DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST?
By Tope Banso
There are some people on earth today that have heard about Jesus Christ but do not believe in Him. This is not strange because, during His earthly ministry, it wasn’t everybody that believed in Him. One could say that Jesus had four kinds of audiences.
The first were those who did not believe in Jesus (John 12:37). The second were those who believed in Him but did not confess Him publicly because of the fear that the religious leaders would put them out of the synagogue (John 12:42). The third were those who believed in Him but turned away (John 6:66). The last group was made up of those who believed in Him and remained steadfast (John 2:11; 4:39; 6:68; 8:30; 7:31).
The most important question is which category do you fall into? Put succinctly, do you believe in Jesus Christ? The question is not whether you go to church, but do you believe in Jesus Christ? Do you believe in Him as your Lord and Saviour? Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
In John 7, the chief priests and Pharisees wanted Jesus to be arrested but the officer they sent couldn’t arrest Him. When the chief priests and Pharisees asked them why they had not brought Him, they replied that no man ever spoke like Him (verses 45-46). “Then the Pharisees answered them, ‘Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed’” (verses 47-49 New King James Version).
These chief priests and Pharisees used the lack of belief in Jesus by the rulers or the Pharisees to judge Him. But it was not only the chief priest and Pharisees that rejected Jesus; some Jews also didn’t believe in Him. “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him” (John 12:37 New King James Version). Also, John 7:5 says his brothers did not believe in Him. Those who didn’t believe in Him, unfortunately, fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had said in Isaiah 53:1-3. Do you believe in Him?
Your friends, neighbours, family members, etc. may not believe in Jesus Christ but make sure you believe in Him. Earlier, we saw how the chief priests and the Pharisees asked if any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Jesus. But we are glad to read later that some of them did. John 12:37 says although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him. But in verse 42, the Bible says, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue” (New King James Version).
Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29 New King James Version). Do you believe in Jesus? In John 9, Jesus had healed the man who was born blind from birth. When He heard that he had been thrown out of the synagogue, He went to find him.
This is what transpired between them: “He [Jesus] said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him? And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshiped Him” (John 9:35b-38 New King James Version).
Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour? In John 11:47-48, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation” (verses 47b-48 New King James Version).
These chief priests and the Pharisees were actually working against the plan of God. His plan was that everyone would believe in Jesus but they didn’t want it. They made it sound as if, if everyone believed in Jesus, it would lead to rebellion against Rome, which would make them incur the wrath of the Roman government. Jesus didn’t come to lead a rebellion. He never did till He was crucified and ascended to heaven after His resurrection.
God’s plan is that everyone will believe in Jesus Christ because He died for everyone. God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). John 1:11-13 says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (New King James Version).
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul and Silas answered the jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31 Revised Standard Version). Romans 10:10 says with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.(Acts 4:12). Believe in the Lord Jesus and remain steadfast.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps:
▪︎ Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
▪︎ Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works.
▪︎ Invite Jesus into your life.
▪︎ As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I believe in Jesus Christ and will serve Him all the days of my life. Holy Spirit, by Your power, I will never deny Jesus Christ but follow Him to the end. Anyone who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God. I receive the grace never to look back. Father, I pray that all those who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ will believe in Him and confess Him as the Son of God and their Lord and Saviour. Help your children to be faithful soul winners.
(For over 800 in-depth messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
▪︎ Banso, an Abuja-based pastor, heads Cedar Ministry International, and be reached at cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
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