The Bible tells us God created man in His own image. In Genesis the third chapter, it tells us that God came and walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. This was God's first demonstration of desiring an intimate relationship with His creation and that desire has never changed.
However, because of the sin committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, their relationship with God was severed.
Since that time, mankind has continually attempted to regain some form of relationship with God through various religions. It has been said, "Religion is man's attempt to bring God under his own control."
However, man can never, in and of himself, bring about any relationship with God through a religion. Only God can restore the broken relationship between Himself and His creation.
God did this 2000 years ago when He sent His son Jesus to earth in human form. Only someone who had been a part of the Godhead could come to Earth, in human form and restore the relationship God the Father had with mankind.
Jesus did this through his death, burial and resurrection; so that any of us who receives and accepts Jesus in our hearts, as our Lord and Savior, would receive salvation thereby restoring our relationship with God.
While churches are approved and needed for people to receive teaching about God, comfort, support, guidance and fellowship with others, they are only effective to the degree that they magnify Jesus as the only foundation for salvation and the restoration of our relationship with God. Let us all build the foundation of our lives on the Kingdom of God and all that Jesus provided through his death on the cross.
In this way, we will be an asset to God, to our church, our pastors and to those around us in need of a relationship with God themselves.
If you are not attending a church, maybe it's time you made a commitment to do so. If you already do, maybe you need to get more involved. Take the time to find out who Jesus is and restore or make a renewed commitment to Him.
In this way, you will have that intimate relationship with God. Do this because it is a relationship that counts, not a religion.
Rev. Chuck R. Nichter is pastor of Wellspring Church and Ministries in Washoe Valley.
