Most Christians know belief in Jesus as Lord is required for eternal life with God, but many are not understanding of God's definition of the word "belief". What does it mean to "believe" in Jesus?
From God's perspective, belief in His Son Jesus Christ means to have faith in Him. Believing Jesus is God is one thing, but having the faith to trust Him in and for all things requires the intimacy of relationship. To the world this is foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21, and 2:14) How can we have a relationship with a person who lived and died nearly 2000 years ago?
Salvation is truly a mystery because it is of God and not of man (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 3:4), but with salvation comes the knowledge of our true standing before God. Suffice it to say that, often for the first time, we see ourselves and the world the way God sees us - totally depraved compared to Him and His Son Jesus. (Hosea 5:2, Acts 8:22, Romans 1:29) This introspection of humility manifesting itself within our prideful, arrogant human existence is the exclusive domain of God. Man is incapable of achieving it on our own.
When God calls seeking a greater relationship we can answer Him wisely in faith or continue in the foolishness of the world. Ponder the words of missionary Jim Elliott:
"Wise is the man who gives what he can not keep, for that which he can not lose".
God loves us as His children, and has a wonderful plan for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11-14) We can begin this day on our own, or take His hand in faith, holding fast throughout the day come what may. He loves us enough to allow us the choice.
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .
October 30
Faith
Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. "We know that all things work together for good . . ." ( Romans 8:28 ) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, "Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word" (for example, see Matthew 6:33 ). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" ( John 14:9 ) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
