A friend of mine awhile back complained that he doesn’t really know what we mean by “you need a personal relationship with Jesus.” I think his words have a ring of truth to them. That is probably the most often used cliche’ we have in our faith context and I’m not sure we do a good job of describing what we mean.
I think one thing we mean is that each individual needs to make their own decision and do what they can to make themselves right with their creator. This is in contrast with thinking that being a member of a specific church or culture will provide someone with salvation. It’s our own relationship with Jesus that stands outside of any other community around us.
I think another thing we mean is that we believe that Jesus has specific plans and goals for each of our individual lives. It means learning specifically how Jesus plans on ministering through our individual gifts and decisions. We feel our personal relationship is being fulfilled when we act on the promptings of the Holy Spirit that each of us feel, act on them, and have success.
So what do you think? What do YOU mean when you say that?
December 14, 2007 at 5:35 am
This is a great entry… and brought up alot of great points, and I agree with most of what you wrote, to be honest!
To me, a personal relationship with Jesus, is not knowing Him solely through your leaders, as a far away entity. Its about knowing Him intimately.
Some want to know how to get to know the Master intimately… reading the Word (bible) is one of the best ways. Meditate on His goodness, on His love for us, on what He accomplshed through His death, burial and ressurection. Meditate on what He died and rose again for. Meditate on Who He is.
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit as much as you can, learn His voice and follow His guidance.
Tell people about Him, talk to Him yourself. He wants to know you!
What a great post, hope to see more from you… actually I think I will have a better look around
Take care, God bless,
Angela http://www.angiemama.wordpress.com
December 14, 2007 at 6:54 am
When I say that I mean that you can’t just accept your parents faith. You need to go out, challenge yourself and make it your own. Just accepting what you have been taught without any investigation and wrestling leaves you on a weak foundation when the first trials come.
December 14, 2007 at 8:03 am
Who says we need a personal relationship with Jesus?
December 15, 2007 at 4:05 am
Hello;
The one way of having an relationship with the Lord, is to be obedient unto His word…To let go of our own will and our own way and to fully surrender over to Jesus
Jesus excepts us, He chooses us, not the other way around…We are to submit unto Him…Part of having an intimate relationship with God is to be born again…Being born again as God has commanded us to do, not as man has led us to believe…
No where in the bible does it say that we must have a personal relationship with Him, that is another man made lie…You will have a relationship with the Lord when you are obedient unto Him and His word because He will fill you with His spirit, the Holy Ghost…(Acts 2:38) is God’s plan of salvation for man and there is no other way…
Humbly;
Truthbear
December 16, 2007 at 4:56 am
Blah blah blah
It just sounds like a lot of meaningless rhetoric to me. Sorry.
December 16, 2007 at 10:59 pm
The thing is, there’s no commandment that says you MUST have a personal relationship with Him. But if you look at the scriptures, and the issue as a whole, you could see the need for a relationship vs. religion.
How can you profess to love someone, and know them really well, and listen to them, and tell other’s about them, but then say you don’t have a personal relationship with them. You could say that you love media stars, or your president… but you wouldn’t say that you knew them, so that doesn’t apply as a response.
I have a relationship with those I am close to, and that includes the Master. I believe that every Christian has the choice to draw near to Him, and have that ‘relationship’ too.
Take care, God bless
December 17, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Calling my relationship with God a “personal” one also reminds me that He cares about each individual, not just the big societal, enviromental, philosophical questions. It gives me the freedom to remember He cares about each person, their nees, hopes, and dreams and to share my friends’ and my hopes with Him in prayer.
December 17, 2007 at 6:31 pm
I also don’t say I know Jesus. I can read about him, and try do follow his example, but that doesn’t put me in a personal relationship with him any more than it puts me in a personal relationship with Abraham Lincoln if I read his biography and try to be honest.
December 18, 2007 at 5:01 am
When you are born again, the Spirit of God is in you. In Col 1:27 (one example) it is written “… Christ IN you, the hope of glory” [Capitals mine].
So if Christ indwells the believer, how could one not have a personal relationship with Him?
I’m not trying to offend
Take care, God bless
December 19, 2007 at 8:04 am
No worries, I’m not offended. I’m also not trying to be combative here, but this is a serious sticking point for me. I’ve talked about it a couple of times on my blog, and maybe there’s some connection that just isn’t being made, but I can’t figure out what “having a relationship with Jesus” even means, in anything bu a uselessly rhetorical sense.