Which of these represents the way you want to live?
The first question you must ask yourself is: Which way do I want to live?
If your answer to the question above is ‘my own way’, then you probably don’t believe some or all of the message we have been outlining.
Perhaps you do not believe that God is going to judge rebels, or that you really are a rebel. If that is the case, then please think carefully. It would be a good idea to investigate thoroughly the claims that have been made here, because if they are true, the consequences are life and death.
Perhaps you could get hold of a modern translation of the Bible and read about it for yourself (Mark’s Gospel is a good place to start). Or you could talk to a Christian friend, or contact the publisher of this booklet for more information.
However, if you know that you are a rebel against God, and would prefer to live his way, the next obvious question is: What can you do about it?
1. Talk to God
The first thing to do is to talk to God. You need to admit before him that you have rebelled against him, that you deserve punishment, and that you’re asking for mercy on the basis of Jesus’ death in your place. You’ll also need to ask God to help you change from being a rebel to being someone who lives with Jesus as their ruler.
You could pray something like this:
Dear God,
I know that I am not worthy to be accepted by you. I don’t deserve your gift of eternal life. I am guilty of rebelling against you and ignoring you. I need forgiveness.
Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me that I may be forgiven, Thank you that he rose from the dead to give me new life.
Please forgive me and change me, that I may live with Jesus as my ruler.
Amen.
The first step, then, is to pray.
2. Submit to Jesus
The second step is also fairly obvious. Having prayed the sort of prayer on the previous page, you will want to start putting it into practice — that is, actually submitting to Jesus. There will no doubt be all kinds of areas in your life in need of change.
You’ll need to get rid of old rebellious habits (like greed, anger, selfishness, and so on) and start some new ones that please God (like generosity, kindness, love and patience).
This second step will go on for the rest of your life, but God will be with you all the way. He’ll keep speaking to you (through your reading of the Bible); he’ll keep listening to you and helping you (as you pray to him); he’ll empower you to change and to live his way (by his Spirit who lives within you); and he’ll provide brothers and sisters to encourage you along the way (as you meet with other Christians).
The second step, then, is to submit to Jesus and start living with him as your ruler.
3. Keep trusting
The third thing you have to do is also ongoing. You need to keep putting your trust in the right place. It’s only because of Jesus (and his death and resurrection) that you can be forgiven and put right with God. You’ll need to keep coming back to this again and again, because as you start to live God’s new way, you will still fail and do the wrong thing. We all do. We all need to keep looking back to the death of Jesus on the cross as the only grounds for our pardon. We must never stop relying on him — and him alone — as the means by which we are forgiven and granted eternal life.
If you know full well that you have not yet taken these steps, and that you are still an unforgiven rebel, then you need to do something about it. You are at a fork in the road. It’s the choice that we all face. There are only two ways to live.
