How is it that we believe in Jesus?

Grace is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11 (TPT) says of Him:"God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone."

Sometimes, we wonder why some people (even people in the church) just won't stop sinning and believe Jesus Christ, Grace-personified, despite what we see as overwhelming evidence. Believers, this is why you and I believe: John 6:44-

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me]; and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day."

See the MSG version: John 6:43-46 "Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End...."

And there we were thinking we decided to follow Jesus and shun sin because we know our left from our right unlike "those sinners" who are still living in sins and addictions! No, friend. Our believing is a gift from God without which we would never have come to Christ. Our ability to live right is a result of Christ's work of "putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."

We would be no different from the lost souls out there that are "just sinning anyhow and have no heart for Christ" if He didn't give us the desire to come to Him. We didn't just "decide" to follow Jesus because of our high moral values. What values? Those ones that Isaiah 64:6 describes as "a menstrual rag" in God's sight? We were called by God to know the Truth (Christ Himself, Grace personified) that makes free. The desire to come to Christ and the power to live in triumph over sin and death is a gift from God. We too would be roasting in terrible sins and unbelief if He hadn't called us to Christ and makes sure that we are not tempted beyond what we can bear.

Realising this truth brings us down from any pedestals of morality that we might have erected for ourselves and makes it difficult for us to judge or condemn those who are still living in sin or tell them things like "you'd better stop sinning and come to Christ, or else..!" Because our eyes are opened to see how we are saved and why we are not committing particular sins, we find it difficult to act in this judgy manner; Instead of acting in this manner, like our Saviour Jesus Christ in Matt. 9:36-37,we get to have compassion on those who are yet to be drawn to Christ our Shepherd and are held captive by sins :

“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.”

Like Christ, instead of seeing people who just refuse to believe and just want to wallow in sins, we GET TO see what Christ sees: confused and helpless people, like sheep without a shepherd; we too would not believe and would be wallowing in sins if we had not been drawn/given the desire to come to Christ our Shepherd whose work in us is " putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End...."

With this understanding, our natural inclination would be to do what Christ says in verse 38 above:

“So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields."

God hears the prayers of His children. If we really want our loved ones to see the Light and live a righteous life, let's pray to our Abba Father in Christ to touch their hearts and by His grace, tell them about His love and His power to save from all that we need saving from, including our sins (Matthew 1:21.)

Instead of threatening sinners with God's wrath which brings fear to sinners or giving them more laws to obey so that SIN HAS DOMINION ("For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace" - Romans 6:14,) we tell them about the goodness of God which leads to repentance. When God does the drawing to Christ, even the stoniest of hearts and the vilest of sinners will swim oceans just to hear His word, believe right and get to live right. Christ does it all.

When we see harassed and helpless people aka sheep without a shepherd (this is how Christ sees those that are wallowing in sins and addictions so He came to save us from our sins), we point them not to their own ability to keep the Law but to Christ (Grace) who saves from sins, as it is written in Matthew 1:21-

"She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus—because He will save His people from their sins.”

If we could stop sinning by our own power, Jesus would not have needed to come and save us from our sins. Plus why would our Saviour use the very sins that He came to save us from as an excuse for not saving us? This is akin to an oncologist dad refusing to treat his own beloved child who has cancer and even punishing his child...because the child has cancer. Let's take our blessed brains to church.

By God's grace, let's have these things in mind while telling the world about our Saviour Jesus and before wondering why they just won't believe Him, threatening them with God's wrath that Christ died to save us from or looking down on them because they are living in sin. God hears the prayers of His children.

Romans 2:1-2 (MSG) says of both those who are wallowing in sins and those who think they are better placed with God because they are more "moral" - 

"Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done."

Judgmental criticism does not point people to Christ as Saviour from sins. It points out sins and tells you to stop sinning and keep the Law by your own effort....or else face the wrath of God. But Christ will never let His sheep go and fend for themselves. He saves from sins. 

If we really want someone to see the Light and live right, let's pray to our Abba Father in Christ to touch their hearts and by His grace, tell them about His love and His saving power, even unto salvation from sins. He does it all. His goodness leads to repentance, not threats of His wrath that Christ died to save us from. See this in Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

Telling people things like "accept Jesus before it is too late and you go to hell" or "God will unleash His wrath on you and let the devil harm you when you sin" or "do your best to keep the law and stop sinning or burn in hell" or "God will not bless you unless you play your part by keeping the Ten Commandments" or worse, how somebody got hit by a car after rejecting an altar call and how it can happen to them and then wondering why they just won't put some effort into overcoming sin cannot help anybody. The letter (law) kills. The Spirit gives life. And with the Spirit, it is not by might nor by power.

