Do You Understand the Bible? by Lew Norris

Author:Lew Norris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Co.

Chapter Thirteen:

What Does God Expect?

John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Is this really all there is to it? We say we believe in Christ and have a ticket to heaven. After all, Christ died to wash away our sins. Or, is more required of us than just saying we believe in Him? If we say we believe and go on a killing and looting rampage, are we saved? If we say we believe and refuse to help the needy, are we saved? What does “belief ” encompass? God is love (1 John 4:16) and God is Spirit (John 4:24), and Christ says in John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

What are Jesus’s commandments? Matthew 22:37-39 says we shall love God and our neighbor as we love our self and 22:40 says that all the law and prophesy depend on these two commandments. The only conclusion we can reach is that belief in Jesus in not a sterile, passive acknowledgment that He is the Son of God, but requires us to interact with Him and each other in a loving relationship because He is the Son of God. This really is what James means in 2:26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

No, I am not saying we can “good works” our way into heaven. Salvation comes solely through the death and resurrection of Christ. If we try to earn our way there by good works, we soon develop more of a sense of duty than an inspiration of love, because our body (our motivation) without the spirit simply dies. It seems we make the connection between faith and works unnecessarily difficult, but really it need not be. Rather than trying to play God by our actions, we only have to listen to God and do what He tells us. That is trust based on love. And I can assure you that God-directed tasks will always go smoother and fill you with more bliss than good deeds willfully decided upon. It’s the difference between feeling you have to help for fear of punishment as opposed to wanting to help because you really want to. Second Corinthians 9:7 states: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

This is the ideal yardstick. Of course, most of us don’t measure up and God accepts what we have to offer. However, the entire chapter 25 of Matthew appears to be a warning to us that He is watching our actions (Matthew 25:13), that we will be held accountable for our actions (Matthew 25:30), that there will be a judgment day (Matthew 25:32), and our actions will speak volumes (Matthew 25:35-40), concluding with: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.

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