Do You Believe?

If someone were to ask you if you believed in Jesus, there would be many that would say yes; and because of this, many believe they are saved by this confession and heaven awaits.

There are also many who are baptized. As it says in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” so now those who have done both really feel secure.

However, Jesus is the only one who can forgive sins.  In John 8:11, He told the woman at the well who had been caught in sin that she was forgiven, but then He said, “Go and sin no more.”

Now we all make mistakes. We have our moments, and Jesus will forgive us if we ask; yet I wonder, how many think to do this? You can’t continue to sin and neglect Jesus and then think everything will still be covered.

It says in 1 John 1:6, “If we say that we have fellowship with Jesus, (that means living for Him) and walk in darkness (living like we want), we lie and do not practice the truth.” God also says in Proverbs 19:9, “He who speaks lies shall perish.”

So to believe in Jesus requires a life lived for Jesus, not just a bunch of talk. What about being baptized- for it did say in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” ?

Well, baptism is important. In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the thief beside Him on the cross that “because he believed, today he would be in paradise.” At that time there was no chance for baptism, yet the thief was given eternal life.

So when you say that you believe in Jesus, and if you truly do, then you will find there is a life change to be lived with it. To be a follower of Jesus means just that: follow Jesus.