Could it really be that simple to just believe? What does it mean to believe and what should we believe? This episode addresses these questions and makes it very clear that we can live with confidence having believed in Jesus. Listen and discover what we have the privilege to believe as a result of His amazing love for us, that continues even when one may choose not to believe.
SHOW NOTES
Believing what?
2 Corinthians 3:7-18 NLT The Glory of the New Covenant
1ST STATEMENT
7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
2nd Statement
9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. New way: new heart > new mind > new body
3nd Statement
11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! (gal 3:19) 12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.
4th Statement
13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
5nd Statement
15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Conclusion
17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
John 3:14-18 NLT
And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. (Recognize I am the problem.)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”
“Believing” is crucial—But believing what?
Synonyms: faith, trust, confidence.
Devils believe: Jesus was born, loved people with miracles, died, and They were there, watching it all. But they did not believe/trust in Jesus as their saviour. rose from the dead.
Here is what Jesus said about “believing.”
John 6:28-29 NLT 28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” 29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
Here is my suggestion on what believe means.
Believe the everlasting gospel
The Everlasting Gospel
This means the good news that was there from eternity, before angels were created, and long before mankind came into existence. This description is a collage of the message of the insightful prophets and especially Jesus who is God’s Christ. This good news of God then flowed out in unimagined acts and feelings to the angels when Lucifer sinned. We know a little of how the good news was revealed to sinners. These manifestations are the outworking of the character of God to meet the crises that sin brought and they only made the character of God more beautiful. Here it is then.
God loves me (Jn 3:16-17; 1 jn 4:8). God has great affection for me (jer 31:3, 20; mark 1:11) He knows me by name (Isaiah 43:1). I am precious to him (Isaiah 43:4). He rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17) He created me to love and serve me (miracles; jn 13:6-7; lk 12:37). He has written my name in his book of life (rev 3:5). He has my picture on his fridge (Isaiah 49:16). God will not, cannot, stop loving me (SS 2:10-13). God cannot imagine living without me (john 14:1-3). I can reject him, I can abuse him, I can mock him, I can execute him But none of these wicked actions diminish his love for me in the slightest!
1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
When he rose, there was no thought of retaliation in Jesus. His first words to his guilt laden disciples always were, “Be not afraid” or “Peace be unto you!” Matthew 28:10; John 20:19, 21, 26
His words to you, 2000 years later, have not changed. To you he says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)
Fear not the pain of this world Fear not that I will ever stop loving you
Fear not that we will be together, forever.
Ian Hartley, January 2022
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