"How can I have a relationship with God now and forever?"
No question is more important for us to answer.
At Grace, we believe that everyone has the opportunity to know God and to receive the free gift of eternal life. In fact, the Bible says that God wants everybody to hear His message and to know Him (2 Peter 3:9).
You and I have a problem, though. Each of us has sinned (Romans 3:23). That means that we have failed to live up to God’s perfect standards for our lives. We often give into prideful and selfish thoughts and actions that displease Him. In fact, the Bible tells us that we were born sinners, unable to know God on our own (Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:1-2). And the tragic consequence of our sin is eternal separation from God (Romans 2:8; 5:12; 6:23).
But the wonderful news is that God has provided a way for us to be forgiven and to receive eternal life! God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ, became a human being and died in our place (Romans 5:6-8; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). He was punished for our sin so that we can receive God’s forgiveness. Then God raised Jesus from the dead, conquering sin and death for us.
And now God offers eternal life as an absolutely free gift to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). That is the meaning of the word “grace.” God gives us His forgiveness and His favor as a free gift, based on what Jesus has done for us. If you believe in Jesus, that He died for your sins and rose from the dead, then you can know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13).
