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Believe in What?
BELIEVE IN WHAT?
During a recent car trip, my wife had the radio turned to a station playing Christian music. The station segued to a sermon given by Dr. Adrian Rodgers. During the sermon, Dr. Rodgers stated that he once asked a person if they knew how to be saved. The person answered that one has “to believe” and he asked “believe what”? He asked another the same question and they said “you must have faith” and he asked “have faith in what”? What to believe and what to have faith in are the major road blocks of today’s Christianity. There seems to be a variety of answers and only a few have the correct one. Actually, it should be said that only a few have the correct lifestyle based on belief.
While reading some articles by Peter Goodgame, he stated that the initial message of John the Baptist was, “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. When Jesus entered the scene, His message and teaching was “repent, for the Kingdom of God is near”. To be honest, this message was like a slap in the face as a wakeup call. Not that I wasn’t unconsciously attempting to live in the Kingdom, but that I didn’t completely understand the gospel message of salvation. It’s not: believe in Jesus; ask Jesus into your heart; or make an altar call. I suppose all of those things are important but they are not the act of salvation. I see children, young people, and adults doing these things all the time but their subsequent lifestyle appears to undermine their supposed conversion.
NOTE: The book of Matthew uses the phrase, Kingdom of Heaven and the other synoptic gospels use Kingdom of God. Comparing parallel passages, it can be seen that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are the same.
There are 18 verses in the Gospels where Jesus said, “Follow me”. Nine examples of “repent” in the Gospels and 4 in the book of Acts. That is not a large number but it produces an important requirement. Luke 9:23 states the essence of the gospel message quite clearly. If anyone desires to be a follower of Jesus, he must repent (deny himself), do the works of the Kingdom of God (take up His cross daily), and follow Jesus (empty oneself of all conceit and selfish desire, being obedient to the Father to the point of death).
Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23 NET)
Is it enough to just believe that Jesus performed miracles, was crucified, arose to life after three days, and ascended into heaven? No, even the accuser not only believes that but also saw it take place. A group of Judeans followed Jesus due to the miracles He performed, but Jesus did not entrust himself to them.
Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. (John 2:23-24 NET)
Will people in the future be captivated by miracles? If so, they will really be entertained by the beast and false prophet.
And he doeth great wonders (miracles and signs), so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, (Revelation 13:13 KJV)
Many appear captivated right now. Articles are posted of dreams, visions, supposed words from God, angelic visitations and people flock to read them. The more brazen and idiotic the title, the more interest is inspired.
Is the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus unimportant? No, it is very important. Without the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as a substitute sacrifice for all people, the atonement would not be satisfied. However, believing that Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and ascended to heaven is not salvation, it is the reparation or payment for sin to God on the behalf of everyone. Salvation is achieved by: the sinner (all of us) must repent (apologize, be sorry), become a subject of the Kingdom of God (which is now but not yet fulfilled), worship the Son of God as the King of the Kingdom, love one’s neighbor as oneself, and, as stated earlier, empty oneself of all conceit and selfish desire, being obedient to the Father to the point of death.
Words of Jesus “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock”.
Toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made the statement given below.
On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ (Matthew 7:22-23 NET)
“On that day” is the day of judgment. It can be assumed that many about to enter the Lake of Fire will cry out that their earthly deeds should be considered as recompense rather than entry to the Lake. They will proclaim they prophesied in the Lord’s name, cast out demons, and performed many other deeds and they will most likely be correct – they did all those things. However, the Lord will say to them, “I never knew you” meaning they were never a subject of the Kingdom of God; they never worshipped Jesus as the King of the Kingdom; they never loved their neighbor as themselves; and they never emptied themselves of all conceit and selfish desire, being obedient to the Father to the point of death.
One commentator retranslated the phrase “go away from Me” as “you have been going away from Me your entire life, so continue going”.
For more information on the Kingdom of God, you may go to: Visualizations of The Kingdom of God / Come Out of Her, My People / The Kingdom of God Today / An Eye For An Eye / A Parable of the Kingdom of God / The Commandments of the Kingdom of God / The Gospel of Mark and the Kingdom of God / The True Vine & the Branches / The Rock & a Hot Place / Atonement
