WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE?

Many are teaching "BELIEVE AND YOU ARE SAVED", as if we had only to accept the fact that Jesus was the Son of God and died for our sins, in order to be "saved" forever. Because of this terrible deception, the definition of the word "believe" has become so important that no man dare define it.  There is only one safe source for the definition of what it means "to believe", - THE BIBLE ITSELF.  The truth may be found in this verse:

 

"He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; BUT HE THAT OBEYETH NOT* THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE, but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36 ASV

 

*  Here the KJV reads "believeth not" from the Greek "Apeitheo".  However, in 1 Peter 2:7 the KJV translates "Apeitheo" as "disobedient".  To disobey is to disbelieve.

John's statement proves that only those who obey truly believe:

 

IF:   He who BELIEVES has eternal life.

 

AND:  He who DOES NOT OBEY shall not see life.

 

THEN: He who DOES NOT OBEY does not BELIEVE.

For it is clear that he who shall not see life, does not have eternal life.

Therefore, only those who obey the Son are true believers with a faith that saves.  We may be disobedient or we may be a believer, but not both.  If we do not obey the Son we shall not see life.

The Son said: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."  Mat 19:17

 

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."  John 14:15

Do not be deceived, Jesus means the Ten Commandments.  It was He who spoke the law to His people at Mount Sinai.  It was by His hand that the Law was carved into stone as a symbol of its eternal character.  You may be sure that Jesus has not changed his mind or His Law, for the author of Hebrews declared:

 

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."  Heb 13:8

It is God's purpose that we conquer our sin nature so that we may be "without spot or wrinkle.".  The book of Revelation clearly teaches THAT THOSE WHO OVERCOME ARE THOSE WHO KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS.  It was Jesus Christ Himself, the "Alpha and Omega" who was speaking directly to the churches -(People who were already baptized believers.) - when he said this:

 

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE."  Revelation 2:7

Again the "Alpha and  Omega" speaks:

 

"Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have right to the TREE OF LIFE."  Revelation 22:14

Those who have committed themselves to do his commandments "MAY HAVE RIGHT to the tree of life",  but only when they have "overcome" are they given "TO EAT of the tree of life.". (Tree of life = Eternal life, see Genesis 3:22 KJV)

True believer, may God bless you as you walk that narrow path that leads to eternal life. . .

Harold and Donna Kupp