To believe is to accept Jesus Christ as the only Lord

Exercise:

Who was the first person to whom you confessed your faith in Jesus?

How did he/she respond?

To believe the gospel is to receive Jesus as Lord

To repent from sin is to turn to God and to believe on Jesus Christ (Acts 20.31) It is to receive what Jesus has done for us. Faith, in the Christian sense, is more than accepting that something is true, having a set of articles of one’s faith or following a religion. To believe is to seek God earnestly, something everybody should do:

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Heb. 11:6)

Some people say that they are atheists, they do not believe in the existence of God. Material things or their intellects are usually their gods. Others say that they are agnostics, and they will say that they cannot know whether God exists or not; they are ruled by their common sense and their doubt. But faith in the gospel brings us into fellowship with God. To believe in Jesus Christ and the gospel he preached means that you trust completely and fully in what he said and live in accordance with it.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. (1 Tim. 1:15)

That if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth you confess and are saved. (Rom. 10:9-10)

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom. 10:12-13)

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (Matt. 10:32-33)

This is the simple way of salvation and this is how we can be born again: by believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth. You believe in your heart that Jesus died for you and took your sins on himself so that you could go free. You call on his name and receive salvation and forgiveness for all your sins. After that you confess to other people that Jesus is now your Lord and that you have therefore begun a new life.

This is how the Christian life begins and this is how it continues. By believing God’s word and promises, talking to God in prayer and thanksgiving and so confessing your faith in the Lord, you will daily experience God’s intervention and help in all situations.

Conversion and faith are the two fundamental elements in the Christian life, right from the first shaky step till we complete the race and win the prize. The Bible uses illustrations from sport and athletics to help us understand what this is all about. Tomorrow we will look into that aspect.

Exercise:

Did you testify to someone last week?

Take some time to pray and ask the Lord to show you to whom you need to confess your faith - and then do it!

In addition to the previous Bible verses, learn this by heart:

If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (Rom.10:9-10)