October 12th 2014
Do You Believe Christ Died For You? Do You Really Believe It?
Galatians 2:20-21 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Do you believe the good deeds you may do will earn you a place in heaven? Some people believe that the good deeds they do somehow offset the evil things they do, and thus, they will gain a place in heaven. They believe God uses some kind of a scale to balance out their good/bad deeds, and thus, because they are better than some other people, they will be awarded heaven when they die. Two big problems with this kind of thought! First, you cannot know if you will go to heaven! Second, this is NOT what God’s Word says! See, it does make sense that the only way to heaven is by using the grace of God to get there! If you do not do this then, “Christ died for nothing!"
Paul wrote a letter to the church in Rome, and explained to them, and us, about what is required to gain your salvation, and thus, be awarded heaven. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:10) We must first believe, then we must confess our sinfulness, and then we can know that we have been saved by Jesus’ death on that cross! For some people this idea is too simple, and thus, they have doubts. Do you remember the story about the Apostle named Thomas, and how he doubted that Jesus arose from the dead? Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29)
A “Doubting Thomas” holds hope for all believers, as we all have had doubts about Jesus Christ being the Perfect sacrifice for our (my) sins! None of us will likely see Jesus and be able to see and feel the marks on His body, while we are still alive. Notice I have stated “it is not likely” we will be allowed to see and feel the marks on Jesus’ body from the crucifixion He suffered, while we are still alive. Please remember, nothing is impossible for God! The writer of Ecclesiastes was trying to assure himself and other believers too, how God created everything we see in this life, as being beautiful, but somehow a bit mystifying too. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Is your sinful nature keeping your eternal soul from experiencing a true freedom? Did Jesus make the perfect sacrifice for you, and you have accepted it, and you have admitted you are a sinner, and thus, your salvation has been completed? Some reading this believe that you must be baptized by emersion to complete your salvation! If your answer is yes, to the question, “has your salvation been completed” then be joyful and truly free! Are you still waiting for something else, something you still need before you can believe that salvation is a real condition you can grasp, while still living? Do not sell short what Jesus did on that cross, it is ALL that was needed to guarantee your salvation, as soon as you accept it! Believe it, and be free, now! Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
Have you accepted the truth yet? Have you equipped yourself with the truth of God? Do you have a plan for your life that includes reading the Scripture every day? All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Are you equipping yourself so that you can do good works?
Do you remember Jesus promise to His disciples while He still walked on this earth as a man? In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:2-6)
Here we have Thomas being brave enough to ask a very good question of Jesus. Have you been brave enough to ask good questions of Jesus in your prayers? David asked some very good questions of God, and he recorded them for us in the Psalms. Read about these questions, when you have some time, actually you should allow time for reading God’s Word every day. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:10-12) Is the Holy Spirit “guaranteed” to dwell forever in believers?
Jesus told His disciples why He must die and leave this world and that when He left the Holy Spirit would come into the world to convict all human beings in some way. I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11)
This Holy Spirit or Counsellor can only convict a person, but it cannot make them believe in Jesus Christ. John (the Baptist) was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:35-40) Reading the Scriptures is beneficial for you to believe in Jesus Christ, but as Jesus says, just studying them will not save you! Only believing in Him will save your immortal soul! No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (1 John 4:12, NLT) Jesus believes His disciples will love each other!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Galatians 2:20-21 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Do you believe the good deeds you may do will earn you a place in heaven? Some people believe that the good deeds they do somehow offset the evil things they do, and thus, they will gain a place in heaven. They believe God uses some kind of a scale to balance out their good/bad deeds, and thus, because they are better than some other people, they will be awarded heaven when they die. Two big problems with this kind of thought! First, you cannot know if you will go to heaven! Second, this is NOT what God’s Word says! See, it does make sense that the only way to heaven is by using the grace of God to get there! If you do not do this then, “Christ died for nothing!"
Paul wrote a letter to the church in Rome, and explained to them, and us, about what is required to gain your salvation, and thus, be awarded heaven. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:10) We must first believe, then we must confess our sinfulness, and then we can know that we have been saved by Jesus’ death on that cross! For some people this idea is too simple, and thus, they have doubts. Do you remember the story about the Apostle named Thomas, and how he doubted that Jesus arose from the dead? Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29)
A “Doubting Thomas” holds hope for all believers, as we all have had doubts about Jesus Christ being the Perfect sacrifice for our (my) sins! None of us will likely see Jesus and be able to see and feel the marks on His body, while we are still alive. Notice I have stated “it is not likely” we will be allowed to see and feel the marks on Jesus’ body from the crucifixion He suffered, while we are still alive. Please remember, nothing is impossible for God! The writer of Ecclesiastes was trying to assure himself and other believers too, how God created everything we see in this life, as being beautiful, but somehow a bit mystifying too. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Is your sinful nature keeping your eternal soul from experiencing a true freedom? Did Jesus make the perfect sacrifice for you, and you have accepted it, and you have admitted you are a sinner, and thus, your salvation has been completed? Some reading this believe that you must be baptized by emersion to complete your salvation! If your answer is yes, to the question, “has your salvation been completed” then be joyful and truly free! Are you still waiting for something else, something you still need before you can believe that salvation is a real condition you can grasp, while still living? Do not sell short what Jesus did on that cross, it is ALL that was needed to guarantee your salvation, as soon as you accept it! Believe it, and be free, now! Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
Have you accepted the truth yet? Have you equipped yourself with the truth of God? Do you have a plan for your life that includes reading the Scripture every day? All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Are you equipping yourself so that you can do good works?
Do you remember Jesus promise to His disciples while He still walked on this earth as a man? In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:2-6)
Here we have Thomas being brave enough to ask a very good question of Jesus. Have you been brave enough to ask good questions of Jesus in your prayers? David asked some very good questions of God, and he recorded them for us in the Psalms. Read about these questions, when you have some time, actually you should allow time for reading God’s Word every day. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:10-12) Is the Holy Spirit “guaranteed” to dwell forever in believers?
Jesus told His disciples why He must die and leave this world and that when He left the Holy Spirit would come into the world to convict all human beings in some way. I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11)
This Holy Spirit or Counsellor can only convict a person, but it cannot make them believe in Jesus Christ. John (the Baptist) was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:35-40) Reading the Scriptures is beneficial for you to believe in Jesus Christ, but as Jesus says, just studying them will not save you! Only believing in Him will save your immortal soul! No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (1 John 4:12, NLT) Jesus believes His disciples will love each other!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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