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Most Americans “believe” in God! We should be thrilled, shouldn't we? We should first ask, “Who is God?” God is an infinite “supreme being” who created the world, does good and loves humanity. Those who believe in “one God” are monotheistic: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Since you believe in God, then, you are a “child of God”. Wrong! Read this:James (NIV) 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”
If you believe in God you are actually no better off than the demons (devils)! If your relationship is constrained to only a “belief in God” then you're doomed for eternal punishment. If belief stops there you'll spend eternity in Hell! As a Christian I love you too much to see you suffer. I want to see you in Heaven with me. God wants that for you too! John (KJV) 3:16 “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.”
Do you believe John 3:16? Do you believe that Jesus died to save you from eternal death because you can't save yourself? Do you admit that any “good” in you pales to the “evil” within you? Do you feel remorse for the sins you've committed? Have you even thought about how bad you've been, let alone being sorry for and repenting?
Let's look at an example of a “believer”:
Acts (KJV) 8:9”But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”
Simon practiced witchcraft, the black arts. He was powerful because he had demonstrated an ability to make things happen using the powers of the dark. Those who had seen Simon's magic thought his power was from God (Unlike Jesus whose power was believed to have been from the demons ...how ironic that false truth is so easy to accept.) Simon heard Philip preach Jesus and salvation and seeing the miracles he believed and was baptized. Simon believed in Jesus! John (KJV) 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him (not directly to Simon), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”Was belief in God and his manifestation as Jesus enough? No.
Simon saw the miracles of Jesus as a way to get rich. 1 Timothy (KJV) 6:10“ For the love of money is the root of all evil...” Simon believed in Jesus, Simon saw Christian miracles, Simon obeyed with baptism, but Simon didn't love Jesus. He saw his belief as a way to make more money. Here we see Simon believe in God, accept that Jesus was the son of God, get baptized, but his “heart was not right in the sight of God”. What had Simon failed to do? He had failed to repent!
Repent! What is it? It's when you feel regret for your actions and desire to change. Simon showed no regret for his sorcery and certainly didn' t change! His life after “belief” was just like his life before “belief”. He didn't change! Sure he believed. Sure he obeyed ritual. But after his belief he was still no better than the “religious” Pharisees who Jesus called “vipers” … we call “snakes”!
Now we must look at who is the “true God”. Is God the Allah of Islam. Is he the JHWH of Judaism? It's easy to rule out Allah. He is a false God. Islam is a false religion which denies that Jesus is God. Islam believes that to be idol worship. Hence, Allah is not the “true God”. (The Arabic word for “God” is “Allah”. If you are an Arab Christian and are a true believer, then these statements don't apply to you). Is the God of Judaism the “true God”? They deny Christ. Yes, YHWH is the true God. That's clear from the entire Bible. However, most Jews don't except that Christ has come. That's disbelief on the part of the Jews, but it doesn't diminish “JHWH” as the “One True God”. In fact 144,000 Jews will turn to Jesus in the Apocalypse! Jews still believe in the coming of the Messiah. They just don't believe he has already come!
Although the true God, JHWH , is worshiped by the Jews, they are by their own admission not accepting of Christ. Who is Christ? By His own words, Jesus IS God. Since Jews don't believe that God sacrificed Himself for us, they are in error and are as bad off as Simon. It's regrettable, but it's true. We must still love them and pray for them.
It's not “cool” to proselytize in this day and age. It's not politically correct to do so. However, we are called to be “fishers of men” and you can't catch “fish” (make converts) unless you use bait (truth). However, like Simon and like Judaism, you too are doomed unless you believe in and love Christ and REPENT of your sins. If you sincerely repent you will know by your works. What you once loved you will come to hate! If you don't hate sin, have you really repented? Are you really a Christian?
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