How can I have a relationship with Jesus?

Answer

A relationship with Jesus is the most significant connection a person can experience. It leads to a new life (Ephesians 2:4-5), forgiveness “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins”, (Colossians 1:14), the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), and ultimately, resurrection and a place in heaven (John 14:19;Philippians 3:20-21).

Establishing a relationship with Jesus is not complicated. Jesus Himself came “to seek and save the lost” “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”, (Luke 19:10); He invites, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”, (Matthew 11:28); He calls for our trust “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”, (John 14:1); and He refers to us as “friends” (John 15:14-15). Therefore, Jesus is indeed willing to have a relationship with us.

Having a relationship with Jesus is founded on God’s grace, through faith. To comprehend this, we must consider a few fundamental truths from the Bible:

The first truth we must acknowledge is that we are all sinners, in need of a Savior.To have a relationship with Jesus, it is essential to recognize that our relationship with God is broken due to our sins. We have committed wrongdoings in His eyes. The Bible states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” «for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; », (Romans 3:23). God’s standard is perfection—since He is completely holy—and we all fail to meet that standard. Each of us must humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our sins.

Additionally, to establish a relationship with Jesus, we must grasp the biblical truth that “the wages of sin is death” «For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.», (Romans 6:23). “Wages” refer to the consequences of our actions. Therefore, the consequence of our sins is “death”—referring to spiritual death, eternal separation from God in a place the Bible describes as hell.

Furthermore, to have a relationship with Jesus, we must also understand a third truth—and this is truly remarkable: God loves us despite our sins, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us, acting as our Substitute. “God demonstrated his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” «But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. », (Romans 5:8, NLT). He did not wait for us to improve our behavior or somehow overcome our sins (an impossibility); instead, He offered Himself for us while we were still distant from Him. He chose to bear the punishment that we deserved. He took our place!

Finally, we must acknowledge that there is absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves or contribute to our salvation. Through Christ’s sacrifice, God forgives our sins by grace, thAt is, by an undeserved blessing. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Lord Jesus has already done all the work «When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. », (John 19:30), and He did it perfectly! Salvation is not about what we can do but about what Christ has done.

Knowing these truths from Scripture, you can have a relationship with Jesus by receiving Him by faith. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus and His finished work on the cross to have paid for your sins. Call out to Him as the Risen Savior who conquered death once and for all. Accept Him as your Lord and Master. The Bible promises, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” «But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: », (John 1:12, NKJV).

You can receive Jesus by faith and thus begin a relationship with Him this very moment, right where you are, as you read these words! You can express your faith in Him by praying a prayer similar to this:

“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. But I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”

Remember that God is not as concerned about the exact words you use as He is about the attitude of your heart. He sees your faith.

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