Lesson Description
In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus Christ has brought us into a new relationship with God. Through faith in Christ, we are no longer strangers who must try to earn access to God through our own efforts. We have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ and can approach Him with confidence. We will explore what it means to know God as our Father, enjoy fellowship with Him, and live daily in the reality of our new relationship.
1. Through Christ, We Have Been Reconciled to God
Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:18 (KJV)
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
Sin separated humanity from God, but Jesus Christ came to accomplish the work of reconciliation. Through His death and resurrection, He made a way for us to be brought into a right relationship with God.
Reconciliation means that a relationship that was broken has been restored. We do not reconcile ourselves to God through good works, religious ceremonies, or human effort. We receive what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ by faith.
This truth changes how we approach God. We do not have to spend our lives trying to persuade Him to accept us. Instead, we can learn to understand and appreciate the reconciliation He has provided through His Son.
Remember: Our new relationship with God begins with His work through Jesus Christ, not with our attempts to earn His acceptance.
2. God Has Become Our Father Through Christ
Key Scripture: Galatians 4:6 (KJV)
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Through Jesus Christ, believers have received a new relationship with God. He is not merely the Creator we know about from a distance; we can know Him as our Father.
Understanding God as our Father helps us approach Him with trust rather than treating Him as someone we must constantly persuade to care about us.
A child who understands that they belong to a family can approach their parent, ask questions, receive instruction, and learn through experience. In a similar way, believers can approach God through Christ, depend on His wisdom, and grow in their understanding of His Word.
This relationship does not mean that we will never experience difficulties. It means that our relationship with God is not defined by our circumstances.
Remember: In Christ, we have a new relationship with God as our Father, and we can learn to live in the confidence of belonging to Him.
3. We Can Approach God with Confidence
Key Scripture: Ephesians 3:12 (KJV)
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
Before understanding the finished work of Jesus Christ, some people may think they must become perfect before they can approach God.
However, Scripture teaches that our access to God comes through Jesus Christ.
We can pray, seek understanding, bring our concerns before Him, and study His Word without believing that we must first establish our own righteousness.
Our confidence does not come from believing that we never make mistakes. It comes from trusting Jesus Christ, through whom we have access to God.
When we fail, we should not allow shame to drive us away from God. We can acknowledge our wrongdoing, seek to make things right, and continue growing in our understanding of His grace.
Remember: We approach God with confidence because of Jesus Christ, not because of our own perfection.
4. We Have Peace with God Through Jesus Christ
Key Scripture: Romans 5:1 (KJV)
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Peace with God is more than a feeling of calmness. It describes the restored standing believers have before God through justification by faith.
Our feelings may change, and our circumstances may become difficult, but the foundation of our peace remains Jesus Christ.
When we understand this truth, we can stop measuring our relationship with God only by how we feel on a particular day.
For example, a believer may experience fear or uncertainty during a difficult season. Those feelings do not automatically mean that God has rejected them or that their relationship with Him has disappeared.
We can return to God’s Word and remember that our peace with Him rests on the work of Christ.
Remember: Our peace with God is established through Jesus Christ and is not dependent on constantly feeling peaceful.
5. We Are Called to Fellowship with God
Key Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV)
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God has not called us merely to know facts about Him. He has called us into fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Fellowship involves sharing in a relationship. As believers, we can grow in our knowledge of God through His Word, prayer, obedience, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
We should not think of fellowship as something we must purchase through religious performance. Rather, we can enjoy our relationship with God while allowing His Word to teach us how to live.
Just as a person develops a relationship by spending time with someone and learning to understand them, we grow in our understanding of God as we learn what He has revealed about Himself in Scripture.
We must also remember that our understanding of God should be grounded in His Word rather than in every feeling, dream, or personal impression we experience.
Remember: Fellowship with God grows as we learn His truth and live in the reality of our relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
6. Our New Relationship Should Influence How We Live
Key Scripture: Colossians 1:10 (KJV)
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Understanding our relationship with God should influence our daily choices.
We are not called to live carelessly simply because we have received grace. Instead, grace gives us a foundation from which we can grow in love, wisdom, faithfulness, and good works.
When we understand that we belong to God, we can learn to treat others with patience, forgive those who hurt us, speak truthfully, and serve without constantly seeking recognition.
Our conduct does not purchase our relationship with God. Rather, our lives should increasingly reflect the truth we have received.
Spiritual growth is a process of learning, understanding, and applying God’s Word. We should therefore remain willing to be taught and corrected as we mature in Christ.
Remember: We do not live well to earn a relationship with God; we learn to live according to His truth because of the relationship we have received through Christ.
Lesson Takeaway
Through Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God, justified by faith, and given access to Him. We can know Him as our Father, enjoy fellowship with Him, and live with confidence in the relationship He has provided.
Our relationship with God is not built on fear, religious performance, or the need to earn His acceptance. It is grounded in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
As we understand this truth, we can grow in fellowship with God and allow His Word to shape our daily lives.
Central Truth: Jesus Christ has brought us into a new relationship with God. We can now live from the assurance of what He has accomplished rather than continually striving to earn what God has already given us through Him.