There is a huge amount of misunderstanding that comes into the word ‘believe’ when it comes to Jesus Christ. Many believe if we simply ‘believe’ we are saved, and boiled down to its core, that is true, but we know that there is a difference between believing Jesus existed, believing He is the Son of God, believing He was God incarnate, and believing in His Way, or His teachings. How is it we are born again? Today, I would like to explore this a little.

If someone believes Jesus existed as a man, then they are believing what billions have believed. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and even some Atheists believe that Jesus was literally a man who lived in the first century. They do not dispute this, but this belief does not bring them salvation. If it did, then everyone who met Jesus in His life would be saved including the Pharisees, Pilate, and all who opposed Him. We know this is not the case.

Believing He is the Lord, the Son of God, would seem to be sufficient, but there is far more to it to simply believing in His existance or His divine nature…

James 2:19
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

If the demons believe there is one God and yet they are condemned – what can be said for those of us who reject Jesus Christ and His Way?

Jesus Himself had the following to say concerning some who call Him Lord…

Matthew 7
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

It is plain to see that many who call Jesus ‘Lord’ are not saved, but why? They do not do the will of His Father. Jesus goes so far as to call them evildoers! So how could someone be an evil-doer yet still prophesy, drive out demons, and perform miracles? The name of Jesus is powerful! God honors His Son as He sees fit. But just because God honors the name of His Son, that doesn’t mean God necessarily approves of the one who speaks His name.

Luke 10:20 …do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

What matters is NOT that ‘spirits’ submit to us, because they aren’t submitting to us but to the name of Christ. What matters is our names are written in Heaven. I believe people get caught up in the fever of the name of Jesus can supernaturally move mountains – but they are celebrating over the wrong thing.

Through Christ, God has offered salvation, but the path is narrow, and few will find it. Why is that? I believe its our understanding of the word believe and how it impacts our mindset.

John 14:15
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

I we truly believe in Christ – we will love Him. If we love Him – we will strive to be as He was on this planet. He becomes our role model. We will do as He taught us.

For example, I believe dieting and exercise will lead to weight loss. In fact, I KNOW it will, but if I know these things and do not do them, then I won’t lose any weight at all… at least not because of dieting and exercise.

If I believe in Jesus Christ – I will do what He taught – and I will become a child of God through the Holy Spirit under the grace and forgiveness He poured out through His Son.

None of us are perfect – and we all fall short of the Glory of God – but we have no excuse for not striving daily to be more and more like Christ. Jesus gave us clear teaching and demonstrations as to how He wants us to live our lives, and we can know what He taught through the Gospels as if we wrote them our selves, but if we do nothing to put those teachings in effect in our lives, then we are not truly ‘believing’ in Him the way we need to be.

Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Christians have to constantly be striving towards being more like Christ. He knows who is born again and who is ‘born pretend’. He knows our hearts and knows if we are making genuine efforts to be as He wants us to be. We can fool ourselves; we can fool others; but we cannot fool our Father. 

Excuses

We all have em – and they all stink… no matter what your belief is… Christian, Atheist, or otherwise – it seems everything is spawned from excuses…

Jesus teaches us to rise above the urge to strike back…

Matthew 5
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus calls us to ignore the attacks, insults, and such – yet we all too often fall short. What happens when someone says – hey man – you’re an idiot? Typically the person who was offended replies with his own insult, and so on and so on.

Galatians 5:15?If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other

We are blessed who participate on Youtube are blessed the sense that we have seen this. We have seen how people attacking people has devoured whole accounts. We’ve seen atheists destroyed in attacks with fellow atheists – and we’ve seen Christian ministries go from powerful tools of God to insignificance because of their refusal to humble themselves and simply do as Jesus teaches. The thing about the teachings of Christ and His Apostles is you can see them demonstrated in all walks of life, regardless of the titles assigned to people.

The excuses used to justify the continuation of drama and tension boils down to eye for an eye, but the answer out of this is – the way to end the cycle of drama is not eye for an eye – its turn the other cheek… and to love our enemy.

What does that do? If someone calls you an idiot – and you refuse to bite back – what does that do to the one who cast the insult? It either leaves them boiling in their own anger, which leads to self-destruction or it touches their heart and changes the whole situation.

Ultimately though, it ends the dispute – because you refuse to feed the fire of hatred.

For those of you who follow Jesus – you know exactly what I am talking about – as I am sure you’ve seen this lesson play out in your own lives… for those who don’t yet know Christ – I pray that you’ll give this simple principal a shot – test the Lord in this – and see if it isn’t so. See if the circle of drama isn’t stopped when you simply humble yourself and let it go.

I thank you for your time,

GBU and HJD

ChristoferL