What Is It To Believe On the Lord Jesus Christ? To believe on Jesus Christ is to fulfill the words of the Lord Jesus when he prayed to God, his Father as given to us in the Bible, in John 17th Chapter. Here Jesus prayed and thanked God, his Father for giving him the power to give eternal life to those that believe in the Father, who is the Only True God and in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father sent. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:1-3 Jesus, in his prayer acknowledges that the Apostles were given to him by God, his Father, and that the Apostles have done everything Jesus has asked them to do according to God’s Word. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. John 17:6 Jesus goes on in his prayer to acknowledge that he gave his Apostles the words his Father gave him. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, John 17:8 Then, Jesus prayed for his Apostles. He did not pray for unbelievers, that is the whole world. Jesus understood God’s salvation is for them that believe the words Jesus preached and taught, in this case, his Apostles. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them, which thou hast given me; for they are thine. John 17:9 In addition to Jesus praying for his Apostles, he went on to pray for another group of people. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. John 17:20-21 Jesus prayed for everyone who believes the witness the Apostles give about Jesus. All who believe on Jesus do so, only when they believe what the Apostles preached and taught about Jesus. No one else is included in Jesus’ prayer. The Apostle Peter put it like this: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he, which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Acts 10:40-43 To be Apostolic one must believe the witness the Apostles gave concerning Jesus Christ. All who believe on Jesus MUST believe on him according to the Apostles’ words. Jesus wrote nothing we have record of today. We only know about him through the Gospels and the other writings in the Bible. God’s ordained plan is that we believe on Jesus by the Apostles’ preaching and teaching. There is no other way. So what did the Apostles preach? Here is just a small, but significant sample of their preaching. Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, Acts 2:22-24 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. Act 3:13-15 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17 When we, you and I, believe in Jesus, according to the Apostles, we believe: God sent the man, Jesus Christ into the world God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit God had Jesus crucified and slain God raised Jesus from the dead and glorified him God made Jesus Lord over all God’s creation Then, we are to follow the instructions given by the Apostles to those who believe. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Act 2:38-39 Then, those that believe on Jesus according to the Apostles’ Word: Believe “Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Repent of their sins and are baptized in Jesus name. Receive the Holy Spirit, just as the believers did in the New Testament. Live a life pleasing to God, in Christ Jesus. Meet together and with others that are Apostolic in belief, doctrine and practice. That’s What It Is To Believe On Jesus Christ
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 01:17:58 +0000