Everyone is on a
Spiritual Journey
People from
every nation and every culture are drawn into a spiritual journey.
Whether you
live in an urban city, the suburbs, a rural farm, or the most remote jungle in
the world – you have a desire to understand your spirituality. It is part of
being human.
As with any
journey, the goal of your spiritual journey is to reach a destination. It would
be tragic to spend your whole life on a journey only to find that your
destination does not really exist.
To keep from wasting your life,
you need to ask some important questions…
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You must ask yourself:
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Where
are you on your spiritual journey?
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Where
has your journey taken you?
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Has
your journey provided answers or created more questions?
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Do you have a sense of frustration
and fear when you think about
dying and the after-life?
Do you ever ask yourself,
“With so many
beliefs how can I know which is true?”
You can know which
is true!!
Of the thousands
of spiritual beliefs in our world, each must have evidence of truth to be proven
real. Apart from evidence, we are left to believe every whim and fairy tale,
risking our entire eternity. Each spiritual belief must measure up to three
areas of evidence in order to be true:
Evidence in the Physical Universe
Does the spiritual belief agree
with the physical world around you in which you are a part? If they contradict,
then the spiritual reality is something you can never know or embrace. An
example would be the theory of evolution, which has shown to be a belief more
than a science. Evolution starts with a belief that there is no God and then
seeks facts to support its belief. As a result, the evolutionary theory
contradicts the scientific realities of the physical universe.
Evidence in Human History
Can the spiritual
belief be verified as existing and acting within history with places, dates, and
specific people? If it cannot be verified, then the spiritual reality is suspect
of being a mere invention of man. Many beliefs hinge upon a religious leader’s
vision or secret book without proof -- such as Mohammad, Buddha, and Joseph
Smith’s Mormonism.
Evidence of Authority
Does the spiritual reality claim to
have authority over all existence and the future? If it does, then can the
spiritual belief prove its claim in a way that can be verified? If it hasn’t
made that claim nor proven it, then how can this belief help you? Wicca is an
example of an unverifiable belief that claims no authority, nor can it present
proof of its power, much less its existence.
What belief has this kind of evidence?
All evidence of truth is found in…
The Bible
Evidence in the Physical Universe
All of existence is in agreement with the
Bible. The Biblical explanation of how God created all of existence is in
agreement with every scientific field (physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology,
zoology, etc.).
Evidence in Human History
In the Bible, you will find over 300
predictions of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus written over
500 years before His actual birth. These predictions were written by real
people, in real places in a real history. These recorded predictions and their
fulfillment have been verified by archeologists and historians, making Jesus the
single most logical, reasonable, and scientific fact of all history.
Evidence
in Authority
In the Bible, you will find that it claims to be God’s
actual words and the final authority on all life, truth and faith. You will also
find proof that Jesus is God by his miracles -- showing his authority over
nature, sickness, demons, life, and death.
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The Bible, also
called the Word of God, was given to mankind by God himself. In it, you will
find real, proven answers and direction for your spiritual journey. The Bible is
the only place you will find true answers about:
Can the Bible tell me
if I am going to heaven?
YES, it can!!
The Bible tells
us: There will be an eternal judgment
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so
that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether
good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
GOOD people go to heaven
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness (right-actions)
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven.” Matthew 5:20
“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and
immortality, He will give eternal life.” Romans 2:7
Then how good is “good” enough?
“You therefore must be perfect, as your
heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
BAD people go to hell
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress
the truth.” Romans 1:18
“…but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth,
but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. “ Romans 2:8
How much wrong sends you to hell?
“For whoever
keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all
of it.” James 2:10
Is there anyone who does no wrong?
“There is no one righteous, not even one” Romans 3:10
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans
3:23
What does God consider sin?
Sin is what makes people bad
Sin is disobeying
God and living a life that pleases yourself and not God. God tells us in the
Bible (Mark 12:28-31) that the two greatest commandments are to love God with
all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. We
all sin against God by not loving Him and others with our actions, words,
thoughts, attitudes, and motives.
The penalty of
your sin NOW
When you sin, you live as an enemy of
God seeking yourself over Him. As a result, you are disconnected from your
creator God, who is perfect and holy. This broken relationship with God creates
disruption in every area of your life.
Guilt from doing wrong
“For my iniquities (sins) have gone over my head; like a heavy
burden, they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and fester because of my
foolishness” Psalm 38:4-5
No lasting satisfaction, only empty pleasures
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me
life in your ways.” Psalms 119:37
Lack meaning and value in life
“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I
had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind,
and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:11
Aimlessly living day to day without
purpose
“…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in
deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4:14
The
penalty of your sin ETERNALLY
When you die, you must pay the penalty of all the sins committed
throughout your life. The Bible tells us about this payment for sin:
“The angels will come out and separate the evil from the
righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:49-50
“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but
the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41, 46
This eternal
punishment is a place absent of God’s goodness and love, where people receive
God’s anger and wrath.
What
exactly will hell be like?
“And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that
place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:30
“It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and
the fire is not quenched.’” Mark 9:47-48
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there
is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (or Hell), to which you
are going." Ecclesiastes
9:10
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away
from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” 2 Thessalonians
1:9
What can I do about my sin problem?
Attempting
to overcome your own sin problem is impossible. Imagine sailing 1000 miles into
the Atlantic Ocean to battle the entire U.S. Navy. However, you are in a little
sailboat armed only with a pellet gun, while the U.S. Navy is parked in a
category 5 hurricane.
No matter
how fast you go or how many pellets you fire, you will not even come close to
victory in the face of such a powerful enemy.
The fact is, your sin problem is
so big that there is nothing you can do to fix it, and it will take eternity to
pay for it.
