Believing in Jesus Christ

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 ESV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, so that everyone believing in Him should not perish, but should have eternal life.” (John 3:16 BLB)

“For God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.” (John 3:16 YLT)

There are two important factors to note in these last two translations, both of which are more literal (word for word) translations, and the first is to distinguish that Jesus Christ was not just the Son of God, but that he was the only begotten Son of God (who is also God – see John chapter one). For he was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and not of man, although he was born to a human mother. So while he was on the earth he was both God (in the flesh) and he was man (human), but without sin.

Jesus Christ is God: [John 1:1-18; John 8:24,58; John 10:30-33; Hebrews 1:8-9; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1; Romans 9:5; John 20:28-29]

The second thing of great importance to note is that “belief” in Jesus is not a one-time thing that happens in our lives which “seals the deal,” so to speak. This belief, which promises us salvation from sin and eternal life with God, must be continuous and ongoing belief (believing), and we must remain believing in Jesus until the very end. But this believing is not intellectual, and it is not emotional, but it is something that must be acted out in our lives in daily practice in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living.

Jesus Christ must now be foremost (uppermost) in our lives. He must truly be Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives, and we are to now be his possession to do as he says according to his will and purpose for our lives. He is to be the one we desire above all else, as is his gift of salvation to us. But that gift is freedom from slavery (addiction) to sin and not just forgiveness of sins, and it requires walks of obedience to his commands (New Covenant) and holy living. For if sin is what we obey, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

So, our hearts must be given over to the Lord to do his will, to leave our lives of sin behind us, and to now follow him in obedience. Our hearts must now be surrendered to the Lord to do his will, to walk in his ways and in his truth, becoming like him in character, mind, action, and speaking, in the power and working of God’s Spirit living within us. For this is what it means to be holy – to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus, by God’s Spirit.

But this is a lifetime process which will not be complete until Jesus returns for his faithful bride and he takes us to be with him for eternity. For our salvation will not be complete until then, and only if we continue in faithful obedience to our Lord until the very end (see noted Scriptures above). And this is not saying that we must live in absolute sinless perfection. Where God “draws the line in the sand” has to do with our practice, not our perfection. Are we walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living, in practice? Or are we walking in deliberate and habitual sin, in practice? (see noted Scriptures)

For Jesus Christ taught us that if we want to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, in practice, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and of eternal life with God. But salvation is not promised on a mere profession of faith. We have to walk in obedience to our Lord.

For Jesus also taught us that not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” is going to enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven. For many are going to stand before him on the day of judgment, calling him “Lord,” and claiming all that they believed that they did in his name. But he is going to say to them, “I never knew you! Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.” Why? Because they would not obey the commands of God but they continued living in their sins.

And the NT apostles taught that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and that we might live for him and no longer for self. For Jesus shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now honor God with our bodies (with our lives). For by faith in Jesus Christ we are to be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to righteousness.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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