal their life’s timeline, and their iniquity will be evident to all. They will suffer endless torment apart from the goodness of God when He removes them from His presence and consigns them to an eternity in hell.
Make time daily to engage God in His word and meditate on what He teaches you throughout the day. Daily, sit at the feet of Jesus. Calm your heart, seek Him, and surrender to Him.
Prioritize your growth in Christ and your eternal relationship with God over all other aspects of your life.
There is nothing more important than that.
Eternity in View 