Belief In God Is More Than Words

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“There is a mysterious evil within us, that causes us to treat people with contempt. It is a corruption we are born with, but through Jesus we can become new people.”

Have you ever known someone where what they said, did not match reality? Like a person who talks about the purple heart they were awarded while they served in the military, only to find out they never were actually in the military. Or like one who shares about the college they graduated from with honors, only to learn the person never attended college.

When there is a gap between what a person says about themselves and the truth, it is a dangerous place to live. How so? Because they are living a lie.

Likewise, when someone says, “I believe in God,” “I believe in Jesus,” or “I am a Christian,” but their life shows the opposite, he also is living a lie. In some places, it is almost part of the cultural to believe this way, where nearly everyone does, from respected elected officials and local businesspeople, to inmates at the county jail and regulars at the local bar,

What do people mean by “believing?” It is an acknowledgement of their belief in the existence of Lord God. Also, their belief might mean they either ask for prayer, or pray to Him. Maybe they even go to church. Overall, in terms of their life choices, they will admit they are not perfect, but they feel their belief in God does count for something.

Let me ask, “Is there a standard for belief in God, or is it more whatever an individual feels it means to them?” Does God have something to say about this, and should it matter? Should it take precedence over what we think?

Jesus directly addressed this, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46) Put another way, “Why do you say you believe in Me, but you do not do what I tell you?” If Jesus asked you that question, what would you say? On another occasion Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word…Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” (John 14:23-24) Jesus is saying the same thing here, but in a different way. Instead of saying “believe” He uses “love.” These statements from Jesus are summarized by God who said, “…this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me…” (Isaiah 29:13)

When we say we believe in God, it is a form of honoring Him. Notice God is more concerned about how one’s heart is toward Him, rather than what one’s lips say about Him. What demonstrates the attitude of the heart? One’s lifestyle, choices, habits. In other words, what a person does in public and private, shows the true condition of their heart toward God.

You say you believe in God, but how do you live? Do you do what He tells you?

Keep in mind the devil believes in the existence of God. The Bible says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19). But do you know what the devil does not do? Obey God. The only person he is going to obey is himself.

When you do what God commands it is a recognition of His Lordship over your life. It is a demonstration of your submission to Him. It is a true reflection of your heart toward Him.

No longer try to deceive yourself, others or God by honoring Him with your lips, while your day-to-day life is far from Him. To do so, is to live a lie. Jesus died and rose again to show He is Lord of lords and King of kings. As such, He commands everyone to turn to Him with their entire life because He has proven He is worthy of it.

A prayer for you. “Lord God, reveal if we have merely honored you with our lips, but not our lives. If we have, we confess our sin and humble ourselves under your Kingship. From this day forward we yield our lives to you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

The Righteousness of God?

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"Who can live according to God’s righteous, perfect standards and never fail? And since this brings His judgement upon us, who can escape His wrath? Only one person can live this way and that person is the world’s only hope. Jesus!"

Who is God? That is a big question. If someone were to ask you that, what would your answer be? Maybe you might say that He is love or the Creator of heaven and earth.

The Bible is known as God’s Word. It is the book He wrote to reveal Himself to us, so if anyone wants to know more about God; that is the first place to go. It contains many descriptions about Him. In 1 John 4:8 it says, “…God is love.” In Revelation 4:8 it is written, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty…” Psalm 47:7 declares, “…God is the King of all the earth…” But there is one quality of God I want to focus on. In Isaiah 45:21, God speaks of Himself this way, “And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God…” And in another place, the Bible says regarding God’s gospel, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed…” (Romans 1:17)

Righteousness is not a commonly used word in our everyday conversations. What does it mean? The root word “right,” helps with the definition. It refers to God’s rightness, perfection, guiltlessness, innocence, faultlessness and justice. Therefore, because God is righteous, He acts in righteous ways. The Bible reveals this through His commands. They lay out God’s expectations, not just for His followers, but all mankind.

