Do you really believe in Jesus?

christianbeliever144 · Jan 27, 2022

Do you really believe in Jesus?

Churches today would have you close your eyes and say: “I believe in Jesus”. And that’s all. “You’re saved now; come to church every Sunday and tithe”.

If that’s you, I have bad news for you. Even the devil himself believed Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 8:28-29).

Declaring belief in Jesus is the beginning of a journey of getting to know Him.

If you declare you believe in Jesus and then move on with your life, would make you like one of these people: Luke 8:14 "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."

“Believe” is a big word. Much bigger than most know. If you truly believe in Jesus/God, you should automatically have passionate feelings springing from within for wanting to do the following:
- Seek God; get to know Him intimately (through the scripture)
- Worship and fellowship with Him always (Jesus’ prayer daily)
- Respect Him! Follow His teachings (Jesus' prayer daily)
- Like what He likes and hate what He hates.

If you’re not doing these things, you’re lying to yourself and to God.

These things should spring from within; if you feel they’re a burden then you never were a believer. I am not saying this to discourage you. On the contrary, to stir you into starting some of them. Then see how you get transformed in amazing ways and start wanting more.

Please don’t get your facts from watching movies/shows about the Bible, or even from the church. Get your facts from reading the Bible. You want to tithe 10%? Tithe 10% of your time reading the Bible, rather than your income.

CherieR · Jan 27, 2022

The Bible does not have a list of requirements to must meet in order to say one believes. I believe there is a simplicity to faith in Jesus.

christianbeliever144 · Jan 27, 2022

Thank you for the feedback CherieR.
I actually did not say "requirements". I said: "... should have passionate feelings springing from within for wanting to do ..." There is a big difference. If I don't have that passionate feeling springing from within to want to know more about God, then I should re-examine my status. Am I a true believer?

Dino246 · Jan 27, 2022

christianbeliever144 said:

Do you really believe in Jesus?

Churches today would have you close your eyes and say: “I believe in Jesus”. And that’s all. “You’re saved now; come to church every Sunday and tithe”.

If that’s you, I have bad news for you. Even the devil himself believed Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 8:28-29).

Declaring belief in Jesus is the beginning of a journey of getting to know Him.

If you declare you believe in Jesus and then move on with your life, would make you like one of these people: Luke 8:14 "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."

“Believe” is a big word. Much bigger than most know. If you truly believe in Jesus/God, you should automatically have passionate feelings springing from within for wanting to do the following:
- Seek God; get to know Him intimately (through the scripture)
- Worship and fellowship with Him always (Jesus’ prayer daily)
- Respect Him! Follow His teachings (Jesus' prayer daily)
- Like what He likes and hate what He hates.

If you’re not doing these things, you’re lying to yourself and to God.

These things should spring from within; if you feel they’re a burden then you never were a believer. I am not saying this to discourage you. On the contrary, to stir you into starting some of them. Then see how you get transformed in amazing ways and start wanting more.

Please don’t get your facts from watching movies/shows about the Bible, or even from the church. Get your facts from reading the Bible. You want to tithe 10%? Tithe 10% of your time reading the Bible, rather than your income.

Well... here we have a new member who has a better idea how to "do" Christianity than anyone else. Gee... I've never seen that strategy before.

I find it hard to take seriously someone who admonishes strangers to read the Bible rather than get "facts" from church... right after giving advice that has no basis in the Bible.

Might want to check your judgmental attitude at the door. Broad-brush criticisms don't go well around these parts.

CherieR · Jan 27, 2022

christianbeliever144 said:

Honestly, I don't think it is necessary to have such feelings. Feelings can come and go . Motivation can wax and wane. The Scripture does not mention a need to have this kind of feelings in order to have faith.

CherieR · Jan 27, 2022

Consider Paul wrote in Romans 10:14

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"( NIV)

There is nothing about feeling here. There is an action which is calling on the name of the Lord. This calling on the Lord demonstrates faith. Feelings can certainly be there as well. I don't think one should look to feelings to determine faith as feeling can be up and down.

christianbeliever144 · Jan 27, 2022

I see. So a do-nothing believer. Is what everybody wants to be today. Churches preach it. everybody is brainwashed into it. We claim we believe, but are not interested in knowing more about the Person we believe in. Not interested to learn about His teaching and follow it. Not interested to know that He asked us to pray the Lord's Prayer daily. But we believe. Well Jesus is not Santa Clause. And just saying we believe without any behavior/attitude to back it up is not belief. For the devil himself believed in Jesus as the Son of God, here: Matthew 8:28-29.

