How to be right with God

How do we have a right relationship with God? Everything hinges on this question. It's the biggest question we will ever face and the answer will dictate where we locate our peace.

The short answer is to believe

What the Bible says:

Romans 3:22

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

John 3:16

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 6:40

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

1 John 4:15

All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

The longer answer says

Sin is the problem

What the Bible says:

Romans 2:5

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 3:23

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:16

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sacrifice is the remedy

Not our sacrifice but instead, in Jesus Who became the sacrifice for our sins.

What the Bible says:

Romans 3:25

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,

Ephesians 5:2

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Hebrews 10:10

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

1 John 4:10

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

How do we take advantage of God's solution?

The sacrifice of Jesus is enough to pay for our sin. But how do we take advantage of grace?

It's easy to get spiritual whiplash when we see so many religious terms like believe, trust, faith, repent, turn, surrender, submit, obey, declare, and accept.

I believe these words describe the same open response required to be right with God. It's about childlike faith (confidence in Christ). It's about a relationship, not a religion.

The Bible does not make a difference between faith and obeying. It rejects the idea that someone would believe and not obey. It rejects the idea of one who would obey without believing. These words describe the same attitude from different angles.

A person who is traveling north can be described as traveling away from the south. We don't turn right without also turning away from what is on the left. A boat traveling across the lake will be described as departing one shore but as arriving from the opposite shore.

That doesn't mean we will live perfectly without sinning again, but we’re definitely headed in a new direction. Our destination is toward being like Christ even if the winds of our fleshly appetites blow us off course. We do two things when that happens 1. Grieve it. 2. Get over it.

Our confidence is in Christ. Not religion. Not our own performance. Our trust is in the promise of a merciful and loving God who loved us enough to make payment for our error. He saves all who accept this gift.

Romans 4:4-5

When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. [5] But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Ephesians 2:8-9

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Are you ready to do this?

It's about your attitude and not about a magical prayer. It's about your heart's ability to receive the gift instead of your mouth's ability to come up with words. Trust that God knows your heart.

You accept God's gift the same way you accept my gifts. Just receive it with thanks.

If an example helps, it might sound like this, "Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I need Your forgiveness. I am asking You to forgive me. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior."

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.