I Believe In God, That Makes Me Okay, Right? Pt. 3

Today we look at the title question from another angle. One facet of this statement must be examined with this question-“What God Are You Believing?” People think that so long as you believe in a god, they will be fine. This reminds me of a funny scene, but very telling of our culture, in the “Return of The Mummy” movie. The plot was simply this, the evil mummy was aroused from his slumber and he was now wrecking havoc. As he exacting revenge on his ancestral enemies in the current age; he came across this untrustworthy serf. As the mummy was about to slay this fleabag, he began to show the mummy different medals of gods around his neck in hope of one being the representative of the mummy’s god. As the script would have it, the last medal was the icon of the mummy’s deity. Thus his life was spared. The serf had no allegiance to any of the deities he had around his neck; he simply had for them for “good luck”, just in case. He had no intention of serving just one, he would use whichever one he thought would save his hide. Is this not representative of our pluralistic society? This is America at its best!! The message is clear-it doesn’t matter who or what you believe, just so long as you believe.
So, then, we are the crossroads of this question once more- I say I believe in God, that makes me okay, right? The truth is this,however, it’s not a matter of my or your opinion. We are irrelevant to the discussion. It’s a matter of whether the God of the scriptures affirm or deny such a proposition. Has God spoken on this? Yes. The following are God’s statements about the whole pluralistic approach:
1 Kings 8:60 “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Isaiah 44:8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’”
Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, Isaiah 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;
These do not even scratch the surface, but, they are definitive enough to answer the question of the multiple choice thinker on salvation; don’t you think?
One more thing, Jesus said. “I am the way, the truth and the life, No man comes unto the Father except through me.” Is this a bigoted declaration or a statement of clarity? How you answer will determine if you’re okay or not. More on Monday.

I Believe In God, That Means I’m OK, Right Pt. 2

I BELIEVE IN GOD, THAT MEANS I’M OK, RIGHT? PT. 2

Yesterday I introduced the title topic with the conviction that the answer to this question is no. I also gave the first reason for my position-even the devils believe in God and tremble. Believing with mere mental assent is not the type of faith God is looking for; He will not be patronized. He expects more.
Today, as I considered this topic, I thought about the question I usually ask when someone says- I believe in God. I pursue their statement with this query-Who is this God you say you believe? Is He a higher power? A supreme being? A force to be reckoned with? Who is this deity you say you have faith in? Do you think the God of the Bible accepts those notions or ideas about Him as right faith? Do you think God likes to be thought of as an idea or a concept or a philosophy of life? I would say no and here’s why:
God talks and reveals himself as personality, not in abstract terms. He uses terms such as I, Me, Us, My, Mine. Scripture talks this way of God revealing Himself. In mat. 6:26. Jas. 1;7- He talked about as being a Father, gen. 32:30- the face of God. Dt. 5:22-26- the voice of God, jn. 10:29, ps. 145:16- the hand of God. 2chr. 16:19. Ps. 33:18-the eye of God. Matt. 11:28-29- One who can be touched-come unto Me.
If you are to believe God rightly, you believe He is a Person, Persons more correctly. To relegate God as one more idea or one more “way of life” is to desecrate His very essence. It is to deny God and thus the one who denies this cannot be all right in God’s eyes, can he? Think on it, More tomorrow.

I Believe In God, That Makes Me Okay, Right? Pt. 1

The title of today’s entry is a question I have been asked and had it stated as though it’s true. The question from here, then is this, does it make people okay with God just because they simply acknowledge His existence? The answer is no, and over the course of the next few weeks I hope to show anyone who reads this, why it is not.

I ‘ll tell you the first reason for you right now. In the book of James, chapter 2 verse 19, the author writes-You believe there is one God, You do well, Even the demons believe and tremble! Then he writes-”But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” God is not looking for mere acknowledgement, He requires action behind the statement. The demons believe, but, you know where they are heading even though they acknowledge God exists! This should alert and clue people into realizing that God is not looking to be patronized, He demands absolute worship and solitary sway in your life. In other words, saying you believe is one thing, living what you say is another.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I hope to lay out just what biblical faith looks like when it comes to believing in God. I know far too many people who are on thin ice conerning their eternal destiny and I can’t and won’t sit idly by and watch them slip under the ice without warning them of the danger that comes with it.

Believing is more than just a mental assent of facts, it’s embracing what God says about Himself. May the following weeks be fruitful for all.