Believe Me
One more
time, I want to thank Toji Carlton for that exceptionally in-depth look at
salvation he presented four weeks ago. He gave us what "I"
needed to get back more into my Bible. It encouraged, yet challenged, me
to dig deeper into the meanings of Believing, Repenting and Being Baptized.
Today, I want to continue in my recent study of Belief.
Let's once
more return to the Greek word(s) that are translated as "believing, to
believe, belief or believed". The word I want to talk about is
the verb, to believe. In the Greek language, that word is pisteuo. Don't ask me how to pronounce
it, it is all Greek to me. To believe, is to be persuaded of something,
or, to place confidence in something, or to trust in something. Believing
is different from knowing. I believe I am going to Heaven, but I don't
know it. I believe most of you read these short studies of mine, but I
don't know it. I believe there is a god, our God, the one and only God,
but I don't know it. I believe when I see a color, like blue, for
example, that everyone else who can see blue, sees the same 'color', but I
don't know that for sure. I believe Jesus died, was crucified, went to
Hell, rose from that dreaded place, showed Himself to people on earth, and then
went to Heaven, but I don't know that.
You're
probably looking at me and saying, "Boy, is he in trouble, there HAS to be
a God. Of course Jesus rose from the dead. My blue is his
blue." Well, if you are saying that, then you have gotten way beyond
belief, and I congratulate you. But IF you are reading this, and you do
agree with what I am saying, then you and I are thinking alike.
A little
trivia for you, but it puts into perspective the four gospel writers'
'beliefs'. That word, pisteuo, meaning 'to believe', or a derivative of
it in the 'verb' sense was used several times in the first four books of the
New Testament. Matthew used that verb 10 times, Mark 10 times, Luke, nine
times, and John ninety-nine times. When people first desire to get an
interest in the Bible, I tell them to read the book of John. I want them
to start believing, and what better place than to start right there where it is
mentioned XCIX times.
The
challenge you all received a few weeks ago, right after Toji gave his lesson,
was for all of us to memorize three Scriptures. You choose them, but one
should refer to Belief, one to Repentance and one to Baptism. My
Scripture for Belief, is 1st John 3:23. "And this is his command: to
believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he
commanded us." I believe, but do not know, that each of you has not
yet memorized your three Scriptures. I know at least one of you have, but
do not believe all of you have. Why do I say that? Well, to believe, although
there does not have to be incontrovertible proof, there must be indications to
help me believe. For example, ONLY ONE person has told me that she has
memorized all three of hers. NO ONE ELSE. In order to have a belief
in something, one must be persuaded in same manner to gain that belief.
The same goes for belief in God, belief in Jesus, belief in salvation. If
we never heard about any of this, we would have no reason to gain a belief that
it is so.
Now, I do
believe that most of you believe in God, Jesus and salvation. Otherwise,
why would you still be coming to church? But, I also believe that our
actions, all of ours, not just yours, may indicate to others, as well as
ourselves, that we truly don't believe it as much as we profess. If we truly
believe that Jesus died BECAUSE OF US, we would be more evangelistic. If
we believed that God loves us enough, as Rodney says with outstretched arms,
'this much', then we would be more gracious to Him and to others. If we
believe we will go to Heaven, we will be showing our gratitude in many more
ways than we do now. We may be believing because we want to believe, not
because we truly do.
My belief in
God, Jesus and Salvation is strengthened (notice I say 'strengthened', not
proven, otherwise it wouldn't be belief, it would be knowledge) every time I
hear or read the Word of God. I 'try hard' to do that every day. Some
times are better than others, but I see my belief increasing more and
more. My belief is multiplied every time I see a prayer answered. I
believe in the almighty more when I see babies born into this world. But,
you know, I also believe equally as much when I see death and
destruction. I must believe, to make my belief believable, when things go
badly. I believe God loves each of us; let's each of us believe what we
do; yet only HIS will, will be accomplished.
Do you truly
believe in God? I know you have never seen Him, and I believe He has
never vocally spoken to you. So what makes you believe? If you find
some time today, how about writing back to me with a list of things that help
you to believe that God exists; that Jesus rose from the dead; or that you will
go to heaven.
I leave you
this moring with a poem about belief. Encouraging words, even going to
the extreme in comparing knowledge with belief. I hope to get to that
point some day where my belief does equal knowledge in the three categories I
spoke of in the previous paragraph, but until then, I will continue to try to
increase my beliefs.
I believe
you will have a great day today.........
BELIEF
I have never seen the Father,
yet I know that He is there,
for I feel His holy presence
every time I kneel in prayer.
I have never heard Him speaking,
yet I know He calls to me,
for I hear Him in my conscience
when from Him I try to flee.
I have never touched His garments,
yet I know He's clothed in care,
for I sense His arms around me
when I'm burdened with despair.
I have never seen Him working,
yet I know He's never still,
for I see His fine creations
in wild flowers on the hill.
Who but God could form the heavens,
put each star into the sky?
I've not met a single human
who would even dare to try.
I could not as mortal being
ever doubt that God is real.
Though unseen He is the Giver
of the heart that lets me feel.
Copyright © 1997 Ruth Gillis