How can I give my life to God?

what does the bible say?

Many people seek to find a cause to devote their lives to, something that will bring them a sense of meaning and purpose. Some seek a life purpose within relationships, accomplishing career goals, or having a family. Others devote themselves to academic study, philosophy, or social causes. None of these are bad, but they come up short on delivering a complete sense of meaning. Scripture teaches that we were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Adam and Eve had direct fellowship with God before the Fall; pre-Fall, He communicated directly with them and “walked” (figuratively) with them Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:8). Their sin broke that relationship (Genesis 3:6), but even then, God had a plan to restore us to relationship with Him through His Son (Genesis 3:15). The Bible teaches that anything besides a life devoted to Christ will come up short (Matthew 6:19-21; John 10:10). Because we were created by God in His image, we can only find our most meaningful lives by surrendering them to Him (Genesis 1:27; Colossians 1:16). Trusting in Jesus brings us a sense of purpose and instills meaning into every part of our lives.

from the old testament

• A life with God begins with knowing we were created to be in relational fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:27).
• We must also admit and confess that we have rebelled against Him and have walked away from a good life with Him (Genesis 3:10; Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9)
• But God has not abandoned us in our sin and shame (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 49:15-16; Lamentations 3:22-23; Zephaniah 3:17)

from the new testament

• To have a life with Jesus, we surrender our plans for our life over to Him. Matthew 16:24-25 records Jesus saying, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” We shouldn’t be like the rich young man whose heart was too tied to his wealth to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:10-22).
• We’re not to “lay up treasures . . . on earth” (Matthew 6:19) nor “work for the food that perishes (John 6:27). When we give our lives to God, we focus on His will.
• Christ was the ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12) who laid down His life (Mark 10:45) to set us free (Galatians 5:1)
• We are to offer our “bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), pursuing a life that is pleasing to Him (Colossians 1:10)
• While still in our sinful state, we can still have relationship with our holy God if we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9)

implications for today

Before we even had a chance to give our lives to God, He gave His life for us when Jesus died on the cross for our salvation and redemption from the penalty of sins: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16; see also Galatians 1:3–5). However, it is at the moment when we make the choice to give our lives to God that we get to fully experience the life He has provided for us. He gives us rest from the weariness of our souls and makes us new, forgiving us of our sins (Matthew 11:28; 2 Corinthians 5:17). So, how can we give our lives to God? We must first admit that we are sinners in need of a Savior (Psalm 32:5; Romans 3:23-24). We must choose to believe in Jesus as the only way to salvation (Acts 16:31; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and fully surrender our lives and wills to God (Romans 12:1). Confess your faith and commit your life to God with a prayer, such as this: “Dear God, I come to you today acknowledging that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I thank you that you love me even in my sinful state. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son and that He died for me and was raised from the dead so that my sins could be forgiven. Please forgive me and cleanse me. I want to be your child. I want to be filled with your Spirit. I choose to live for you in every area of my life from this day forward.” When we give our lives to God, He sends the Holy Spirit to live within our spirits so we may truly live for God and have a personal relationship with Him (1 John 4:13; Acts 5:32; Romans 8:16). By putting our faith in Jesus, we belong to God and our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). This life we now live is for Christ, and God permeates our actions and decisions, as it was for the apostle Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). By having the Holy Spirit, we are truly transformed. Our desires and tendencies lean toward God and away from our former worldly pursuits. We look to God’s Word (the Bible) to get to know Him better and to see how He would have us live. We spend time with God regularly in prayer. We fellowship with others who have also given their lives to God, mutually encouraging and exhorting one another. In our lives we aim to love God and love others, and we look to Him to give us wisdom in how to do so and to equip us to do so. Living for Christ is counter-cultural, but the Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to do so (Luke 9:23; Matthew 7:13; Titus 2:11-14).

Recap

understand

• We were created by God for relationship with Him, but sin separates us from that fellowship.
• Jesus gave His life to rescue us, and in return, calls us to surrender our lives fully to Him.
• When we give our lives to God, His Spirit transforms us to live with purpose, freedom, and love.

reflect

• What areas of your life are hardest for you to surrender to God’s control?
• How does knowing that God gave His life for you change your view of giving your life to Him?
• What would it look like for you to live each day as a living sacrifice to God?

engage

• What does it truly mean for us to live surrendered lives to God, individually and together?
• How can we help each other identify and release the things that compete with full devotion to God?
• How can we reflect the transformation that comes from a life fully given to Christ?