Receiving God’s love and forgiveness can be expressed with 4 R’s.
Repent of your sin and its results:
To repent means to turn away from. God did not reject you; you rejected God by choosing to go your own way. There are two parts to repentance. The first part of this is agreeing with God about your mistakes, failures, and sins. The second is turning around – not simply feeling sorry, but a decision to turn your back on all the selfish things you’ve done. Repentance is simply saying, “God, I’ve made a mess of things. I need You.” Romans 3:23
Recognize that Jesus paid the penalty for your sin:
Know that you are incapable of repaying God the penalty your sin justly deserves. But that God so loved you that He sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to pay the penalty on your behalf through His death on the cross. Romans 6:23, John 3:16
Receive Jesus’ love and forgiveness:
Receive God’s love and forgiveness by open-heartedly asking for it. You don’t earn it or buy it; you simply receive it. Ephesians 2:8-9
Respond to Christ’s love by loving Him in return:
You can never fully repay God’s gift of love. But you can respond to His love by loving Him in return. Choose to dedicate yourself to loving God to the best of your ability. Matthew 22:37-39
A sample prayer would go something like this:
God, I know that I am a sinful person and don’t deserve your love. Today I agree with you about my sins and desire to turn from them. I thank you that you have sent your son Jesus Christ to pay my penalty through His death and resurrection. I choose this day to receive your love and forgiveness into my heart and ask that you would wash me clean. God, I know that I can’t repay what you have done for me but I ask that you help me to love you in return. Amen.
Lastly, tell someone about it! If you have a church home, let your pastor know of your decision.
- Promises: Brings Hope - November 20, 2024
- Promises: Forgiveness - November 18, 2024
- Promises: Imparted Faith - November 13, 2024
