Ever since I quit my job as a police officer, I’ve wanted to serve God, but I haven’t had the willpower to surrender my life to Him. I want God to help me give up worldly things.
Dear Friend,
We commend you for sincerely considering what life is like without God, and for your desire to surrender your life to Him. Even demons believe in God,(1) so we are glad that you understand that just believing in Him is not enough. To serve God means much more. It means letting Him lead the way, and letting Him serve as our example for our habits, actions, and attitudes.
The reality is that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, does not require that anyone clean themselves up before beginning to follow Him. Have you heard the story of the thief who was crucified next to Christ? That man had done so many wrong things that he had been condemned to die. But before the man died, he acknowledged Christ as the King of a future kingdom, and asked Christ to remember him by giving him a place in that heavenly kingdom after his death.(2)
When the man asked Christ to remember him, it was his way of saying, “I believe you are the Son of God, and I want to go where you go. Will you take me with you?”
We know that the man didn’t have even one day left to live. That means that he didn’t have time to clean up all his bad habits. But did Christ tell him, “Sorry, you can’t follow me where I’m going; you’re too sinful”?
No, Christ knew that man’s heart. He knew that the man was very sorry for all that he had done wrong. So Christ listened to the man and then said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”(3) In so saying, Christ was acknowledging that the man was going to be His follower, all the way to heaven.
The man then died as punishment for his own sins. Christ, the Son of God, on the other hand, had never sinned. And yet, even though He was innocent, Christ paid the price for my sins and yours. He was the only sinless One who ever lived, and thus was the only One pure enough to take my punishment and yours.
After asking for forgiveness and telling Christ that you want to be His follower, it is important for you to learn everything about Him so that you can follow His example. Read the Bible, beginning in the Gospel according to John, and pray that God would help you to understand what He is saying to you. It is also necessary to find a group or church where the people are followers of Christ and where the teaching will help you know more about the Bible. Tell the people of the church that you are a new follower of Christ and that you need their understanding and guidance.
We wish you well,
Linda
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1 Jas 2:19
2 Lk 23:42
3 Lk 23:43