When it comes to becoming a true Christian, it is both easy and difficult. That might seem contradictory, but let me explain. God has made it very easy to come to Him and to be reconciled to Him. All we have to do is believe that Jesus lived, that He died for us, and that He rose again. Once we do that, we are clothed with His righteousness. We don't have to do anything more to be righteous in the eyes of God. Sounds easy, right? Well, as easy as it sounds, it is also difficult. It is difficult because belief can be a complicated thing for some of us. Let me give you an example:
Johnny goes to kiss his mother goodnight. Mom asks, "Johnny, do you know if your brother remembered to take out the trash?" Johnny thinks for a moment and says, "I believe he did."
Does Johnny really know whether his brother took out the trash or not? Maybe, but maybe not. We use the word "believe" lightly these days. Johnny might only have wanted to appease his mother without having to get anymore involved. If he had said, "I don't know," mom might have sent him to go find out. Maybe Johnny was being lazy and didn't want to go get his brother. Maybe Mom would have made him take out the trash instead of his brother. There are a lot of reasons why Johnny might have said, "I believe he did." Just saying you believe something doesn't necessarily mean you really believe it.
This is true of the Gospel as well. When people hear that all they need to do is believe that Jesus lived, that He died for us, and that He rose again, they sometimes jump at the chance to say, "Yes! I believe!" But do they? Maybe they are just saying what they think they need to say. I have come to the conclusion that many people think that by saying "I believe," they are saved. They go around telling people that they are a Christian. They may even go to church regularly, but what is it that they believe? They believe that saying "I believe!" is enough. It isn't.
The Apostle Paul says, "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." In another place he says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" It isn't enough to simply say you believe, you have to REALLY believe. How does one do that? How can you believe something that you didn't see? How can you trust someone you never knew? First of all, you need to find out who He is. Next you need to believe that He did what people claim He did. Last, you need to believe He accomplished what He came to accomplish. Is that possible? Absolutely!
Imagine that your mom tells you your great-grandfather George left you a million dollar inheritance, but you aren't allowed to receive it until you reach the age of 25. You never knew your great-grandfather, but from everything you've heard or read, it seems he did exist. You kind of doubt the inheritance story, but then you come across a letter from someone who knew him. In the letter, it states that the inheritance does exist and that it will go to the great-grandson of George. Soon afterward, you find several more letters that describe the inheritance and that it will go to George's great-grandson when he reaches the age of 25. Next you find a certificate of deposit for the million dollars. Do you believe it now? Most likely you do. At this point, you might even be planning on how you're going to spend the money when you get it!
That's how it is with Jesus. The Gospels are actual eyewitness testimony to who Jesus was, what He did, and what He accomplished. When I read the book of Matthew, I became convinced it was a truthful account of events that have eternal consequences. Not only did I believe that the Gospel was the truth, I believed that it applied to me personally (as it does to every single person who has ever lived and will ever live in the future). So what is my advice? I say read one of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. See if you believe what you've read. Do you believe that Christ has the power to cleanse you of your sins? Did He really triumph over death? Or is His story just a bunch of myths and legends?
Don't be the brother who says, "I believe he did" without really knowing if it's true! True belief is how you become a true Christian. And when you come to the realization that the claims of the Bible are real and that you can inherit eternal life, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, just as the Gentiles were baptized when Peter preached the Gospel to them:
Acts 10:34-38
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
It is not possible to fool the Holy Spirit and there is no mistaking His presence within you. You will be changed and He is able to keep the faith you have committed to Him. As Paul said, in the midst of great suffering, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."
Johnny goes to kiss his mother goodnight. Mom asks, "Johnny, do you know if your brother remembered to take out the trash?" Johnny thinks for a moment and says, "I believe he did."
Does Johnny really know whether his brother took out the trash or not? Maybe, but maybe not. We use the word "believe" lightly these days. Johnny might only have wanted to appease his mother without having to get anymore involved. If he had said, "I don't know," mom might have sent him to go find out. Maybe Johnny was being lazy and didn't want to go get his brother. Maybe Mom would have made him take out the trash instead of his brother. There are a lot of reasons why Johnny might have said, "I believe he did." Just saying you believe something doesn't necessarily mean you really believe it.
This is true of the Gospel as well. When people hear that all they need to do is believe that Jesus lived, that He died for us, and that He rose again, they sometimes jump at the chance to say, "Yes! I believe!" But do they? Maybe they are just saying what they think they need to say. I have come to the conclusion that many people think that by saying "I believe," they are saved. They go around telling people that they are a Christian. They may even go to church regularly, but what is it that they believe? They believe that saying "I believe!" is enough. It isn't.
The Apostle Paul says, "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." In another place he says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" It isn't enough to simply say you believe, you have to REALLY believe. How does one do that? How can you believe something that you didn't see? How can you trust someone you never knew? First of all, you need to find out who He is. Next you need to believe that He did what people claim He did. Last, you need to believe He accomplished what He came to accomplish. Is that possible? Absolutely!
Imagine that your mom tells you your great-grandfather George left you a million dollar inheritance, but you aren't allowed to receive it until you reach the age of 25. You never knew your great-grandfather, but from everything you've heard or read, it seems he did exist. You kind of doubt the inheritance story, but then you come across a letter from someone who knew him. In the letter, it states that the inheritance does exist and that it will go to the great-grandson of George. Soon afterward, you find several more letters that describe the inheritance and that it will go to George's great-grandson when he reaches the age of 25. Next you find a certificate of deposit for the million dollars. Do you believe it now? Most likely you do. At this point, you might even be planning on how you're going to spend the money when you get it!
That's how it is with Jesus. The Gospels are actual eyewitness testimony to who Jesus was, what He did, and what He accomplished. When I read the book of Matthew, I became convinced it was a truthful account of events that have eternal consequences. Not only did I believe that the Gospel was the truth, I believed that it applied to me personally (as it does to every single person who has ever lived and will ever live in the future). So what is my advice? I say read one of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. See if you believe what you've read. Do you believe that Christ has the power to cleanse you of your sins? Did He really triumph over death? Or is His story just a bunch of myths and legends?
Don't be the brother who says, "I believe he did" without really knowing if it's true! True belief is how you become a true Christian. And when you come to the realization that the claims of the Bible are real and that you can inherit eternal life, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, just as the Gentiles were baptized when Peter preached the Gospel to them:
Acts 10:34-38
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
It is not possible to fool the Holy Spirit and there is no mistaking His presence within you. You will be changed and He is able to keep the faith you have committed to Him. As Paul said, in the midst of great suffering, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."