Believe

Believe

Acts 13:38-41

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

³⁸ “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.  ⁴⁰ Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2013:%2038%20-41&version=NIV1984)

You cannot say it any clearer than this.  Because of Jesus we have the forgiveness of sin.  The rulers could not see Him as the son of God, the promised One, they saw Him as a threat.  How many people wander in the world without Christ because they think He is a threat to them?  There are people in this world who refuse to believe, shut Him out of their lives, and crucify Him over and over again because He is a threat to them.  They feel that if He comes into their lives they will have to give up everything that they love, they will have to give-up bad habits or good friends, which is not any different than the leaders of the time.  They knew if they proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, they would have to give-up their status. 

Is verse 41 true for you or someone you know?  It was true for the pharisees; they could not believe that Christ had risen.  It was true for the Israelites who grumbled and complained to God even though they saw many miracles in Egypt, on their trip out of Egypt, and while in the desert.  Today we still have signs and wonders from God and the Bible tells us that there is more to come.  Someday EVERY knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10).  The problem is that for many it will be too late to turn to Him, He will be revealed in all His glory but those who did not believe, who were scoffers will be cut off. 

Even though we see Him work through people today,  just like in the days of old there are scoffers who simply refuse to believe.  They have all the proof they need to believe but yet they refuse.  I hope you are not one of these people.  Take note what will happen to them, they will perish and die.  They will perish because they will be eternally separated from God; they will die because without Christ there is only eternal death.  I urge you, if you have heard or witnessed His wonders; don’t be a scoffer, be a believer.  There is nothing more comforting, satisfying, and assuring than to know that Jesus Christ, a perfect man, God in flesh, was willing to sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world!  To know that He would do this so that I could have eternal life with Him is simply amazing.  Words cannot describe my gratefulness to Him for this act of kindness.  Yet nothing is more life changing than this, that on the third day HE ROSE and is ALIVE today, thus conquering death and giving us life through Him.  The question is, is He alive in you?  If you do not know Him as your personal Savior, today is the day for salvation.  Come to Him as a repentant sinner, tell Him you do not want to be a scoffer anymore and give your life to Him.  Don’t be selfish with the things of this world; give them to Him so that you may have a blissful life through Him.

Seek Him, Know Him, and Share Him with others and BELIEVE.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila