There is a belief that has crept into our churches and that is the result of this attitude of: “I believe in God, but they don’t as a result, I am in and they are out”. What now supposedly differentiate believers from the world has now been summarized to the mere belief in God. Consequently, believing in God becomes the key to earning the label “Believer” or “Christian” which automatically in many religions at least, will give one the visa to immigrate to Heaven once one dies.
However, imagine this scenario for a second: you met the love of your life who recognizes your value when many in the past have failed to do. They brag about how intelligent, kind, smart, loving you are and the fact that to them, you are the perfect partner they have dreamt of their whole life. Though they often praise you, the only problem is that they mistreat you and get physical at times, don’t care much about what you love and do the very things you hate and so forth. Would you go ahead and still marry them because they at least believe in you and recognize your true value?
See believing that there is a God that exists doesn’t avail much in and of itself. One of the Apostle James said something quite interesting:
You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)
Demons as much as some humans do believe that there is a God, better yet demons being spiritual beings and God himself being one as well fully know and understand the power and sovereignty of God and truly fear God. We are equally spiritual beings however we are clothed with the flesh which weakens our spiritual sense if one does nothing to heighten it above the flesh.
Believing in God and our Lord Jesus Christ isn’t any different for everything you say or proclaim is action lest it is will be voided of any value or meaning.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)
God loves us so much that he “did something” by sending his only begotten son Jesus Christ for our salvation. Jesus tried to teach us even himself many times the importance of action as far as heaven and the father are concerns:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
He took it a step further to explain to us the value of faith-based actions:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. (John 14:21)
See, merely saying that we believe in God or even we love him doesn’t quite cut it. Your words must be substantiated with corresponding actions. Jesus even explained that the testimony of our faith to the world is our “good deeds”, in terms of us walking in righteousness with Christ and by his grace doing the things he said we should do while staying away from the ones he mentioned were bad for us and he hates.
We don’t get to go to church on Sunday and live like the devil the remaining 6 days. You don’t get to read the bile without letting your mind be renewed and your heart change because once they do, so will your deeds. Our actions are the testimony of your faith as Christians, not mere words. Words by themselves have no value, even in our relationships here on earth unless they have corresponding actions. Hence you cannot be a Christian and continue to produce bad fruits or evil deeds. Your deeds/fruits prove whom you belong to and whose spirit you have:
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16-20)
You should never have to announce to people that you are a Christian, but they should be suspicious at some point after hanging out with you that you are one because your deeds and actions will be so radically positively different than those of the people they regular hang out with in such a way that they will be drawn to you.
Remember:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22)
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works (James 2:18)
That dear, is going to be the difference between us the believers who believes in God and fears him, and the demons who also believe in God and fear him.
Much Love Dear.
Let’s run the race until the end so we can see Heaven one day.