Have you heard of the Sermon on the Mount? In it Jesus said, “…everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” (Matthew 5:22) He also spoke, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:27-28) And in another place He stated, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matt. 5:43-44)

Why is Jesus laying out these commands? In them He is revealing His own righteousness, but also stating the kind of life He expects from us. He wants us to be righteous, just as He is. Jesus is very clear about this when He says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48) This is His standard. We are to be morally perfect. Who can achieve this though? Can you? Your neighbor? Your Pastor, Rabi, Priest, or Cleric?

Why do we have to live up to this standard? We might say, “This is God’s standard, not mine. I do not have to burden myself with trying to live this way.” In response, the Bible says, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed…” (Acts 17:30-31) All of us, whether we believe in God or not, or live by His commands or not, will stand before Him at one point in the future to be judged by His righteousness. And what if we fail to live according to His ways? We will face His certain judgement and eternal death in the unquenchable flames of hell.

Where is our hope then? For who can live this way and never fail? Only one person. Jesus. He is our hope, and this is why He went to the cross. He died and rose again to become our righteousness. We can never live perfectly enough to be forgiven, but we do not have to. Why? Because Jesus already has. When a person meets the conditions of repentance and faith in Christ, then Jesus’ righteousness covers him.

A prayer for you. “Lord God, we have failed to live according to your ways. We are imperfect people. We repent, and call upon you in faith, that the righteousness of Christ would become our own, and that we would be made acceptable in your sight. In Jesus name. Amen.”

Centrality of the Cross

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“What if there never was a cross? What if Jesus never died? What if He never rose again? What would be different?”

All over the world there are signs of the cross of Christ. Churches prominently display it. Both the religious and non-religious drape it around their necks as a beautiful piece of jewelry. Homes have crosses hanging as pieces of art on their walls. May I ask, “What if there never was a cross? What if Jesus never died? What if He never rose again?” If that was the case, what would change as a result?

Let me boldly state, if there never was a cross, the world today would be completely different. There would be nothing but evil, darkness, emptiness and hopelessness in every home. Why? Because the cross of Christ is the centerpiece of our world. It is the foundational hope of all humanity. Praise God for the cross!

Peter, one of Jesus’ Apostles, gave a message at the home of Cornelius, a man who lived 70 miles outside of Jerusalem. There were several people gathered to hear what Peter had to say about Jesus’ and what was happening in Jerusalem following His death. In that brief message Peter stated the following about Christ, “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day… (Acts 10:39-40) What was Peter communicating to his listeners? The centrality of the cross of Christ. If that one statement was removed from his talk, it would have changed everything.

What do I mean when I say, “the cross?” I am referring to the death and resurrection of Christ and the judgement and mercy of God shown through it.

Why was Peter talking about the cross, and why do people still talk about it, nearly 2,000 years after Jesus hung on a tree outside Jerusalem? Because their Lord commanded them to. It is written, “Then he [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” (Luke 24:45-47)

Why did Jesus command the message about Him and His cross be shared with the world? Because of the implications it has for every human being.

From the earliest days of humanity, evil and lawlessness have reigned upon the earth. Amid this, was always a remnant of God-fearing men and women through the Jewish nation that worshipped and served the Lord God. This proved to be a restraint upon evil, when people were called to turn from their immoral ways and live according to the holy ways of God. When Christ died and rose again, God took what He was doing through the Jewish nation and expanded it to the whole world. As a result, this became good news for all. Salvation then became available to all humanity, regardless of gender, race, religion, or culture. And what does salvation refer to? The forgiveness of sins.

Every human being has the curse of sin within them. It is the cause of all immorality in the world. The death and resurrection of Christ means mankind can be delivered from this.

When someone engages in any form of disobedience against God, which often reveals itself in how we treat others, it exposes the sin that unknowingly is enslaving them.

The cross broke this curse! It provided a way for you to be set free. If you acknowledge your sins, turn from them and place your full faith in Christ alone, there is mercy. It waits for you at the foot of the cross. You can avoid the judgement of God, and become a new creation. Jesus has the authority and power to make this available to all who cry out to Him in faith. Come to the cross and be changed today.

A prayer for you. “Lord God, thank you for the cross. We praise you for all you have done for the whole world. We come to the cross this hour, and ask for our heart to be searched and changed by your grace. Make us new creations. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”