Lesson 10
Believe in God and in Christ
Jesus says in John 8:24, "For if you
do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." In order to do the will of the Father, we must believe in God and in
Christ, otherwise we will die in our sins and be lost. If we don't believe in God and in Christ, we will certainly not
do what They tell us we must do. If God is to be believed at all, He must be believed fully. Hebrews 11:6 says,
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
We must diligently seek to know all that God wants us to do and then gladly do it.
Do you believe in God and Christ with all your heart? Do you believe in Them to the point that you have all the
confidence in the world in Them and you will do anything and everything They tell you to do? Not what we choose to do,
but what God tells us to do. If we will not, then we are no different than those people that we read about in John 12:42-43,
"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: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." These people believed Jesus, but they were not saved, because they would
not confess and obey Him.
Many people believe that redemptive faith is merely a willing disposition to trust in Christ as their personal savior,
independent of any further acts of obedience. This notion is completely alien from the truth found in the Bible.
A belief that will not accept and do all God tells us to do is not enough. If this is the case, then we are no better
than the devils in James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God. You do
well. Even the devils believe and tremble!" The devils believe in God and they tremble, but this does not save them. So "faith
only" does not save anyone, or otherwise the devils would also be saved. God's word says, "You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only" (James 2:24). Man's doctrine
of "faith only" is foreign to the Bible.
Our belief is a work of God that God requires of us. John 6:29, "Jesus
answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that you believe in
Him whom He sent." Our belief must be an obedient belief in all the things that God tells us to do. When
our faith in God and in Christ has caused us to do what they tell us only then can we be saved. We do not earn our salvation but we qualify for it only when we have done what God has told us we must
do.
Satan is trying to tell people today they do not have
to do anything to qualify for God's gift of eternal life. Satan is successful
with many people. We cannot have selective obedience and be pleasing to God. Our obedience is how we show our
love to God and Christ. John 14:21, "He that has My commandments and keeps
them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved of My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself
to him." If we love Christ we will abandon all we
do religiously that is not found in the Bible and then do all things
that Christ wants us to do.
Just before Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He commanded His apostles in Matthew 28:19-20 to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you." Our faith in Him must lead us to observe
all things the Lord has commanded us to do in order to be pleasing to Him. We cannot select just certain commands
of God to obey. We cannot ignore or rationalize away any of His commands we don’t like and expect to be saved.
To believe in Him is to obey Him fully.
In speaking of Christ, Hebrews 5:9 says, "And
having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."
If Christ is to be the author of our eternal salvation, He must be obeyed with an obedient
faith. Respect for Jesus as our Lord means doing all He says and for the reason He says. In Luke 6:46 Jesus says,
"But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things
which I say?" Jesus is not our Lord if we do not do what He says. Are you willing for Jesus to be your Lord?
Questions for Lesson # 10
Believing In God And Christ
1.
If we do not believe in Christ: (John 8:24)
A.
We will be saved
B.
We will die in our sins and be lost
C.
Our sins will still be forgiven
2.
If we die in our sins we will still be saved.
A.
True
B.
False
3.
Without faith in God (Hebrews 11:6)
A.
It is impossible to please Him.
B.
We can still please Him
C.
We can still go to Heaven
4.
If we don’t believe in God and Christ we will still do what they tell us to
do.
A.
True
B.
False
5.
Many people who believe in Christ are ashamed to confess Him: (John 12:42-43)
A.
Because they love Christ
B.
Because they do not want to embarrass Christ
C.
Because they love the praise of men more than the praise of God
6.
It is good to love the praise of men more that the praise of God.
A.
True
B.
False
7.
If we believe there is one God, we do well: (James 2:19)
A.
The demons also believe and tremble
B.
The demons do not believe in God
C.
And this alone will get us to heaven
8.
The demons do not believe there is one God.
A.
True
B.
False
9.
Believing in Christ who God sent: (John 6:29)
A.
Is not a work of God
B.
Is not required by God
C.
Is a work of God
10.
The work of God is not to believe in Christ.
A.
True
B.
False
11.
We show our love for Christ: (John 13:21)
A.
When we say we love Him but don’t do what He says
B.
When we have His commandments and keep them
C.
When we only observe some of His commandments
12.
Our obedience shows our love for God and Christ.
A.
True
B.
False
13.
We are to observe how many of the commandments of Christ?
A.
Some
B.
Those we choose
C.
All
14.
We need only to observe some of the commands of Christ.
A.
True
B.
False
15.
Christ is the author of eternal salvation to: (Hebrews 5:9)
A.
Everyone
B.
No one
C.
All who obey Christ
16.
In order for us to be saved we must obey Christ.
A.
True
B.
False
