I believe in God! God: That's Not Enough

I believe in God! God: That's Not Enough 

by David Brenneman 

"What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." James 2:14-26 NASB 

Many people thinking they are "good" with God are going to find Hell horrible place to live when they die.  

People who think that simply agreeing that God is for real is enough to ger to Heaven are in for a rude awakening.

People who think that God will hopefully consider all the good they have done, hopefully ourweighing their bad, will cut them some slack and let them into Heaven...will find that will never be the case. 

Really??  You might be thinking...yes...Really.

"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15 NASB 

Read that Scripture slowly.  What's it saying?  It is saying that everyone in human history that has not put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation will be indeed judged by what they did in their lives while here on Earth. Every single person. And to bring your attention to the fact that a life of great works means nothing...note the last part of that passage from Revelation. "And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

Deeds, great and wonderful, mean nothing if not accompanied by salvation in Christ Jesus alone.  Believing means nothing if that belief didn't lead to salvation in Christ Jesus.  Demons were created and before Satan's attempt to usurp the Throne of God, were WITH God. Saw Him all the time.  There's no hope for Demons. None. There is no salvation for them.  They know this. They at least shudder and it disturbs them at the power and truth about God. 

It's foolishness to think that there's no consequences to living life apart from God and not believing there will be consequences for doing so.  

You need to look at your eternity.  We all have an eternity.  

The question you have to answer is where you will spend it.  If your faith and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation, then you will spend it with Jesus in His Heaven.  This isn't just deciding to say those words and then go back to living your life your way.  It's not a way to just get out of Hell. It's not a way to just escape the Lake of Fire.  It's not a red pill to let you continue in sin because God will look the other way. 

When we truly come to Christ for salvation, life isn't meant to be business as usual. It's not meant to fulfill what fantasies or dreams we have, it's not even about creating our own slice of Heaven here on Earth.  It's not about hiding out until we die, hoping we don't get called to do something for God. It's a transformed life as Paul wrote in Romans 12. It's becoming who God intended for you to be in His eyes, not yours.

So many millions are believing that God's not going to cast them away in Hell or later on into the Lake of Fire.  

If they truly understood they wouldn't be so cavalier with their lives.  

There is a day set where Jesus will be returning.   It will be accompanied by an earthquake of global proportions.  My belief is that global earthquake will originate in Heaven, because those who have died in Christ Jesus will shout for joy, knowing full well why He is standing up. Heaven's doors will open as Jesus leaves to receive those who have died in Christ, and those who are alive and remain in this world today who are really believers.  Their souls will be united with a new glorified body that disease and sickness will never touch again.  The joyful shout of those who believe, I believe, will cross over from the Spiritual world to the physical.

If you're relying on some idea that God's hopefully going to just let you in, without coming by way of salvation in Christ Jesus, please stop and reconsider.  It's never going to happen.  Jesus said that every single part of the Bible will be fulfilled.  Not one part will fail to be true or fulfilled.  By no other name under Heaven has been given among mankind by which we must be saved. The word says MUST be saved.  Not maybe, not possibly, not one among many.  Must.

Are you considering your eternity yet?

Think about it quickly.  Your very breath is a gift to you as it is.  God's not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus. 

Reality is you believing that God exists isn't enough.  Those that deny He exists have to realize that to deny means you had to have believed at some point. 

The question of how to be saved isn't complicated.  

Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, who is Christ Jesus. Ask Him to save you.  Romans 10 says "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There's no need to guess or hope concerning your eternity.  Everyone will either spend it in Heaven or in Hell in the here and now. After the 7 year Tribulation, after the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ upon this Earth, that final judgment is indeed final.  Your name is only written down in the Book of Life when you come to Christ for salvation.  

Consider your life.  There's a good reason you are reading this right now.  Jesus doesn't want you to pay for your own sins when He paid the price for you if only you would receive His free gift of salvation. 

But you must ask for it. There's no other way.  Ask Him to forgive you, to come into your life and be your Savior and Lord. Ask Him for His free gift of salvation. Look again at that passage from Romans 10.  

He is coming soon.  Today could be that day.