THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW CONTRASTED 3

17 AND MOSES BROUGHT THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TO MEET WITH GOD, AND THEY STOOD AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN.
18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.
20 THEN THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI, ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. AND THE LORD CALLED MOSES TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND MOSES WENT UP.
21 AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, “GO DOWN AND WARN THE PEOPLE, LEST THEY BREAK THROUGH TO GAZE AT THE LORD, AND MANY OF THEM PERISH.
22 ALSO LET THE PRIESTS WHO COME NEAR THE LORD CONSECRATE THEMSELVES, LEST THE LORD BREAK OUT AGAINST THEM.”
Exodus 19:17-22 (NKJV)

18 FOR YOU HAVE NOT COME TO THE MOUNTAIN THAT MAY BE TOUCHED AND THAT BURNED WITH FIRE, AND TO BLACKNESS AND DARKNESS AND TEMPEST,
19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.”
21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
22 BUT YOU HAVE COME TO MOUNT ZION AND TO THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, TO AN INNUMERABLE COMPANY OF ANGELS,
23 TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN WHO ARE REGISTERED IN HEAVEN, TO GOD THE JUDGE OF ALL, TO THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT,
24 TO JESUS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, AND TO THE BLOOD OF SPRINKLING THAT SPEAKS BETTER THINGS THAN THAT OF ABEL."
Hebrews 12:18-24 (NKJV)

As a new testament believer, you should not see God as a God Who is vicious or dreadful or dangerously aggressive or wicked and precarious or uncertain or unsteady and a God that could not be pleased or difficult to be pleased.
In some other religions, the God they presented to be God of heaven whom they claimed to be serving or worshipping is precarious and could not be predicted or be satisfied or pleased. As a result of this, they could not be ascertained whether they would make heaven after their journey on the earth or not, until they get to Him and He weighs their good and bad deeds before He determines whether there would be a place for them in their own version of heaven or not.
They do believe that they are not worthy to be called children of God—sons and daughters of God.
What I have just shared here is the God being presented in the Islamic religion.

Believers in Christ Jesus are to relate with the God of the new testament in a Father-son or Father-daughter relationship (John 4:23,24).
We, believers in Christ Jesus, are members of the family of God (Ephesians 3:14,15). This family of God consists of the believers who had passed on to glory and the believers who are still here on the earth. This whole family of God in heaven and on earth are named after Him: " . . . AND PRAY TO THE FATHER OF ALL THE GREAT FAMILY OF GOD—SOME OF THEM ALREADY IN HEAVEN AND SOME DOWN HERE ON EARTH" (Ephesians 3:15 the Living Bible).
READ: Ephesians 2:11-13; 1 Peter 2:9,10

This is one of the reasons why Christianity or being a believer in Christ Jesus could not be grouped or considered to be part of the religions of the world.
Christianity or being born-again is all about establishing a relationship with God through Christ Jesus (Romans 10:9,10), and walking in communion or fellowship with Him.
The Bible is given as the guide for believers with the assistant and help of the Holy Spirit:
a. Through the Bible you learn from the lives of those who had walked with God (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:1-12).
b. You also learn from those who succeed among them, what made them succeed, and those who failed in their walk with God, what made them fail.
The believers are expected to be conversant with the Bible, through the help of the Holy Spirit, and learn how to walk with this God and not to repeat the mistakes of those who failed in their walk with Him (1 Corinthians 10:11).
This is the reason why no one can understand and walk intimately with this God without being conversant with the Bible. The Bible is the guide or map for the believers' journey on the earth—in their pilgrimage or journey to heavenly planet (Hebrews 12:1,2; 1 Peter 2:11).

If you are born-again, you are not called into religion but into relationship and communion or fellowship with God.
Build your relationship with God by presenting your body as a living sacrifice to God and be renewed in your mind (Romans 12:1,2).
If the two steps mentioned in Romans 12:1,2 are taken, your relationship and fellowship with God would be cordial and spiral up to become friendship (John 15:15).
The friendship level is attained through obedience to God's commands and the specific instructions given by Him through the Holy Spirit on the inside of you (John 15:14).

Are you a friend of God?
The journey to become God's friend starts with being born-again. If you are yet to do that, take the step now (2 Corinthians 6:1,2).

You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Should there be any sickness in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' mighty name.
Peace.

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!