Post by James Blankenship on Apr 5, 2012 20:31:02 GMT -5
There is much confusion among those who do NOT have that personal relationship with Christ, as to what being "saved" really means.
Most all non-believers think that, (thanks in no small part to the catholic church for this), that all you have to do is simply have to believe in Christ, & that will be enough to get you into heaven.
A nice thought, but I am afraid not at all Biblical.
To simply believe in God will not "save" you, if you don't do anything with it.
You can believe that it will be a good day at work, but if you don't GO to work, what good is your belief?
If the Apostles just "BELIEVED", but didn't ACT on that belief, how would the gospel have been spread?
Knowing Christ is a two step process:
Believe:
John 3:16 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
and receive:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
If you don't act ON your belief, your belief doesn't count worth a wooden nickle.
Here are 2 more examples.
When the ancient Jews, believed and ACTED on their belief, by following the 10 commandments & the Levitical laws, what was the result?
Not only did God provide for their every need, but, they were an unstoppable force.
But when they didn't act on their beliefs, they were constantly overrun & captured.
Than we look at the Jewish leadership during the time of Christ.
They believed in God, but as Jesus said here:
Matthew 23:13-33 (New International Version)
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Now what do we see here?
We see that the Jewish leaders are so attached to their traditions, that they have become incapable of seeing the truth of what Scripture said.
And proved, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah that was promised FROM their Scripture.
The CHOSE to hold onto their traditions, & NOT act on the truth of Scripture.
And what was their fate?
They denied Christ, & they accused Jesus of doing His miracles by the power of the devil, thus condemning themselves to hell, as well as securing the destruction of Jerusalem.
If they HAD ACTED on what their own Scripture had said, they wouldn't have been condemned, & while I can't prove this, the future of Jerusalem might have been very different.
If "believing" in God was enough to earn us a place in heaven, than what was the need for Christ to be born, live, preach, be captured, crucified, & rise from the dead in the first place?
No.
Belief or non-belief in Christ requires action.
Look at what Scripture says here:
Hebrews 2:2-4 (New International Version)
2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Look especially at verse 3:
......"3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?"
That is the question that ever man, & woman must ask themselves:
Believe & ACT on their belief in Christ
or
Not believe & act on that unbelief.
Either way, action is required on that belief or non-belief.
For that action will determine a persons fate-heaven or the Lake of Fire.
James
Most all non-believers think that, (thanks in no small part to the catholic church for this), that all you have to do is simply have to believe in Christ, & that will be enough to get you into heaven.
A nice thought, but I am afraid not at all Biblical.
To simply believe in God will not "save" you, if you don't do anything with it.
You can believe that it will be a good day at work, but if you don't GO to work, what good is your belief?
If the Apostles just "BELIEVED", but didn't ACT on that belief, how would the gospel have been spread?
Knowing Christ is a two step process:
Believe:
John 3:16 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
and receive:
John 1:12 (New International Version, ©2010)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
If you don't act ON your belief, your belief doesn't count worth a wooden nickle.
Here are 2 more examples.
When the ancient Jews, believed and ACTED on their belief, by following the 10 commandments & the Levitical laws, what was the result?
Not only did God provide for their every need, but, they were an unstoppable force.
But when they didn't act on their beliefs, they were constantly overrun & captured.
Than we look at the Jewish leadership during the time of Christ.
They believed in God, but as Jesus said here:
Matthew 23:13-33 (New International Version)
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Now what do we see here?
We see that the Jewish leaders are so attached to their traditions, that they have become incapable of seeing the truth of what Scripture said.
And proved, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah that was promised FROM their Scripture.
The CHOSE to hold onto their traditions, & NOT act on the truth of Scripture.
And what was their fate?
They denied Christ, & they accused Jesus of doing His miracles by the power of the devil, thus condemning themselves to hell, as well as securing the destruction of Jerusalem.
If they HAD ACTED on what their own Scripture had said, they wouldn't have been condemned, & while I can't prove this, the future of Jerusalem might have been very different.
If "believing" in God was enough to earn us a place in heaven, than what was the need for Christ to be born, live, preach, be captured, crucified, & rise from the dead in the first place?
No.
Belief or non-belief in Christ requires action.
Look at what Scripture says here:
Hebrews 2:2-4 (New International Version)
2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Look especially at verse 3:
......"3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?"
That is the question that ever man, & woman must ask themselves:
Believe & ACT on their belief in Christ
or
Not believe & act on that unbelief.
Either way, action is required on that belief or non-belief.
For that action will determine a persons fate-heaven or the Lake of Fire.
James