Aaron56 · Jan 27, 2022

I thought I was fun at parties…

CherieR · Jan 27, 2022

christianbeliever144 said:

This is not an accurate portrayal of what I was trying to get across. I'm sure many believers want to follow Jesus closely. I also want to follow Jesus closely. Yet our faith is not determined by how well we follow Jesus. Faith comes from the heart and can show itself in various ways. One way faith shows itself is through our words. Calling out to God is an act of faith. Actions such as loving one's neighbors can come from a place of faith. I believe it is good to be secure in one's relationship with God. I think having a secure foundation of knowing you are safe in God's hands and knowing that you don't have to perform for his love can help in life and in loving God and loving others more.

CherieR · Jan 28, 2022

@christianbeliever144 , do you know whether you are a believer in Jesus? Do you ever struggle with wondering if you are a believer?

I have dealt with this fear of not being a believer. I have found Scripture to be an encouragement as well as a tract I found at work once. It is good to depend on God and his love and his word. In the Bible God shows the way of salvation which is through Jesus. God shows what faith is in Scripture as well. The woman who touched Jesus garment had faith he could heal her. The blind man who called out when people told him to be quiet had faith Jesus was able to restore his sight. There are other examples as well of faith in Scripture.

christianbeliever144 · Jan 28, 2022

Yes you make good points. Like the woman who touched His garment. Yes I thought about that myself.
In my mind it is like a man and a woman getting married. Before they got to that point, over time they became more and more attracted to each other when they knew more things about each. It is the same with us and God. This is why I encourage to keep reading the scriptures. With time, when He sees our persistent interest, God will reveal more about Himself to us. And we will find Him more and more attractive. I say this from experience.

I have been reading the Bible for 30 years. Have read it at least 60 times, from cover to cover. Not boasting about this

, only being a good example to others. I recently started listening to it too on those phone apps. I put it on 0.75 speed, and listen with time to absorb. I've researched, meditated, and listened to God for wisdom. And He has revealed a lot of truths to me. Like for example the real meaning of the daily Bread in the Lord's Prayer in my other post. This is why I think we'd be missing out on a lot of Wisdom and knowledge of God if we don't dedicate time in our lives to study the scriptures.

With love from a fellow believer, have a blessed evening!

CherieR · Jan 28, 2022

christianbeliever144 said:

Yes you make good points. Like the woman who touched His garment. Yes I thought about that myself.
In my mind it is like a man and a woman getting married. Before they got to that point, over time they became more and more attracted to each other when they knew more things about each. It is the same with us and God. This is why I encourage to keep reading the scriptures. With time, when He sees our persistent interest, God will reveal more about Himself to us. And we will find Him more and more attractive. I say this from experience.

I have been reading the Bible for 30 years. Have read it at least 60 times, from cover to cover. Not boasting about this

, only being a good example to others. I recently started listening to it too on those phone apps. I put it on 0.75 speed, and listen with time to absorb. I've researched, meditated, and listened to God for wisdom. And He has revealed a lot of truths to me. Like for example the real meaning of the daily Bread in the Lord's Prayer in my other post. This is why I think we'd be missing out on a lot of Wisdom and knowledge of God if we don't dedicate time in our lives to study the scriptures.

With love from a fellow believer, have a blessed evening!

God bless you.

pottersclay · Jan 28, 2022

The belief in Jesus goes far beyond human emotions, far beyond agreement that he is the son of God
It begins in genesis and ends in revelation. After all he is the word of God.
As the Christ walked this earth he told of a story of a kingdom to come. He told us of a God who made us and loves us. That this God sent him to take away that which separated us from knowing him.
He asked us ....no he commanded us.... to love, honour, and obey, and he would give us the strength to do so.
Jesus told us of a place called heaven and a place called hell. He told us of angels and demons.
He told us of everlasting life and everlasting torment.
Most of all to remember is that he told us he would return and make all things new again.
The bible is the word of God. Jesus is the word of God. So let's ask the question again...

DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS?

JStates · Jan 28, 2022

OP is getting a lot of flak but I see what they are saying. There certainly should be some signs of a true conversion. Lipservice and mental assent are not the same thing as being born again.

Christ liveth in me.
The Spirit within us communes with the Spirit of God and attests that we are God's.

