I’ll keep this simple because ultimately the message is incredibly simple. You didn’t just happen. You have a mind and a soul and you’re unique. You are so much more than a load of atoms that just randomly came together. You were created and have a father in heaven who loves you more than you can imagine and who wants to take care of you in the here and now, and for eternity.
My job as a Christian is to share that news with you and to play my part in helping you find your way to God. It’s not my responsibility to ‘convert’ you, but I am supposed to tell you that good news. The rest is between you and Him. I made this website so that you could comfortably consider the existence of God and what that means for you with no pressure. There are seven points below, each with a couple of questions to consider if you wish to. I ask nothing whatsoever from you, but I hope that these pages will be a blessing to you. If you can find the time to read these words, perhaps today is the first day of the rest of your (eternal) life. If this strikes a chord and you’re impatient to get going, John’s Gospel is a fantastic place to start reading (or listening to) the Bible. It can be found on this website and only takes about 90 minutes to read .
It's of course great to read through this in one go, but whether reading it again or for the first time my challenge is to set a daily alarm on your phone and for the next week spend a few minutes each day considering in turn one of the seven points below. After that, at the very least you’ll know a little bit more and be able to say you’ve thought about it, but perhaps you’ll have found much, much more.
The Bible teaches us that we are all God’s children and that He has put eternity in our hearts. It also explains that through the beauty of his creation (a misty morning or a star-filled sky), deep in our hearts each of us of knows that God exists. Perhaps, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ve already thought that it doesn’t feel like a huge accident that the world and everything in it just ‘happened’ all on its own with no guiding hand. Maybe in your own life you feel that things have ‘happened for a reason’; if so, have you wondered how that can happen without God’s involvement? But perhaps you feel that if God exists then He is very distant.
Our problem is that God is perfect, and none of the rest of us are. The human race is incredibly good at messing things up. Some of us may be better people than others, but none of us can claim to be perfect. God is holy (that is perfect and ‘set apart’), and our imperfection separates us from Him.
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:19-20 (N.L.T.)
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 (N.I.V.)
Personal Reflection
Am I open to the possibility that God exists and that the world was created? (If that’s a big barrier for you as it was for me before I came to faith, the apologetics page may be of interest).
Do I agree that no one is perfect, and that people have messed this world up?
Our problem is that God is perfect, and none of the rest of us are. The human race is incredibly good at messing things up. Some of us may be better people than others, but none of us can claim to be perfect. God is holy (that is perfect and ‘set apart’), and our imperfection separates us from Him.
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:19-20 (N.L.T.)
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Each of us was created by God and he loves each of us as his child. He wanted a way to bridge the gap between us and Him. As a perfectly just God He couldn’t ignore all that we do wrong - all of our imperfections, but He didn’t love us any less. When my children misbehave or hurt someone it hurts me, but I don’t love them any less. The Bible teaches that God knows your every thought. Ouch. And every evil thought I’ve ever had was about one of His own children that He created and loves. Big ouch. But that doesn’t stop him loving you. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to pay for our imperfections (our sins) through a cruel death, so that if we want to we can still have a relationship with Him and call Him our father. Jesus lived a blameless life and knowingly and willingly sacrificed himself so that anyone and everyone who accepts Him would be saved.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Personal Reflection
Can I accept that I’m not perfect and that I need to be forgiven?
Does it make sense that a God who loves me as His own child would do all that He could to save me?
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
To have that eternal relationship, all we need to do is believe (that is accept that Jesus died to make things right between us and our Father) and repent (that is turn towards God). God promises that once we have accepted Jesus He can no longer see our sins, but rather sees Jesus’s perfection in us. The offer is made to everyone without exception, but God allows us free will and forces no one to accept Him. He promises you true peace now and for eternity - if you choose to accept it. Coming to faith won’t immediately change your circumstances or take away your problems (although sometimes it miraculously seems to), but you will never go through them alone again. And when you are held firmly in His hand, everything feels different. You will still pass through storms, but they will never have the power to touch you in quite the same way.
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:17 (N.I.V.)
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12 (N.L.T.)
Personal Reflection
Am I open to the possibility that Jesus was the son of God?
If it were really true, would I want peace and the promise of eternity?
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12 (N.L.T.)
We live in an age where we neither think about nor talk about God very much. We are often happy to believe what we’re told to - it’s easier that way - and it would seem that science has answered all of our questions and has all but disproved the existence of God. Many people would argue that believing in God is weak-minded. I’d argue the opposite. I’d argue that science and the Bible complement each other. There is much more about the evidence for the truth of the Bible on the
apologetics page if that interests you, but there are 215 million gigabytes of data in a single strand of DNA (which is approximately 2 metres long), and the average human being has 10 billion miles of DNA inside of them. If that DNA is imperfect in any way we see terrible consequences. Does that seem random? Is that itself not evidence of a creator?
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
But at it’s very simplest level, perhaps the incredible beauty all around you doesn't feel like a random, chance event. Maybe you feel that you and those you love have a soul and are infinitely more than just atoms and electricity. And if you are not a random happening, that implies you were perfectly formed by a creator. The Bible teaches that God created you, that He knew you even before you were born and that He put eternity in your heart.
Personal Reflection
Am I convinced that God didn’t make the world and all things in it?
