Post by foxjj on Jan 8, 2019 1:02:23 GMT
If You Had Asked Me
If you had asked me some years ago; "what do you believe you must do to get to Heaven?" Like most of the people that I knew at that time, my answer would have been; "why believe in God of course." Down through history there have been, and still are, various religion’s teaching their followers belief in different gods. Will all of these belief systems get their adherents into heaven? Is a belief in God, or even many gods enough? James, the brother of Jesus, wrote: "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder." (James 2:19). If even the demons believe in God, is just having a belief in God the way for one to get into heaven?
When Paul and Silas were asked concerning salvation, (which means going to heaven) they answered; "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31.) Again there are many who say that they believe in the historical Jesus, however believing in a historical man does not guarantee getting into Heaven. There is a critical difference in the usage of the word believe. First there is the nominal, which means a token belief, where one has a vague understanding.
The second, and most important usage of believe, is when a Christian states that they believe in Jesus because, they are saying that they rely on, and totally trust in Him alone for Salvation. According to Scripture, there are no human systems that can get a person into Heaven. It was Jesus who said: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins."(John 8:24) Consequently, it is not a belief in a system, but belief in, and total reliance upon Jesus Christ as the only Savior.
Through this act of laying all of our trust in Him, we become children of God. In John 1:12-13, we read: "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." By becoming children of God, we will live for eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and Jesus our Savior. What a wonderful promise. What a wonderful hope.
Today, let us give thanks for Jesus our Savior and Lord.
John Joseph Fox.
If you had asked me some years ago; "what do you believe you must do to get to Heaven?" Like most of the people that I knew at that time, my answer would have been; "why believe in God of course." Down through history there have been, and still are, various religion’s teaching their followers belief in different gods. Will all of these belief systems get their adherents into heaven? Is a belief in God, or even many gods enough? James, the brother of Jesus, wrote: "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder." (James 2:19). If even the demons believe in God, is just having a belief in God the way for one to get into heaven?
When Paul and Silas were asked concerning salvation, (which means going to heaven) they answered; "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31.) Again there are many who say that they believe in the historical Jesus, however believing in a historical man does not guarantee getting into Heaven. There is a critical difference in the usage of the word believe. First there is the nominal, which means a token belief, where one has a vague understanding.
The second, and most important usage of believe, is when a Christian states that they believe in Jesus because, they are saying that they rely on, and totally trust in Him alone for Salvation. According to Scripture, there are no human systems that can get a person into Heaven. It was Jesus who said: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins."(John 8:24) Consequently, it is not a belief in a system, but belief in, and total reliance upon Jesus Christ as the only Savior.
Through this act of laying all of our trust in Him, we become children of God. In John 1:12-13, we read: "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." By becoming children of God, we will live for eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and Jesus our Savior. What a wonderful promise. What a wonderful hope.
Today, let us give thanks for Jesus our Savior and Lord.
John Joseph Fox.