IS BELIEVING ENOUGH?

Musick-al note # 313
Many religious groups teach that when one believes that Jesus is the Christ, that person receives remission of sins and thus enjoys salvation. The Bible teaches that salvation comes as a result of faith but also teaches that belief or faith is only the beginning of that which man must do to be saved. Jesus said in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” Those who believe in Jesus Christ have received the “right to become” children of God. The “right to become” is not the same as “becoming” therefore one must know what is required of man to actually “become” a child of God. We must believe but we must repent of sin. Jesus said in Luke 13:1-5, “There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all Galileans, because they suffered such things. I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Jesus did not mean that we would die by having the tower fall on us or that our blood would be mingled with sacrifices but He did mean that if we do not repent, we will die in sin just as surely as they. We must believe that Jesus is the Christ, repent of sins, we must also confess His name before men for He said in Matthew 10:32-33, “”Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. We must believe, repent and confess the name of Jesus before men and we must also be baptized for Jesus said in John 3:5, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This new birth is known as baptism. Paul said in Galatians 3:26-27, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” In Romans 6:17-18, “But God be thanked that you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. That form of doctrine is baptism which is a form of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. I Corinthians 15:1-4. The new birth, (baptism) gives us status as sons of God through faith, having obeyed the commands that Jesus has given which enable us to “put on Christ”.
Gordon Musick