Real Change

Restoring your marriage or family begins with you! Be aware that the kind of change this requires goes far beyond mere reformation of who you are. It demands a life-changing transformation - a virtual metamorphosis of your heart.

But how is such a change accomplished? The Bible, God’s Word, tells us "if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things are passed away and all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). This transformation is spiritual in nature and occurs in the interior of a person’s heart when they believe Christ as Savior. They are made new in the sense that their spirit becomes "alive" and responsive to God and His Word. Over time this leads to a genuine character change that positively impacts their marriage and family.

The question you must be asking right now is, "How do I become a new creation?" The easy answer is that you must be in Christ. The following will help you better understand how to make that happen:

1. God loves you. God loves all people and desires that "no one perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16; 10:10).
   
2. You are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. You have sinned by choosing to go your own way instead of God’s way. As a result of your sin you are separated from God and will face His judgment (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Hebrews 9:27).
   
3. God wants to forgive you. God has demonstrated His great love for you by sending His son, Jesus Christ. By dying on the cross Jesus took your judgment and made it possible for you to be forgiven. By rising from the dead Jesus made it possible for you to have a new life (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 3:18).
   
4. You must turn away from your sin. You cannot save yourself or earn God’s forgiveness as a result on being good enough. Just as you change directions when you realize that you are walking the wrong way, you must repent, or turn away, from your sin (Luke 13:5; Ephesians 2:8-9).
   
5. You must place your faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. When you realize you are walking in the wrong direction, you turn to find the right way. Jesus is the right way. As you turn away from your sin, place your faith in Jesus to receive forgiveness and eternal life (Acts 20:21; John 14:6).
   
6. You receive Jesus Christ through prayer. Because Jesus is alive, He stands ready to come into your life (Revelation 3:20). Through prayer you can:

A-dmit to God that you are a sinner and that you are turning from your sin;
B-elieve in Jesus by thanking Him for dying on the cross for your sin and rising from the dead that you may have eternal life.
C-ommit your life to Jesus by asking Him to come into your life as your Savior and Lord.

Is there any good reason why you cannot pray to receive Jesus right now? Take a moment and read the sample prayer below and see if it expresses the desire of your heart. If it does, why not pray this minute before you become distracted with less important things. God promises to hear you and respond to your prayer. He will make you a new creation by putting you "in Christ".

Sample Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my sin and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.

Accepting Christ as your Savior is the beginning of your new journey with God. To help you grow, please get involved in a bible-teaching, Christ-honoring church. Be faithful in your worship of Him and in studying His Word, the Bible.

If you have made this exciting, life-changing decision, we at Wisdom for Living would like to hear about it. We would be delighted to send you materials that will help you grow spiritually as a new Christian. You can reach us at the following E-mail address: drclark@wisdomforliving.com

Your friend in Christ,