SUBJECT:  Getting Closer to God
 

QUESTION:  How do we get closer to God?

ANSWER:

You asked about how to get closer to God:  The obvious answer is to repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit of God by the laying on of hands.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

We get closer to God by entering into and remaining in the Process we call Salvation or the Road to Salvation.  This is also called the road to "perfection".

Hebrews 6:1-2

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Note:  See the phrase, "let us go on unto perfection"?  This is the road to Salvation.  It is a lifelong process that we will be involved in when Christ returns.

Luke 12:42-43

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

David was a "man after God's own heart" because he remained repentant and never left that process of moving toward perfection by overcoming sin....one step at a time, one moment at a time and one day at a time.

We overcome sin by controlling the mind and replacing the sin in our lives with Godly principles.  We replace bad thoughts with Godly thoughts.  As too controlling the mind, I just wrote an article on this subject which is located at our Church web site at: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/bibleclassspecificstudies7.php

The Godly principles are listed in Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

These Godly principles are created in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit that we receive at baptism.  Notice that the verse says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk (conduct ourselves) in the Spirit.  That is, allow Jesus Christ to be the light in you and produce these principles in you.  By invoking these fruits, we build righteous character and then...

...God is closer to us.

James 4:8-10

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Pray........for in doing so, you speak to God and He hears you

Meditate....for in doing so, God talks to you...imparts knowledge to you via the Holy Spirit

1 John 2:20

But ye have an unction from the Holy One (by power of the Holy Spirit), and ye know all things.

"Unction" means contact, an exchange of information; a giving of wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  When we are given His wisdom, knowledge and understanding, we grow closer to Him.

1 John 3:24

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Note:  Again we see that with God's Holy Spirit in us, we are close to God.

Galatians 4:4-6

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Note:  God sent forth His son that we might be closer to Him.  God's Spirit in us is the closest contact a person could possibly have.  It is Direct Contact.

See letter, “Closeness to God.”