If God did make the world, what does that mean for me?
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (N.I.V.)
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Jeremiah 1:5 (N.I.V.)
All God asks is that you accept Him and the fact that His son died for you and that you repent (that is turn your life towards Him). He neither asks for nor expects perfection; He simply asks that you accept Him and that you try to live a godly life - that is one which, as you grow in your faith, is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. You won’t change overnight, but He will help you and just as a jagged stone tossed into a river over time becomes a smooth pebble, so as you spend time in God’s company you lose those sharp edges that can so often define us.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
But to be extremely clear, it is not about being a ‘good person’: we ALL fall short of the glory of God. Nor is it about being from a Christian family: God doesn’t have grandchildren. Everyone is invited to be adopted into His family. Each of us has the choice to become His son or daughter. No one is obliged to do so. He wants you to come to Him, but He gives you free will to decide.
Personal Reflection
Would the world be a better place if everyone was filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control?
Are there any things about me that if I were to change them I would feel happier?
Do I think it’s right that God gives us free will to choose our own path?
Each of us has a decision to make. It is the decision we were created to make. It is the reason you are here. Our purpose in life, our reason for being in this world is to come to know God that we may spend eternity with Him. When we accept Jesus’s sacrifice and repent of our sins (that is admit we are not perfect and turn our lives towards God) that purpose is accomplished.
Genuine faith comes from a strong belief, which must be based on the truth. You need to know in your heart that God is real and that He sent His son Jesus to die for you in order to save you before you can truly accept and turn towards Him. Becoming a Christian, that is following Jesus, isn’t something you should do blindly, but nor is it something you should put off once you know in your heart that Jesus died to save you. If and when you are ready, turning towards God will mean reading or listening to the Bible (you can start on this site) and taking its teachings on board, talking to God (praying), and ideally finding a church so that you are part of a Christian community that can help and support you. But the day you make that decision, you are a new creation. If you have shifted your thinking just 1% reading this, enough to start considering it and perhaps investigating further, then maybe one day you’ll look back on this moment as the first day of the rest of your forever.
So the decision is clear. Carry on as you are, or turn towards God either by investigating further or, if you already know the truth in your heart, accepting Him now.
Sometimes I truly stop for a moment and feel His presence all around me. Can you feel the truth of His existence yet? If you believe that the God of the Bible exists, coming to faith really is as simple as making a decision. Will you come? But there is a clear decision to be made: accept or reject His invitation. There is no inbetween.
Personal Reflection
Am I ready to dismiss all of this as untrue?
Am I open to the possibility that this could be true and would I like to learn more?
Can I see of the truth of this?
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33 (N.L.V.)
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
James 2:19 (N.I.V.)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 (N.I.V.)
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12 (N.L.T.)
Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33 (N.L.V.)
I truly hope that this website has helped you find God or at the very least has made you consider his existence and what that means for you. But even if you aren’t ready to accept that you have a loving creator and heavenly father, I thank you for reading this far and hope that the seed grows inside of you and that you might one day return to the question. God’s promise is that the door will always remain open to you and that He will always be there for you if you turn to Him.
If you’re still undecided, perhaps you’ll set your alarm on your phone to once per week ask yourself the questions:
Do I have a soul?
Do I believe that I was created?
Do I believe that Jesus is the son of God and died to take away my sin?
Will I accept God as my father and invite Him into my life?
That last one is the purpose of your existence and the most important question you'll ever answer.
Personally, I believe that if we give these thoughts enough space in our busy world, there is only one logical conclusion to come to, but the answers are personal and must come from your heart as well as your head.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
If you already know in your heart that God is real and that Jesus died for you, all you have to do to accept His gift of eternal salvation is to pray to Him and tell Him. If it helps you, Billy Graham suggested this prayer if you’re struggling to find words of your own:
Dear heavenly Father, I know that I’m a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins. I repent of my sins. I invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and saviour, in Jesus’s name, Amen.
Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.
If you prayed that prayer sincerely, you are now a Christian. You should really tell someone as soon as you can - it makes it feel more real - but if you’re shy about doing that I’d love to hear about it if you want to email me. This is the first day of the rest of your life and, more importantly, the rest of your eternity. Your future is now eternal, with the source of all life, who loves you as His child. When you’ve spent 10,000 years in His company you won’t have a single day less ahead of you. You were made for eternity - which is why few without faith walk easily into death - and now you have it. When the time comes to leave this place and God calls you home, you will exhale your last breath here on Earth and immediately inhale your first heavenly breath. Take a moment to absorb that new reality.
If you’re not ready to give your life to Christ just yet, but find any of what I’ve written here rings true for you, I urge you to spend an hour reading or listening to the book of John and to visit the other pages on this website because today still might just be the most important day of your life. There is help overcoming some barriers on the tough questions page and if you’re struggling to fit the Bible and God in with science, then the apologetics page may be worth a visit. There is more help (for example trying a church online or getting more information or finding a local church) on the next steps page. If you need anything else, have any futher questions or just have something that you'd like to share, then you're most welcome to email me here.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:15 (N.I.V.)
Do I have a soul?
Do I believe that I was created?
Do I believe that Jesus is the son of God and died to take away my sin?
Will I accept God as my father and invite him into my life?
Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (C.E.V.)