Over and over again in the bible, we hear that believing Jesus was God sent in the form of man to take the penalty of death for our sins is essential for salvation.  However you can have an intellectual consent, and not a spiritual submission. This is what happened to me.

Jesus said “I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30) And Paul in Romans, said “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)  So, someone who knows what the right thing to do is, but doesn’t do it, is like the man who looked at himself in the mirror, and after going away, forgot what he looked like. (James 1:24)  So the nagging question is, ‘what is the RIGHT thing, or the WILL of God?’  If I would look inside myself (as some psychiatrist may suggest), I would find a desire for materialism, lust and downright pretty dark stuff, but instead the answer is in God’s word.

“Whoever says, ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4) Jesus said ‘the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Mathew 22:36-40).  So a true Christian’s life is marked not with a desire for worldly things, which you can’t take with you when you die, but by righteousness, love and a desire to serve God (submission).  I heard a preacher ask the grandparents in the congregation once, if they found it difficult to talk about their grandkids to other people, the answer was a resounding NO, since they loved any chance they got to talk about their adorable little babies.  How sad it is then, that so many of us that call ourselves Christians, find it difficult to talk about the one within whom we find joy, and the greatest gift ever given of salvation.

But don’t worry, this doesn’t end on a sad note, there is still hope for all who believe, because Philippians 1:6 says, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”.  I know that my works will never land me in heaven, because not only does the Bible say they won’t, but intellectually, how could a perfect God look at my imperfect life, and say, ‘hey Luke, that was amazing when you gave money to the poor that one time, or loved your family so much, come on in here’.  Don’t get me wrong, these are all good things, but it’s not my works I’m counting on getting me into heaven, it was Jesus work on the cross.

“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.” (Matthew 28:19)

Luke