Believing in the Son of GOD

Memory verse:
“Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of GOD?” 1 John 5:5, NRSV


Introduction

Do you know the book titled The Chronicles of Narnia? In the first book, there is a Christ figure in the form of a lion named Aslan. Aslan is slain by the enemy so that Narnia and one of the children, the betrayer could be redeemed.

Now in the second book, Prince Caspian, the Pevensie children are summoned to rescue Narnia from the Telmarines.

Upon their return to Narnia, Lucy, because of his childlike faith to Aslan, is the first to see Aslan. The other children believe the existence of Aslan, but they don’t believe that Aslan will come back to help them rescuing Narnia. Well, here can we see that what each of these characters believes about Aslan is revealed in their attitudes and actions.

So do us. What we believe in Jesus Christ is revealed in our attitudes and actions.



In what ground we can stand to believe?

The basis of our salvation is to believe in Jesus and His work on the cross. Faith is what binds humans to a holy GOD.

However, to believe in biblical sense means more than having an opinion about something. To believe means to know that something is true and to act based on that knowledge.

It is hard to believe about Jesus, a Man who lived in Palestine about 2,000 years ago. We don’t see Him right?

But GOD sent witnesses to testify about Jesus. Read 1 John 5:7,8. There are three witnesses in heaven : the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And also three witnesses on earth : the Spirit (the giving of the Holy Spirit), the water (Jesus’ baptism), and the blood (His death).

So know we already have witnesses, that ensure us to believe. But we believe Jesus not only as a Man. We also believe that Christ is our Creator. He has been involved with the plan of salvation from the beginning (Revelation 13:8).

Also we believe that He is the Saviour. On the cross, God reveals His justice and mercy. Justice : Christ is being punished because of sins we, human did. Mercy : Jesus gives us His reward in exchange – our eternal life. Now, we can participate is this reward through baptism. By baptism we die with Christ and will be raised with Christ one day.

So by dying on the cross, Christ had freed us from sins. But He wants to do more than forgive us from sins. He also wants us to stop doing sin. By depending to Christ, we can conquer Sin and be more like Jesus.

So at the end, the reward is we will be raised from death and be united with the Living and also Christ. He will also punish the unrepentant, who has caused suffers in this world.

Now, believe in Christ requires self-sacrifice. Time, resources and even lives. But we must remember that to live with Christ for eternity is worth any struggle here on earth.


Stand for something

It’s easy to doubt and to question. In many situations, it’s easy to stumble, too. But our belief to Christ must not only be a casual belief, which only admits Christ as the Redeemer. We must believe in every part of our life, that Christ is a friend, a helper, and our only dependence, our only hope. Thus, we can stand firm and not stumble. We can stand firm on our living experience with Jesus.

Show GOD to the world while reaping the benefits of peace, joy and rest for our souls in our relationship with Jesus Christ.


Stand on your ground!
- Ask Jesus to help you believe . (Mark 9:17-24)
- Memorize Bible promises.
- Reflect on and share with someone what God has done for you and others.


Doubting??

What is doubt?
It isn’t skepticism (the decision to doubt everything deliberately)
It isn’t unbelief (the decision not to have faith in GOD)

Doubt is just thinking critically.

Remember, good things do not necessarily happen overnight. Everything needs a process. God continually works with us through the process. Accept His invitation to salvation, both now and the “not yet”.

Finally, our faith is not based on a system of works, but on Christ. He is the centre of our faith and our reason to believe. That belief should change our lives.