WONDER: WHEN CAN I START?
“There is no point in trying to carry the ball until you learn where the goal is.”
It is now time to summarize the previous lessons. It is important that we believe and understand what we’ve studied. Our reason for this comes from the Bible:
“Test all things: hold fast what is good.” (I Thessalonians 5:21).
The truth on any subject does not fear honest evaluation for truth will stand any test. So, I wonder: When can I Start? I can start my spiritual journey when I understand the questions we have discussed.
1. Who Am I? A Sinner.
When God created the world, He said, “It is good.” (Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25). At His creation of man, He said, “It is very good.” (Genesis 1:31) It was not, therefore, God that created sin. God created man with the freedom to choose his course of life. When God gave instructions to Adam and Eve concerning the food of the garden, He said,
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat...” (Genesis 2:16-17)I
Adam and Eve were created with the freedom to choose whether or not to eat fruit from the tree that God had forbidden. With the help of Satan, who came in the form of a serpent, they chose to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree and sinned. Now, Satan had established a culture in which sin could and would grow.
From that point until the present, men have continued to sin, not because God created it, but because man chooses it. The Bible says,
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
(Romans 3:23)
d. our love for God—the proper motive for our actions.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)
3. Why Am I Here? To Return Love to God.
From the scripture above, John 14:15, we see that the proper attitude of love must exist as a motivating factor in our lives. This attitude will lead us to act properly by returning to God our life of service to Him for the love He has shown to us. This is how we return love to God. This is how we “keep His commandments,” by following Romans 12:1,
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
4. Where Do I Need to be Going? Alongside or With God.
Finally, before I begin my spiritual journey I must understand that it will be my duty to walk with God or alongside Him. I must not desire to walk ahead of God by adding to His instructions. Neither will I walk only aimed at God but not fully doing all He wants. These actions are condemned in Scripture:
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book: and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)
As we are considering the spiritual journey of life set before us, we have examined all the preliminaries to that journey. I must realize that:
1. I am a sinner and stand opposed to God.
2. I need God’s love to sinners to provide a way of being right with Him.
3. I must return love to God for the love He has shown me.
4. I must walk with God, obeying His commandments.
Now, I am ready for the next big question - I Wonder: How Do I Start This Journey?
— Mike Johnson
