Believe and Declare
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:9-10, 14-15)
Belief and declaration - two very important parts of our salvation. We must be confident (belief) that Jesus is the Son of God, gave his life to restore a right relationship between our Heavenly Father and us, and was raised again so all who believe in him would also be free from eternal death. We must couple that belief with steps of obedience - we declare our faith through our obedient actions. It could be by being baptized, but it is also every action we take that allows God's love and grace to be evident in our lives.
Belief begins by hearing - a message must be delivered. God's plan - someone must be his spokesperson on this earth. Like it or not, that is us. We are the ones asked to 'deliver the message' - not just in spoken word, but in a living example of right relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is why it is so important to bring our choices to God BEFORE we make them - because each choice will be revealed in an action that others will observe. Will they observe Christ in our actions today?
Belief and declaration - our lifestyle declares so much about who we believe God to be and how we regard him in our lives. Do we appear to put ourselves first, always choosing to 'serve self' first? Do we see the needs of others first and move to meet it in whatever practical way is possible for us? One set of choices reveals us in control of our lives - the other might just help another see a bit of Christ through our actions. We are not Christians in secret - our actions reveal who we place in the position of authority in our lives. Just sayin!
Belief and declaration - two very important parts of our salvation. We must be confident (belief) that Jesus is the Son of God, gave his life to restore a right relationship between our Heavenly Father and us, and was raised again so all who believe in him would also be free from eternal death. We must couple that belief with steps of obedience - we declare our faith through our obedient actions. It could be by being baptized, but it is also every action we take that allows God's love and grace to be evident in our lives.
Belief begins by hearing - a message must be delivered. God's plan - someone must be his spokesperson on this earth. Like it or not, that is us. We are the ones asked to 'deliver the message' - not just in spoken word, but in a living example of right relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is why it is so important to bring our choices to God BEFORE we make them - because each choice will be revealed in an action that others will observe. Will they observe Christ in our actions today?
Belief and declaration - our lifestyle declares so much about who we believe God to be and how we regard him in our lives. Do we appear to put ourselves first, always choosing to 'serve self' first? Do we see the needs of others first and move to meet it in whatever practical way is possible for us? One set of choices reveals us in control of our lives - the other might just help another see a bit of Christ through our actions. We are not Christians in secret - our actions reveal who we place in the position of authority in our lives. Just sayin!
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