Seeking God? 

If you want to know the truth about God - really know the truth - you are a "seeker."  That's a great thing to be, because according to Jesus, seekers find what they are looking for (Matthew 7:7).

Seekers come in all shapes and sizes and have a variety of backgrounds.  Some don't believe in God while others do believe but aren't sure how to connect with Him.  What all seekers have in common is the fact that they've stopped pretending like they have it all together.  They're open to the possibility that God may exist, and more importantly, that He may want a place in their lives. 

If you are a seeker, how do you go about this all-important task of pursuing God and His truth?  The following outline stakes out some truths that will help you in your search. 

If you would like a  personal relationship with God, there are three things to know:

1. God's Position
2. Our Condition
3. God's Provision

And one thing to do:

1. Our Decision

The first thing to know is God's Position...

Did you know that there is a God who searches for us?  The God who searches is a God of love.  His desire is to have a  loving relationship with us.  John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

However, the God who searches is also a God of perfection.  His absolute moral perfection is the standard upon which the relationship is based.  Matthew 5:48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  Sounds bleak so far, doesn't it?  We have to be perfect to have a relationship with a perfect God.  God has high standards and will not accept anyone even if they have just a "little" sin in their life. 

Imagine if you were given a glass of cold refreshing water.  Just before you put the glass to your lips you were told that a small drop of poison had been added to the water.  However, since it was such a small amount of poision, you needn't worry.  What harm could such a small amount of poison do to a full glass of water?  But, you know that no matter how small the dose of poison, it contaminates the whole glass of water.  In the same way, God cannot allow even a small amount of sin (imperfection) into a perfect heaven lest it contaminate the entire place.

And, it gets worse because...

The second thing to know is our Condition

We who are seeking must realize three things:

1. We all fall short of God's standard of perfection.  Romans 3:23  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2. We all face God's penalty of eternal separation.  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death (eternal separation)...
3. We all fail to enjoy God's love even now in this life!  Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

One way to understand this is to picture yourself with all humanity lined up at the rim of a canyon that separates you from God.  The only way to get across the expanse is to jump but you are limited in the following way.  The distance that you can jump is in proportion to the difference between the good deeds in your life and the bad, negative deeds and attitudes in your life.  An honest evaluation would say that all of us would fall short of reaching the other side.

Wow!  God is perfect.  We are sinful.  And, sin must be paid for.  Is there any hope?

Hang on, because the third thing you need to know is...

God's Provision

God, in the person of Jesus Christ, took the initiative in searching for us. 

1.  God substituted Christ's perfection for our imperfection through Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.  He has put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

2.  God satisfied both His love and perfect justice, thereby making a relationship with Him possible.  1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

A true story illustrates how love and justice can be satisfied and work together.  During the Great Depression, police brought an elderly man before a New York City night court magistrate.  The man was starving and had stolen a loaf of bread.  That night, Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia was presiding over the court, as he sometimes did to stay close to the citizens.  He fined the old man $10.  "The law is the law, and cannot be broken," the mayor said.  At the same time, he took out his wallet and paid the man's fine for him.  Both justice and love were served when Mayor LaGuardia paid the penalty for the old man.

That's what God did: Out of love, He sent Jesus to die for us.  Out of Justice, He required a perfect and complete payment for our sins.  Both God's love and justice were satisfied when He sent perfect Jesus to die for our imperfections (sins).

As a seeker, you must know these three things.  But that is not enough.  A lot of people know these things.  They recognize that God has done all that is necessary for us to have a relationship with Him and he offers it as a free gift.  But, as with any gift, it must still be received before it benefits the recipient.  That's why we must take action personally and do something.

The one thing we must do is decide (Our Decision)

The search for God ends in a choice:  To accept or reject Christ's perfect payment for you sins.

1.  Accepting God's gift involves admitting the truth about ourselves, that we have failed to measure up to God's standards and we are separated from Him.  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2.  Accepting God's gift involves transferring your trust from yourself to Jesus Christ.  John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name.

Now you can have a personal relationship with God!  When we completely trust in God's provision, we no longer trust in our good works to balance out or overcome our sins.  We trust exclusively in what Jesus did for us.

But, what does it mean to have faith or to transfer our trust to Jesus?  Consider the account of the Amazing Blondin, the famous 19th century French tightrope walker.  He successfully crossed Niagra Falls a number of times (an 1100-foot span, 160 feet above the raging waters).  On one occassion, Blondin pushed a wheelbarrow across the expanse.  He then asked the crowd if they believed he could push the wheelbarrow across with someone in it.  The crowd cheered wildly, until he asked for volunteers.  No one responded.  Finally, Blondin's manager climbed in and they crossed the rope together.

The crowd's belief was purely intellectual, but Blondin's manager went beyond intellectual assent to personal trust.  That's the kind of faith the Bible says we must have in Christ.  We must go beyond saying we believe to fully trusting (getting in the wheelbarrow) that Jesus brings us into a personal relationship with God.

LET'S REVIEW:

• God's Position: What is God like?  God is both loving and perfect
• Our Condition: What are we like?  We are sinful and separated from God.
• God's Provision: What did God do about the problem?  He gave His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross as a satisfactory payment for our sins.
• Our Decision: What should we do?  Admit you are separated from God and trust in Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

The choice is yours.  Would you like to recieve Christ now?  If so, you can use the prayer below as an example to express your decision to God.

Dear God - I admit that I am a sinner and I understand that my sin separates me from you.  I believe that Jesus paid the penalty for all my sins when He died on the cross and rose from the dead.  I want to place my trust in Him as my savior.  Thank you for loving and forgiving me and giving me the gift of eternal life. 

If you have made the decision to recieve Christ and His payment for your sins and you have trusted Him alone for your salvation, then you have become a child of God through faith in Christ (John 1:12, 1 John 5:11-13)

Here at Hope Church, we would love to celebrate your new relationship with God and help you grow into a fully devoted follower of Christ.  If you are interested in learning more or would just like to share your decision with someone, contact us at hope@hopecharlotte.com

Congratulations and welcome to the Family of God!

Baptism Celebrations 

Baptism is an outward symbol that a person has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It symbolizes what has taken place inwardly at the time of our salvation. We immerse at Hope because we believe scripture shows that Jesus modeled that for us as the mode for profession of faith in Him. However, the method of water is not the focus, rather the state of the heart at the time of baptism.

Baptisms are held periodically as part of our worship celebrations. If you'd like to be baptized at one of these celebrations, register now!

The Importance of Baptism
We are baptized to follow the example set by Jesus as in Mark 1:9.
We are baptized because Christ demands it as in Matthew 28:19-20.
We are baptized because it demonstrates that we are believers as in Acts 18:8.

The Meaning of Baptism
It illustrates Christ's burial and resurrection as in I Corinthians 1:3-4 and Colisians 2:12.
It illustrates our life as a Christian as in II Corinthians 5:17 and Romans 6:4.

• Baptism does not make you a believer; it shows you already believe.
• Baptism does not save you; only your faith in Christ does that.
• Baptism is like a wedding ring; it's the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart.

Who Should be Baptized
Every person of age who has believed in Christ as in Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12 and Acts 8:13.

When Should Someone be Baptized?
As soon as they have believed as in Acts 2:41 and Acts 8:3-38.
 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF HOPE CHURCH CONTACT THE CHURCH TEAM AT hope@hopecharlotte.com