DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE GOD? (PART 2).
TEXT:
"... the word of God, ... effectually worketh also in you that believe." (1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 (King James Version)
Indeed, the Word of God effectively works for those who believe. But how come that it doesn't work for others, though they claim to be "believers"?
We discovered in the first part of this series that a whole lot of people have reduced the meaning of the word "believe" to mere acknowledgment or mental assent to a fact. We also said, considering the Book of 1st Peter chapter 2 verses 6 to 8, that the word "believe" is synonymous with the word "obedience". In other words, if you say that you believe, then you have to show it by acts of obedience.
Truth is, giving mere mental assent to the Word of God as some do has robbed many Christians of the reward that accompanies believing God's Word. Our Scripture text for today says that the Word of God effectively works in them that believe.
You have to understand that God's Word needs to be activated in our lives. In other words, we need to act on God's Word if we are to see results. Giving mere mental assent to God's Word is not enough. When you do that, you frustrate the power embedded in God's Word despite that the Bible says God's Word is "quick and powerful". (Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12)
Is this not why many people have "believed" God for so long without any results to show for it. They have believed for so long without receiving from God what they believed Him for. This can be very frustrating and it has led a whole lot to backsliding. Prophet Jeremiah once asked the Lord saying,
"Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?". (Jeremiah chapter 15 verse 18). No, the problem is not with God; rather, it's with you.
Look at Abraham! When God called him to leave his country and his kindred, etc, unto a land that He will show him, the Bible says that he "obeyed" and departed (Genesis chapter 12 verses 1 and 4). Here, Abraham's "obedience" was synonymous with "believing" God. Similarly, when the Lord asked the patriarch of faith to sacrifice Isaac his son, the Bible tells us that he "obeyed'' God, "believing" or accounting that the Lord was able to raise him back to life (Hebrews chapter 11 verse 19). Here, his belief served to actuate his obedience! The words "believe" and "obedience" are spiritually related.
The word "believe", just like faith, is a transitive verb, a doing word, an action word. To say that you believe without the demonstration of what you believe is at best a sham or an exercise with no rewarding consequence whatsoever. James chapter 2 verse18 is a related verse. It says that by your works, your faith is shown. In other words, it’s like saying, “I’ll show you what I believe by what I do” or “I’ll show you what I believe by the way I live my life”. It follows that if you believe in Jesus Christ, your life should be a reflection of His life and teachings. By extension, if you believe a promise from God, your life should be a reflection of what that promise is about. You should be seen to act on that Word from God.
As I close this part, it will interest you to know that in the strict sense of the faith, Christians shouldn't be addressed as "believers". In actual fact, and following Acts of Apostles chapter 19 verse 2; John chapter 1 verse 16; Romans chapter 1 verse 15 and many other Scriptures in that regard, we are indeed "receivers". It's sad that very many Christians have remained "believers" for too long without "receiving" what they believed God for. That a Christian, receives what he believes God for is not only soothing, but also of the essence. The Bible says to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalms 34 verse 8).
PRAYER:
Father, I believe You in the true sense of the word. Thank You for blessing me because I believe.