The Resurrection Reveals | Belief vs. Obedience

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“I believe all paths lead to God.” “I think God is so loving that it will all work out in the end.” “Yeah, the Big Guy will see that my good outweighs my bad, so I’m not worried.” Statements like these sound progressive and wise. After all, these people believe in God. The problem is that none of us as any authority over truth. It doesn’t matter what we think. God alone has the power to set the requirements for sinful humanity to come into His presence, and Jesus was clear about them: No one comes to the Father except through His Son. But that creates a bigger question. What does it mean to come to God “through Jesus?”

“I believe in Jesus,” says the lesbian bartender. “Yeah, I believe in Jesus,” says the man to his live-in lover. “I believe in Jesus,” says the Unitarian. They are all correct if “believe” only means a mental acknowledgment of facts, even Satan believes those truths about Jesus. When Jesus said that He is the only way to God, He meant that none of us can come into the presence of a holy God like we are. We are sinful, despite how good we think we are. The kind of belief that saves us is a total commitment, a surrendering of our rights to be our own boss. John 3:36 equates “believe” with “obey” and that’s the best definition. Jesus is the only One who could pay the price we owe God and His total commitment to us deserves ours in return.

Final Thought:  If you say that you “believe in Jesus,” substitute the word “obey” and see if it still rings true in your life.
Prayer: Lord God, have I come to you in faith, ready to obey your Son? You say that is the only way I can be made right with you. I believe He died and rose for me. I give you my life from now on to both believe and obey you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.