What would you tell someone if they asked you what did they need to believe if they were going to believe in Jesus? This devotion strives to help us witness to others.
Nuggets
- We approach Christ as Mediator and Priest when we are searching for salvation.
- We need to admit that our relationship with God was broken when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God.
- We need to believe we are in need of a Savior.
- We need to acknowledge Jesus as our King.
How Do We Believe in Jesus?
When I was researching for the two devotions on how we become children of God, I ran across a few sermons discussing how we receive Christ. I thought that might be a good topic to discuss — especially through the lens of witnessing.
If you are like me, it has been a while since you have invited Jesus into your heart. The process might be a little fuzzy. So, let’s walk through this looking at it to see how we can share with others what we believe. We are going to be using Beveridge’s sermon and Huntington’s sermon to frame our discussion.
Let's Put It into Context
One thing we have to keep in mind when witnessing is the person’s past experience with hearing the gospel. It might be nonexistent.
Let’s face it. Someone who hasn’t grown up around the church is probably going to look at us funny when we start talking about this dead Guy that came back to life. There will be no prior knowledge for that little nugget to latch onto for learning purposes.
Keep in mind these two passages.
- “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isa. 55: 8-9 NLT).
- “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (I Cor, 1: 25 NLT).
God isn’t looking for us to figure everything out. He is looking for faith. Faith is the belief that the doctrines stated in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them.
How to Approach Christ
“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (Eph. 3: 12 NLT)
Beveridge explained we approach Christ as Mediator and Priest when we are searching for salvation. Jesus is standing in the gap between us and God. He is the One Who has provided salvation for our sins, so it is He who can forgive those sins.
Salvation is the deliverance from the consequences of sin. Forgiveness is when God pardons us because we have broken His laws and commandments. It is a conscious decision to accept His forgiveness.
It is comforting to know that Christ will receive us when we genuinely come to Him in faith. “… They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations” (Isa. 61: 4 NLT).
What does it mean to have faith?
What We Are to Believe
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (II Cor. 5: 21 NLT)
The first component in faith is believing the gospel as written. We need to admit that our relationship with God was broken when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Since the relationship is broken, it needs fixed. Jesus does that.
If you have not admitted that your relationship is not right with God,
have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior,
and have not confessed your sins,
please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
Jesus Can Forgive Us of Our Sins
“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I Jn. 2: 2 NIV)
Component #2 is believing we are in need of a Savior. A worldview person might see sin just as doing the don’ts and not doing the do’s.
In a way, that is true, but in a way it isn’t. Sin, in reality, is when we disobey God and break one of His laws and commandments.
It is more than just the act or non-act. Yes, obedience means to hear and carry out the instructions that God gives us. But it is also more a mindset.
Whether we sin or be obedient is a choice of whether or not we are going to give God the position of Sovereign God in our lives. He is Sovereign God with or without us, but we have to choose to submit to Him.
We have to believe we need Jesus in our lives because we can’t save ourselves. We can’t make ourselves spiritually alive.
Jesus came to earth as our substitute to atone for our sins. The only way He could do that was to shed His blood.
Once we make the decision to put Jesus in the Master and King positions, we start giving Him control of our lives. We start living the way He wants us to live.
The way He wants us to live is the last component: we serve Him. That is where the doing the do’s and not doing the don’ts comes into play. It is where we start doing the job description.
It is more than taking care of the physical needs of others. It is proclaiming the gospel and making disciples. It is witnessing to others to expand God’s kingdom.
Jesus Will Intercede for Us
“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I Jn. 2: 2 NIV)
“Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Rom. 8: 34 NLT)
Once we approach Jesus for salvation, we are to believe that Jesus intercedes for us. He is presenting us to His Father so that God can forgive us of our sins.
No, I don’t think it is going to be hard to sell God on forgiving us — when we genuinely go to Jesus for salvation. If we aren’t genuine but are just looking for fire insurance, I don’t — in my opinion — think Jesus intercedes for us.
Acknowledge Our King
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (II Cor. 5: 17 NLT).
The third component is acknowledging Jesus as our King. Notice the past tense. “… I have been given …” (Mt. 28: 18 NLT).
Jesus is our King. That isn’t waiting for when He returns. It is now.
Oh, yes. One day “… every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Rom. 14: 11 ESV).
When we ask Jesus to be our King, that means we know that, when we continue to sin, God will correct us. “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (Heb. 12: 6 NLT).
What Happens Then?
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (II Cor. 5: 17 NLT).
Then comes all the churchy words: justification, sanctification, regeneration. Add in holiness, righteousness, and godliness.
But other good things come, too.
- “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn. 14: 27 ESV).
- “… This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh. 8: 10 NIV).
- “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him” (I Jn. 3: 1 NJ ).
- “And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Gal. 4: 6 NLT).
Making the Connections
It all boils down to faith.
- Do we believe?
- Do we live like we believe?
Making the Connections to Self-Discipline
We are also considering what we would say if a non-believer asked us. Here is the worksheet again. What would you tell someone about God forgiving and forgetting sins?
- What does the Scriptures say?
- What do I believe?
- Why do I believe the same/differently than the Scriptures?
- What are the talking points when witnessing to a non-believer?
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
How Do We Apply This?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Father. We thank You that Jesus is our Mediator and Intercessor. More than that, He is our Savior and Redeemer. Lord, we put our faith and trust in Him and in You. Help us to share that faith with others. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.
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