Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 1:1-4 (TNIV)

Here Paul cuts to the chase about Jesus and the Gospel. Regarding the latter, it is from God, which means we have a choice to make about it. The Gospel is no human invention as some have charged. Rather it is God’s Good News to us about how he has acted on our behalf  in Jesus concerning the alienation our sin has caused and the death to which that alienation inevitably leads. Paul reminds us that if we reject the Gospel, we are rejecting God and his grace demonstrated toward us.

Paul also reminds us that Jesus’ resurrection validated who Jesus was—God himself who became human for our sake.

Two centuries later, this existential choice remains for us. As our Lord asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29), so he asks us and we will eventually have to answer, whether we want to or not.

What about you? Will we choose life or death?

I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: Just hovering over the great gulf; until, in a few moments, I am seen no more: I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, — the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended [in Jesus] to teach the way: For this very end he came from heaven. He has written it down in a book. O give me that book [the Bible]! At any price give me the book of God! I have it: Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri [a man of one book]. (1) Here then I am, far from the busy ways of people. I sit down alone: Only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his book, for this end, to find the way to heaven [emphasis mine]. Is there a doubt concerning the meaning of what I read? Does anything appear dark or intricate? I lift up my heart to the Father of Lights: — “Lord, is this not your word, ‘If anyone lacks wisdom, let them ask of God?’ You ‘give liberally, and scold not.’ You have said, ‘If any be willing to do your will, he shall know.’ I am willing to do so, let me know your will.” I then search after and consider parallel passages of Scripture, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” I meditate  thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which my mind is capable. If any doubt still remains, I consult those who are experienced in the things of God.

—Preface to the Sermons 5.3

Here Wesley takes us to school on how to read the Bible, offering us excellent and practical advice. First, make time each day and be as regular about it as you can. Make this time a priority over everything else. Second, ask God to give you understanding when you come across difficult or obscure passages. Third, always interpret Scripture with Scripture, a sound and essential method for studying God’s Word. Fourth, if understanding still doesn’t come, consult those who have experience with God and interpreting his word. In practical terms, this means buying a reliable study bible or some commentary.

If you want to really read and study God’s word but are unsure of how to do so or where to start, listen to Fr. John here. God will bless you and your efforts.

When God says to you, “Ask what you will,” what request will you make? Think hard! Expand your greed as far as you can! Ask for the whole earth and its people as slaves. Then ask for the sea, even though you can’t live in it. Ask for the air as well, even though you cannot fly. Lift your longing even to the sky and say that you want the sun and the moon and the starts. All these things are precious in their own way but nothing is more precious than the God who made them. What he wants to give you is himself. If you have discovered anything better than that, go ahead and ask for it.

—Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 34 1.12

You have to love Augustine. Ever the clear-eyed realist, here again Augustine summarizes the plight of human condition. Without the sin of pride, why would we want anything else more than God? Why would we make anything a greater priority than life? Why would we choose things that are temporary and lead to nowhere?

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word,
rise up and follow thee.

O sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

—John Greenleaf Whittier

God will know how to draw glory even from our faults. Not to be downcast after committing a fault is one of the marks of true sanctity.

—Dom Augustin Guillerand

Almighty God, who have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Basil of Caesarea, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

If you find it hard to believe in God, I strongly advise you to begin your search not with philosophical questions about the existence and being of God, but with Jesus of Nazareth. Most people, like myself, feel on more solid ground when we are thinking and talking about Jesus Christ. The concept of God as he is in himself is beyond us. But with Jesus of Nazareth we are dealing with a historical person. Besides, we believe that this was God’s purpose. God himself is infinite in his being and altogether beyond our reach and comprehension. That is why he has taken the initiative to reveal himself — for we could never come to know him otherwise. And the climax of his self-revelation was the coming of his Son in human flesh. God means us to approach him through Jesus Christ, not the other way round. So if you can’t believe in God, let me urge you to read the four gospels which tell the story of Jesus. I’m astonished how many intelligent people haven’t read the gospels since they were kids at school. But if you read again the story of Jesus, and read it as an honest and humble seeker, Jesus Christ is able to reveal himself to you, and thus make God the Father real to you.

—Dr. John R.W. Stott, I Believe in God

Why is a propitiation [the satisfying or appeasing of God’s holy wrath] necessary? The pagan answer is because the gods are bad-tempered, subject to moods and fits, and capricious. The Christian answer is because God’s holy wrath rests on evil. There is nothing unprincipled, unpredictable or uncontrolled about God’s anger; it is aroused by evil alone. Secondly, the author. Who undertakes to do the propitiating? The pagan answer is that we do. We have offended the gods; so we must appease them. The Christian answer, by contrast, is that we cannot placate the righteous anger of God. We have no means whatever by which to do so. But God in his undeserved love has done for us what we could never do by ourselves.  God presented him (i.e., Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement. John wrote similarly: ‘God … loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice (hilasmos) for our sins’ (1 Jn. 4:10). The love, the idea, the purpose, the initiative, the action and the gift were all God’s. Thirdly, the nature. How has the propitiation been accomplished? What is the propitiatory sacrifice? The pagan answer is that we have to bribe the gods with sweets, vegetable offerings, animals, and even human sacrifices. The Old Testament sacrificial system was entirely different, since it was recognized that God himself has ‘given’ the sacrifices to his people to make atonement (e.g. Lv. 17:11). And this is clear beyond doubt in the Christian propitiation, for God gave his own Son to die in our place, and in giving his Son he gave himself (Rom. 5:8; 8:32). In sum, it would be hard to exaggerate the differences between the pagan and the Christian views of propitiation. In the pagan perspective, human beings try to placate their bad-tempered deities with their own paltry offerings. According to the Christian revelation, God’s own great love propitiated [satisfied] his own holy wrath through the gift of his own dear Son, who took our place, bore our sin and died our death. Thus God himself gave himself to save us from himself.

—Dr. John R.W. Stott, The Message of Romans 114.