“I believe” is not enough
03-13-2021
It also requires repentance…
Just because we stand to say, “I believe” during a church service doesn’t insure we will be great in the Kingdom of God. Our salvation is intact forever but I wouldn’t want to be known as the person who did nothing with God’s word standing next to Paul or Ezekiel in Heaven. You don’t want to just barely get into Heaven “as if passing through fire.” We should be living out our Christian walk the complete opposite of the bare minimum. Don’t just barely make the cut, exceed the minimum standard!
If we want to be a member of heavenly high-society, we must put in the work now. Even if you don’t agree that people will get different rewards in Heaven, that’s okay, more for us. We won’t know what Heaven looks like till we get there but I’m pretty sure God’s imagination can be a little bit creative.
If we want to put in honest hard work for the Kingdom on this side of eternity, we have to improve upon our best efforts by sharing what the Holy Spirit has done for us as a testimony to others. Just like when the Angel appeared to Jesus’s disciples (male and female) after His body was resurrected and said in simplified terms:
See - His body is gone
Understand - what he said came true, thus all true
Go - go as far and go as fast as you can
Tell - as many as you can before he returns
Interesting that when Jesus was alive, he always told the disciples and the crowds not to tell of what they had seen after Jesus performed His miracles. Then, after Jesus’s death and resurrection, the disciples are told to tell everyone in the world what they had seen! So cool and so powerful.
I think many of us stop at Step 1, we see the truth of the Bible to the point we say yes to Jesus. But sometimes I think we choose not to complete Steps 2-4. Why is this? I really don’t get it. Our walk with God could be and should be so much more.
If you have found yourself stuck at one of the Stages identified herein, ask the Holy Spirit what has been blocking you from feeling His presence. Maybe it’s something you need to confess and ask forgiveness for. Maybe there is someone in your life that you need to come to a resolution before you can bring it to God. Ask God to reveal areas of growth so that we can grow closer.