Good News

In the beginning, God made all things, the world, its creatures, then especially –

God created man in his own image.
Genesis 1:27

Man knew and enjoyed direct fellowship with God. There was no impurity or wrongdoing in man because God had made everything well.

The relationship broken

That relationship was spoiled by the entry of sin when the devil – or “Satan” – deceived man into disbelieving and disobeying God. There was a break in the relationship as man challenged God’s authority.

The now sinful man was driven, banished, from the holy presence of God. The direct friendship was broken.

…your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:2

Everybody shares this same experience, for as the Bible says:

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

Down the years man tried to bridge the gap in many ways – good works, religion, philosophy, morality, and so on.

However, none of man’s efforts could ever remove barrier that our sin has created. The result is death – separation from God.

The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23

Restoration

What man was unable to do for himself, God chose to do for man by sending His own Son.

One of the most famous Bible verses, found in the gospel of John, sums it up in these words:

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Jesus, God the Son, born a man like us in every way except that He never sinned, paid the price of our sin by dying on the Cross and set us right with God.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus bridged the gap between man and God and proved it be so when He was raised from the dead.

As with all gifts, the gift of eternal life has to be received. Some do, some don’t wish to receive it.

He came to His own and His own received Him not, but to those who did receive Him, to them He gave the power to become sons of God.
John 1:12

We receive the gift by faith:

God saved you by his special favour when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8-9

and the gift is offered to all:

Whosoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:23

So, what is a Christian?

Someone who recognises and turns away from the sin that separates us from God and puts their faith in Jesus and so receives peace with God through Him.

Should you wish to find out more about the Christian faith, you might like to read a Gospel, for example, the Gospel of John.

If you would like to become a Christian, you could use the following prayer as you do so.

Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the sin that has separated me from your Holy Presence. I believe that You died on the Cross so that I could be forgiven and set free.

I now turn from everything that I know to be wrong and ask You to come into my life by the power of your Holy Spirit and to set me right with God.

Thank You for hearing my prayer as You have promised.

Amen.

If we can be of help to you then please feel free to contact us at any time. Above all, do not leave or abandon your search until “some other time”. It is too important to neglect. There may be no more time.

Torrance Parish Church

Torrance Parish Church, 1 School Road, Torrance,  Glasgow, G64 4BZ

Telephone: 01360 620970. Email: office@tpc.org.uk