Conclusion

Fresh Beginnings
Are Always
Possible

All of us are called to manifest divine love to others, especially to our spouses. Our standard is to be the love of God Himself.

Now there are those of you who have read this book and have concluded, “What a standard! I can’t possibly reach that standard of love.”

You’re right. By yourself and in your own power, you cannot. The good news is that you, as a Christian, can live a pleasing life because you are bound to the infinite Spirit of God, who is not bound to human limitations. You can reside in faithfulness, purity, and holiness in all aspects of life because you know that God is dwelling with you and in you and is always there when you call upon Him.

If you do not have a relationship with God, I encourage you to accept the relationship God offers you. God freely offers you His forgiveness and the hope of heaven. All you need to do is to receive His gift—to admit that you are a sinner in need of His forgiveness, to acknowledge the substitutionary death that

Jesus Christ died on the cross, and to receive that provision as being sufficient for your salvation.

I became a Christian during my junior year of college. I was a fallen individual, sinful, lost, condemned, and on my way to eternal punishment. Then a fellow student came into my dorm room and shared with my roommate God’s plan for salvation. I listened over his shoulder and realized the simplicity and yet profound wonder of God’s provision: Jesus Christ died upon a cross at Calvary for my sin and in my place, and by having faith in His shed blood, I could reach out and receive God’s gift of forgiveness and salvation. I knelt and prayed a short time later, “Lord God, I have sinned. I am empty and can’t make it on my own. I ask You to forgive me of my sins and to come into my life. I take Jesus as my Savior. I am going to quit trying to live on my own, and I choose instead to put my trust in You.” I received Christ. From that moment, old things passed away and all things became new.

The wonderful hope of God’s love is that at any time in our lives, if we come to God with a sorrowful, humble heart, He will forgive us and create in us a new opportunity, a clean slate, a new beginning.

God does not love us because we are spotless; rather, He loves us because we are His creations and He forgives us because we have placed our trust in His Son, the spotless Savior. You cannot save yourself. God knows that. He sent His Son to do the job.

HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE

A man was baptized in a river, and as the preacher immersed him into the water and lifted him back to his feet, he said, “Your sins are washed away.” The man replied, “God help the fish.”

You may be feeling that way today. As you have read this book, you may have found yourself saying, “I’ve really blown it. I’ve really messed up with God.”

The good news is that Jesus Christ died upon a cross for all of our sins. No matter how many times you have sinned or how foul in nature your sins may have been, God desires to forgive you and set you on a new path.

Peter came to Jesus one day and asked, “How often should we forgive those who sin against us?” Jesus answered, “Seventy times seven.” His answer was a shorthand way of saying, “Every time the person sins against you.” If God expects and enables us to forgive other people for all of their transgressions against us, surely God the Father stands ready to forgive us each and every time we fail, confess our sins to Him, and ask Him to forgive us and help us to live repentant and renewed lives.

Ask God to forgive you. And then receive His forgiveness and move forward in your life, trusting that the slate has been wiped clean and you are free of your past nature and sin.

The Holy Spirit has been given to us as believers in Christ Jesus to help us do the right things and obey God not only in our hearts and attitudes, but also in our words and deeds.

Ask God by His Holy Spirit to help you discern His will and then have the courage to do it. Ask Him to help you change your bad habits and transform your thinking and attitudes into those that conform to His Word.

START OVER

Start over from where you are right now. If you have been sexually promiscuous in the past, choose to be chaste and pure from this point forward.

If you are living with someone outside the vows of marriage, break off the living arrangement. One of you needs to move out. You need to create a new environment for a proper courtship. If you have made a mistake in your past, trust God to forgive you, to cleanse you fully of that mistake, and to prepare you for the spouse He has for you in your future. Rise from your knees forgiven, but sin no more. Pour your ointment on His feet and weep. Rise as the apostle Matthew once rose from his tax office and followed Jesus unreservedly to a new life.

To those who are divorced, I offer the same encouragement. Ask God to forgive you of your past and to help you learn from your mistake, to cause you to mature in your faith, and to prepare you for the future He has for you.

AIM FOR GOD’S HIGHEST

If you feel as if God has set the standard too high for you to ever reach it, even though you have experienced God’s forgiveness for your sinful nature, my advice to you is, “Give it your best effort, and trust God to help you.”

If you fail again, ask for God’s forgiveness again, give His commandments your best effort, and trust God to help you. Never give up on God’s ability to forgive. Never quit when it comes to obedience. Why? Because you must never give up on God’s indwelling presence to help you obey and to be transformed in your innermost being so that you will exhibit godly character and right behavior.

Continually seek God’s best, and above all, continually seek God. He is your Helper in any time of trouble, in any decision, and in any relationship.

God desires for you to experience the fullness of joy made possible through love, sexual intimacy, and romance. Trust God to help you find and develop a relationship that is anchored in Him. And then enjoy to the maximum His wonderful gift to you!