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Campus Crusades 4 Spiritual Laws

Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.

Law 1

God LOVES you, and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.

God's Love

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

God's Plan

Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (that it might be full and meaningful). (John 10:10)

So why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life?

Law 2

Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.

Man is Sinful

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

Man is Separated

"For the [result] of sin is death"--spiritual separation from God (Romans 6:23)

The diagram below illustrates that God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows show that man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as living a good life, following specific philosophies or religions, etc.

Law 3

Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for Man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.

He Died in Our Place

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)

He Rose from the Dead

"Christ died for our sins... He was buried... He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures... He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (I Corinthians 15:3-6)

He is the Only Way to God

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.'" (John 14:6)

The diagram below illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.

Law 4

We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.

We Must Receive Christ

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12)

We Receive Christ Through Faith

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

When we receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Do not be surprised when I say you must be born again. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (see John 3:1-8)

We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation

Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." (Revelation 3:20)

Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of will.

The two diagrams below represent two kinds of lives, the self-directed life and the Christ-directed life:

Which circle best represents your life?

Which circle would you like to have represent your life?

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer

(Prayer is talking with God)

God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?

If it does, pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Illustration by Andrew Wright

Step One
God's Purpose: Peace and Life

God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life--abundant and eternal.

The Bible says...

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Why don't most people have this peace and abundant life that God planned for us?

Illustration by Andrew Wright

Step Two
The Problem: Our Separation

God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and a freedom of choice.

We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.

The Bible says...

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Step 2
Illustration by Andrew Wright
Our Attempts to Reach God

People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God...

The Bible says...

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

No bridge reaches God...except one.

� 1998 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Compliance with copyright restrictions requires that no portion of this version of Steps to Peace with God may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, P.O. Box 779, Minneapolis, MN 55440, U.S.A..

Illustration by Andrew Wright

Step Three
God's Bridge: The Cross

Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.

The Bible says...

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." 1 Timothy 2:5

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice.

Illustration by Andrew Wright

Step Four
Our Response: Receive Christ

We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.

The Bible says...

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Where are you?

Will you receive Jesus Christ right now?

Here is how you can receive Christ:

1.Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2.Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3.Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
4.Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)

How to Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Step 4 God's Assurance: His Word

If you prayed this prayer,

The Bible says...

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

Did you sincerely ask Jesus Christ to come into your life? Where is He right now? What has He given you?

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

Step 4 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:12-13

Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth."

This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To deepen this relationship you should:

1. Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Tell others about Christ.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
5. As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.

If you've just made this commitment to Christ, further spiritual help and information about being a Christian is available at Billy Graham's Web site: www.theway.billygraham.org. Go there!