How to Have A Full and Meaningful Life

1. God loves you, and he offers you a full and meaningful life.
God showed his love for us by sending "his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him" (1 John 4:9).

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11).

This full and meaningful life...
is abundant.
Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

is everlasting.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Jesus Christ can change your whole life and give you joy and peace now and forever.

2. This life is made possible by Christ's death and resurrection.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) .

"Christ was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25).

This full and meaningful life includes...
Forgiveness of sin
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

Fellowship in the family of God
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26). "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:17).

Strength for daily living
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

3. You enter this life through a "spiritual birth".
Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Nicodemus, a member of the strictest religious group of his time, was a highly educated man. He came to Jesus seeking a more meaningful life. Jesus explained that without a complete change in his life no man could understand or enter the kingdom of God. Jesus called this change a spiritual birth. (Summary of John 3:1-8)

The spiritual birth is...
More than accepting facts
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

More than doing good works
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

Spiritual birth takes place when you turn your life over to Jesus Christ.

4. Failure to turn yourself over to Jesus Christ is sin.
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

Sin is called many things---missing the mark, rebelling, living independently of God. Sin is being or doing wrong against God, others, or yourself. You can sin in your thoughts as well as your actions.