Christ's situation in the wilderness during His temptation did not portray His glory and majesty as the beloved Son of God. He was hungry. But His situation then did not change who He is: The Son of God. John 1:12 shows us how we are made children of God;

"But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,"

Telling people things like "And you call yourself a child of God yet you are still...." is the voice of Satan the Accuser who tries to make you believe that you are not a child of God because you fell into certain situations. This is accusation, not correction. It is not of Christ. When your child fails a test, he doesn't stop being your child because he failed. You don't disown him for failing. You help him and remove all distractions so he doesn't fail again. How much more our Father in heaven?

Threats of judgment for breaking the law cannot save or make people stop sinning. Christ does it all, even saving all who believe from their sins according to Matthew 1:21 - "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Christ came to save you from those sins and addictions that you are struggling with. Beware of "men of God" who teach that your sins are what cut you off from Christ and make you fall from grace. Galatians 5:4 is very clear on how this happens:

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace."

It is the knowledge of the Truth that sets free. Jesus told the Jews in John 8:32- "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Remember Jesus was talking to the Jews who had had and tried to live by the Law of Moses for more than 1500 years, yet they were not free. They believed in God but not in Christ, just like many in the church today who profess Christ but, like the religious Jews, believe that it is their own obedience that makes them righteous before God and not Christ's. See Romans 5:19- "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

Christ died to make the sinner who believes righteous so for such Christ "professors," who think their seeds, tithes and law-keeping count for righteousness, Christ died for nothing. See Galatians 2:21:

"I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"

The religious Jews who did their best to obey the Ten Commandments needed setting free from the law of sin and death by the Truth, just like many in the church who reject Grace (the Person of Jesus Christ- the Way, the Truth and the Life) by trying to obey the law to attain righteousness. But law-keeping cannot help anyone become righteous in God's sight. It only gives sin dominion. For those who try, their rejection of Christ as their righteousness becomes a stumbling block- see Romans 9:

“30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in Him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when He said,

“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,

a rock that makes them fall.

But anyone who trusts in Him

will never be disgraced.””

See how the above verses tie into Proverbs 4:

18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,

    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;

    they do not know what makes them stumble.

The difference between the righteous and the wicked is how we believe - righteousness through the Law or righteousness by Faith. 

Remember John 1:17- "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Believer, Grace (Christ Himself) is the Truth that sets free. Titus 2:11-14 says of Him:

"11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are his very own,eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."

With Christ, Grace is our teacher, not the Law, you or I. In Him, we get to live right and look forward to the blessed hope and His glorious appearing (Rapture.) Teachings on the Rapture don't make us afraid but comfort us as they should (1 Thess. 4.) Unveil the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ - the Way, the Truth and the Life- and He will redeem from sin, purify and transform His people by His awesome power.

Believer, "These, then, are the things you should teach." By grace, don't let anyone make you feel ashamed or despise you for the gospel of Christ. Remember Paul declared "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." He faced persecution from people who tried to redefine God's grace as license to sin and accused him of preaching that it is okay to commit sin because of Grace, (Romans 3:7-8.) just as many religious people do to children of Grace today.

Today, many interpret Paul's declaration - "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" - as being unashamed to “preach inside public transportation” and other public places. No friend. Even Satan can preach God inside public transportation and behind a pulpit. The spirit of the antichrist is not anti-God. It is one that preaches strongly on the need for believers to live a godly life, but its own method of attaining or maintaining godliness (after we have been made godly by Christ's suffering) is through human effort at keeping the Law. 

See Paul's typology of the forbidden fruit as a picture of the law that many are trying to keep in order to be godly in Romans 7:8-12 (MSG version.) This demonic doctrine is the same strategy that Satan used to deceive Eve when he told her that that she would be godly (be like God) if she did something by human effort after God already made she and Adam like Himself.

Believer, unveil the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ - the Way, the Truth and the Life- to all and He will redeem from sins, purify and transform His people by His awesome power. Here, the church gets to live a life that is beyond even the level of moral excellence that the Law demands. We get to love more, do exploits and give more, even give beyond the lawful regulations of the tithe. With Christ we don't GIVE TO GET, we GET TO GIVE. This Way seems foolish to those who are trying to "logic" out the Good News of Christ,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

The law condemns the best of us but Grace saves the worst of us.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.