^ I had a mental assent for most of my life but I never had these things until I was truly converted in 2016. I remember what the uncertainty felt like pre-conversion. Now there is none whatsoever.

Jackson123 · Jan 28, 2022

CherieR said:

Only need one list, that is believe than that believe will bear fruit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love.
Honest believe not fake believe mean abide or follow His teaching than bear fruit no fruit it may fake believe and mean hell verse 6

John 15
4 yAbide zin me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit byitself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abidein me. 5 I am the vine; ayou are the branches. Whoever abides in meand I in him, he it is that bbears much fruit, for apart from me youcan do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me che is thrown awaylike a branch and withers; dand the branches are gathered, throwninto the fire, and burned

Mii · Jan 28, 2022

I think you are coming from a good place and don't sense any condemnation or anything...

christianbeliever144 said:

Spend some time on these forums...the people that you are interacting with don't agree with that mentality. I'm sure those who do are a minority on here, at least I hope so.

You mentioned a marriage as a metaphor for our walk (if I'm understanding correctly) and I can't "really" comment on that since I haven't ever been married but don't marriages wax and wane? Highs and lows? Times you feel close and other times distant?

There's a lot to be said here for sure though.

Certainly I don't think you should treat your walk like an overseas spouse who you only send a picture to a couple times a year and despite overtures for you to join them, it would be too difficult to drop everything and why don't they just come to where you are?

There is definitely a mentality floating around (at least for me at times) that God should be where we are and not us be where HE is. Is it selfishness? Is it simple immaturity? I don't know.

It seems that it would be so easy because he sees where we are to meet us there but there's more to it I have yet to fully process so I digress.

Some of the time it's difficult to know where he is specifically but generally speaking we can defer to the written word for sure...like loving our neighbor and working out our own salvation.

I've not been in the best place with my walk over the last few months so take it for what it's worth. I get incredibly tired of certain aspects of the flesh and it does affect things. Quite exhausting. I'm open to elaborating further if you'd like.

Nehemiah6 · Jan 28, 2022

christianbeliever144 said:

The legion of demons in this case (not the devil) acknowledged who Jesus was and they feared that He would cast them into the abyss because of that. That is not "believing" in or on Christ.

To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is to wholeheartedly believe that (1) He is God manifest in the flesh, (2) He died for my sins and rose again for my justification, (3) that I am a sinner who needs to repent -- turn away from all my sins and idols and (4) receive Him as both Lord and Savior by faith -- to call upon Him for salvation.

When a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and repents, he or she receives (a) forgiveness of sins, (b) the gift of eternal life, (c) the gift of the Holy Spirit, (d) the gift of the New Birth, and (d) all spiritual blessings in Christ. Which means that this new creature in Christ is totally transformed and sincerely starts to serve and worship God and Christ.

So a truly regenerated person does not go back to his old ways but moves forward in total dependence upon the Holy Spirit. If this does not happen then there was no genuine saving faith. The one who believes is justified by grace through faith, and is also sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This is a work of God within the believer.

Furthermore, we are saved by grace UNTO good works, which means that the absence of good works, and the absence of the love of God working itself out shows that there was no genuine saving faith.

Omegatime · Jan 28, 2022

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Too many are putting demands on those who may be seeking the Lord driving them further away. and those that do--shame on you

christianbeliever144 · Jan 28, 2022

Omegatime said:

I think you are mistaken sir. There is a whole Bible with thousands of pages that elaborate on these 2 verses.
Example, “you will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:16)
What burden? Asking to pray the Lord's Prayer "daily" as Jesus instructed, is a burden?
Shame on you actually, for interfering with the Lord's work through me. To bring believers to the right path. You did not have to reply. Look closer at my other post titled: "The Lord's Prayer Misunderstood". And here: https://www.realbiblestudy.org/. Years of Bible study went into this.
Churches who teach you what you said, are the problem in this world. They produced generations of lazy Christians, who may or may not be saved.

christianbeliever144 · Jan 28, 2022

Mii said:

Hello MII
Thank you for the heads-up about this forum. I know, many are driven by their church's theology. And I'm driven purely by the my years of studying the Bible, and receiving wisdom from God.
Actually Eph 5:25 does the same analogy I did about husband/wife: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her". So I'm not really original on that idea

.
I have a completely non-profit website, no ads, no donations even, that answers some of your questions: https://www.realbiblestudy.org/

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