The New Year starts next week.  Are you ready to start over?

I know; the calendar and I are not in agreement. Culture puts New Year’s a week after Christmas; the marketplace tradition sees Labor Day as the end-of-summer, and the day-after is a reset and restart of serious initiatives. There’s merit to seeing opportunity re-emerging just before you.

The last 18 months have been garbled.  A contested election; chaos in the streets; supply chains broken while financial markets have hit all-time records; nothing is as-was/as-is. The horizon in front of you is yours to pursue: how do you maximize your life as tomorrow opens up for the bold?

In the next four weeks, I’m putting the four most important principles and prerequisites for life – based on eternal truth that is still in effect – into clarity, with a challenge to confirm your agreement.

Today is #1; nothing of value for you – today, tomorrow, or the next century – can precede this in importance. The first order of business for you to confirm: are you a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, on his terms?

Nicodemus was among the most elite religious leaders of Jesus’ day when he orchestrated a private meeting with Jesus to talk shop. Jesus recognized him as a biblical scholar, though he had no relationship with the God who wrote the Scriptures. Jesus rocked him when he exposed Nicodemus’ ignorance of the basics: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again… “You are Israel’s teacher, and do you not understand these things?” (John 3:3, 10).

The thief crucified next to Jesus was the cultural antithesis to Nicodemus, but his savvy about spiritual truth allowed him to cut to the chase, with just minutes to live: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:40-43).

The starting point for life isn’t the day you’re born; it’s the day you’re born again. Whether the moment of spiritual transformation happens in youth, in midlife, or moments before the end: the life that matters starts there. How do you know if you’re on the right side of that decision?

Paul spent years in ancient Corinth, making tents with Aquila and Priscilla while sharing the Gospel with Gentiles in the marketplace and forming a church with the converts. After he left the city, he stayed in touch with that church through correspondence, teaching them from a distance. Two of those letters are part of the New Testament; near the end of the second, he gives this intriguing directive: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

In recent surveys, 30% of Americans claim a born-again experience; 20 years ago, it was 40%. Then as now, only half practice their faith as part of a church. Answering questions about their beliefs, it’s startling to see how many hold the Bible as less-than divinely inspired and believe there are alternative ways to gain Heaven – including other religious paths – apart from a saving faith in Jesus. 

If you asked Jesus if that was possible, his answer today would be the same he offered at the Last Supper: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Peter heard that clear statement, then echoed it a few weeks later at Pentecost: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

May I risk insult to get in your face with the most important question you’ll ever answer? Are you in the faith – as God would define it – and trusting Jesus as the only way to get into Heaven? That’s Issue #1 for your go-forward future. Don’t waffle on that; there’s only one right answer…