However…
what is impossible with men is possible with
God!
The Bible,
God’s own words, tells us that since sin began, God promised to overcome sin and
to become the solution to people’s sin problem. Why would God do this for people
who sin against Him? Again, the Bible tells us it is because of His enormous
love and mercy.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
How can God
be my sin solution?
Jesus is the Solution
Who is
Jesus?
Because of God’s great love and compassion for people
trapped in sin, He came to earth as Jesus, fully God and fully man. God did this
to be our solution for sin.
“In the past God
spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of
all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of
God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by
his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:1-3
(Jesus himself
said), “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30
“For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him (referring to Jesus)” Colossians 1:19
Jesus, the Son of God, is part of the Trinity
What is the Trinity?
“Trinity” is the word we use to
describe how God refers to himself in the Bible. The Bible tells us that God
eternally exists as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of
the Trinity is fully God, and all are one God.
Examples of the Trinity and God’s oneness in the
Bible:
(Jesus mentioning
the three persons of the Trinity)
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
“I
am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God” Isaiah 45:5
Jesus’ Solution: His Perfect Life
“‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered,
he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” 1
Peter 2:22-23
Jesus did what no one is able to do – live a righteous and
sinless life. Jesus experienced all the troubles and temptations in life we do.
However, He never sinned and always did what was right, making Him perfect and
completely righteous.
“But you know
that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” 1
John 3:5
Jesus’ Solution: Payment for Sin
“For the wages of sin is
death” Romans 6:23
All sin must be paid for in the
end. This payment is called a wage because we deserve it, just as a thief’s wage
would be punishment for the crime.
Again, Jesus was able to do what we cannot do. When Jesus died, He paid the
wages of sin for those who believe in Him. Through His resurrection from the
dead, He conquered sin and death.
“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
Jesus gives forgiveness of sin and a perfect life
Imagine a sinner being tried in a courtroom with God as the judge. He has been
found guilty of sin by living a life unworthy of God’s holiness. By God’s mercy,
He presents Jesus to switch places with the sinner. Jesus takes the sinner’s
wicked life and trades it with His sinless and perfect life. Now, God views the
sinner as he does Jesus. Sinners become children of God, being
justified by Jesus’ life, death, and
resurrection.
What does is it mean to be justified?
Just - if - I’d
never sinned
and
Just - if - I’d always done right
God justifies people by calling them into a
relationship
“And those he predestined, he
also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also
glorified.” Romans 8:30
People who
become a child of God do so because God draws them into a relationship with
Himself.
“But join with
me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called
us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own
purpose and grace.” 2 Timothy 1:8-9
“A Christian is
someone who is called. A Christian is not someone who has decided to take up
Christianity. A Christian is somebody who senses that he or she is taken up by
someone else. It is not your idea.”
Rev. Tim Keller
Do
you sense a desire to be a child of God?
If so, God may
be moving you towards being justified by Jesus. Ask yourself,
Do I
regret my sins against God and a life lived for my own pleasure?
AND
In my
heart do I believe that Jesus is able to forgive my sin and confess that Jesus
alone is the Lord of my life?
“That if you
confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you
believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are
saved.” Romans 10:9-10
If this TRULY represents
your heart,
then according to
the Bible…
YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD!
Thank God with this prayer:
Dear God, merciful Creator
and Judge of all:
Thank you for calling me to be a child of
God. This was made possible by your loving act of sending your Son to die and
rise from the dead to pay for my sin and be my righteousness. Thank you for my
new life and the promise of eternity in heaven.
Your Holy Spirit exposed
my sin and its eternal penalty. Please transform me and my life, by the work of
the Holy Spirit, into a follower of Jesus, my Lord.
In the Name of Jesus Christ
I pray, AMEN.
Now, how do I live as a Child of
God?
We seek
to become like Christ - Romans
12:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17
We die
to ourselves and live for
Christ - 2
Corinthians 5:15, Galatians 2:20
We trust Christ, not our
own works - Galatians 5:1, Galatians 2:16,
Ephesians 2:8-9
We love others as Jesus
loves us - 1 Corinthians 13, John 15:12-17
We stand
firm in faith
- Ephesians 6:10-18
We devote ourselves to
the church - Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians
12:12-13
We worship God with our
lives - Hebrews 12:28, Psalm 95:1-7,
96:1-2, 100
We submit to the Bible
as the authority on truth, life and faith -
Joshua 1:8, 2 Timothy 3:16
We talk
with God throughout the day in prayer -
Matthew 6:5-13, Philippians 4:4-8
We serve
Jesus by serving others - John
13:3-15, Matthew 20:25-28
We tell others
about Jesus - Matthew 28:18-20, Philemon 6
We live to reflect the
Holy Spirit - Galatians 5:16-26
What’s Next?
Walking With My God:
Beginning the Journey of
Faith
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7-week study to give new followers of Jesus
the necessary basics.
Click Here to download a free copy:
If you have addition questions please contact Matt Wilson at
matt@wpcstudents.org
Other Great Resources to Grow by:
Passion of Jesus
Christ by John Piper
We Would See Jesus
by Roy & Revel Hession
Ragamuffin Gospel
by Brennan Manning
Basic Christianity by John Stott
A Faith Worth Sharing
by C. John Miller
Evidence that Demands
a Verdict by J. McDowell
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Case for Christ by
Lee Strobel
Darwin on Trial by
Phillip E. Johnson
Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe
Where are You on Your Spiritual Journey?
Copyright © 2004 by The Conspiracy of the Lamb
Scripture taken from The HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Written by
The Conspiracy of the Lamb
Amanda Aust Kandy Krieger Carling Sheets
Becca Smythe Matt Wilson
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