**Daily Devotional** **September 20** *3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. - 1 John 1:3 (KJV)* This verse and many others, make it clear that the whole purpose of salvation (John 3:16) is to bring us back into a close relationship with God, as that is what everlasting life is (John 17:3). Almost all preachers teach that you need to get saved so you won’t go to hell, and that is a true statement, but that is not why Jesus came to die for us. It was because the Father wanted to again be able to have a close relationship with His people. It was all about God, and not about us. Jesus and God do love us unconditionally, and that is wonderful, but we were made for God’s pleasure (Revelations 4:11), God was not created for our pleasure. Jesus came to save us because of what the Father wanted, not just so we wouldn’t go to hell, but that is a wonderful result of His sacrifice. The church today emphasizes salvation as being something for us, and we need to make believers truly understand that it is because God wants us to fellowship with Him. If a person only gets born again, and then does not enter into a close relationship with God, he is missing the whole point of salvation. I fear that applies to many Christians, and they are in danger of being among those that Jesus will say “I never knew you” on that Day of Judgment (Matthew 7:23). All Christians need to take our eyes off of ourselves, and keep them upon God and Jesus at all times, and quit being so self-centered. That is the only way that we will be sure that Jesus does know us in that day. Praise God for His Word. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com