BELIEVE IT OR NOT

It is amazing to know our salvation is based on belief or faith of which are basically translated as the same word in the Scriptures. Believe it or not. Believe it and we are saved or believe it NOT and we are not saved, but my friend there is more than belief alone that we need moving in our lives to be saved. In the world and even in the nominal, seeker sensitive, humanistic church of today we hear and read all we have to do is believe well I am here to tell you there is much more needed to be saved. Not only do we need to believe (to have an undying faith in the process of salvation), but there is a need to confess and repent. All three actions of the heart (not a mental action) need to be completed in our lives before we can be saved. I think the order goes something like this. First is confession. John tells us, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (John 1:8-10) The word "confess" here means we agree with what God is saying about us is true. Unless we come into agreement with God we cannot be saved. And God is saying about us that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and need a savior. Second is Repentance. Jesus Himself said, "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:2-5) This is plain as the nose on our face. There needs to be a change in our behavior. The word "repent" here is a British term which means to about face or go in another other direction. If what we are doing, that is sin, is taking us in a leftward direction then we need to repent and go right in the opposite direction. After these items are settled in our heart then and only then can we believe to a point where we can be saved. And the more we believe we have confessed our sin and the more we repent (go opposite of sin) the more we shall be saved. Sadly most denominations in the "Church" (especially in America we have gotten so high-minded) do not share this message. Most denominational churches teach to be saved all you have to do is repeat the sinner's prayer (prayer not found in the Scriptures) and believe Jesus died for your sins. Others tag on water baptism to be saved. The new movement in the Pentecostal and Charismatic world is keeping the law, rituals, customs, and feasts of the Old Testament. What foolishness! It is no wonder the unsaved world wants nothing to do with God. Most Christians are so fickle and dither over their salvation. Now I can understand why most, so called Christians, think they are saved but in reality their lives do not reflect their words. There is a huge disconnect between their lives and their belief. My friend God must be able to work in our lives in deep and painful (God's dealings and judgments) ways that most people (including myself at times) shun and reject. Most people do not like pain and suffering, that is me too, but God must be allowed to do a deeper work into our lives so He can take us to the next level of usefulness in Him. Our salvation is wrought through pain, tears, suffering, troubles, persecution, and the list goes on if we want God to take us on in Him to the next and a new levels of glory God has reserved for us. Christians outside the US know this truth all too well. We must come to a place in God where we see ourselves as being spiritually bankrupt (no value in us) and we are hopelessly lost without God working in our lives. Now this my friend is far beyond just believing and repeating a few words. Paul knew this. In Romans Paul laments, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:24-25) I wonder where he learned this? Paul learned this in the suffering and troubles he endured. Do we think God would have used Paul if he had not endured all of the suffering (as delineated in the Scriptures) in his life? Of course not. It was Paul willfully enduring the persecutions and afflictions (just read about Paul's life) that endeared Paul to God. Now I am not saying suffering alone will endear us to God, it will not, but suffering for the sake of Christ .. . . well, God will move mountains for us as we lick our wounds. This too is far beyond believing, believe it or not. Jesus in John tells us, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) What are we made free to? To walk with the Holy and living God. Well, how do we do this? God must be able to purify us, remove the dross, and the things of this world (by working in our lives) sufficiently enough to where we will be able function and move with Him now on earth and in the ages to come. Wow that is even further far beyond just believing. Believe it or not. Each of us who desires to personally know and serve the LORD must first make these life changing decisions to confess and repent. When we willingly do this our present relationship to the LORD and also our eternal position in the ages to come will be greatly affected. If we accept this challenge it becomes a daily reality in our lives. Many do not realize or take seriously the tremendous value of all that our LORD will make available to us as a result of the willing submission of our lives to Him and His Lordship. Yet the Scriptures tells us that our salvation is through faith, and is a gift of God. Paul again helps us here, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Once we satisfy the requirements for salvation (it is a free gift and we cannot work or earn it) confess, repent, and believe we will begin to face and make choices that affect our rate of spiritual growth as well as our position in the eternal ages before us. Therefore we must recognize that there are spiritual laws which apply to our spiritual development. This too is far beyond just believing. Did you know the LORD is much more interested in our coming into a quality relationship with Him than we are. So the LORD has placed within us not only the capacity for obedience, but also the potential to rebel. We may shake our fist against Him, if we so choose. Therefore, when we submit ourselves in joyful obedience to Him, in anticipation of all that will follow, we are not responding as puppets; but rather, out of a willing desire and love for Him. We have within us this power of choice to believe or not believe. This can be applied to any aspect of our lives where obedience is required by the LORD. Yet, if we look only toward being blessed or the reward we will miss something. We must press on for it is in the sufferings of the “refiner’s fire” that the pure gold (His divine nature) is brought forth in our lives. If we truly desire to follow the LORD then we must actively resist our flesh by denying our carnal desires and take up our own cross in obedience to His Word. The most important time for us in all of eternity is right now because there is no past or future only right now. We are making choices and decisions today that will affect our eternal position and reward. Eternal life is not future oh no we have that now as part of our salvation. “Where” we will be is a settled fact. “What” we will be in eternity will be the result of the accumulated choices and decisions that we are making now in our daily life experiences. Our present life (our spiritual development), primarily involves outworking of our willing obedience to Him in taking up our cross daily. The promise of the LORD is to him that overcomes. As we overcome through our willing obedience to the LORD He will bring into our lives experiences that will take us far beyond merely believing or not. Written by David Stahl