We Must Believe!

3 of a series of 3:

(Matthew 10:32) “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”

Now on the basis of the last two posts I would like to arrive at my conclusion and hopefully dispel any confusion around this glorious section of John chapter 3. There seems to be a never ending debate about whom God loves. Once again let us consider the facts and not romanticize about what we would like it to say.

I trust we have established and understand the difference between God’s “Agape” love and that of mankind understanding of “phileo” love. Agape is a total surrender regardless of the outcome while the phileo is based on feelings and emotions and often linked to friendship. It is easy for us to test ourselves when serving God, remember Peter’s encounter in John chapter 21: - We can understand John 21 better by knowing the Greek words agape and Phileo?  It seems that Peter replies to Jesus that he "affectionately loves" Him, and this he did twice after Jesus had asked him the question, after he had gone back fishing--(in the sense of duty and of the will). Then, Jesus uses Peter's own word for love the third time: "Do you Peter love me affectionately?" And this time He changes the emphasis to “phileo love”, as Peter had a different understanding of God’s deep love and once Peter realizes the difference it puts a different spin on His resolve as it should on ours. We know what happened throughout the book of acts and how God chose to use Peter mightily in proclamation of His gospel. Whenever we put ourselves before the Lord’s will for our lives we do not walk as Christ walked in Agape love - a sacrificial love.

Does God love everybody? No He does not! Has God made a way for all in and through His love? Yes He has! How so? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) – What we see is how God by example gave His son to repenting sinners and not all sinners to pay a price for their sins by forgiving them of their sins. The text is crystal clear here if we follow it systematically; “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:17-18) – Therefore God’s “Agape” love will and can only cover those who believe in and on His Son.

We understand that both sinner and saint are covered by God’s common love, in other words we all have breath and the sun rises on all etc. But it is only those who call upon the name of the Lord that will be saved. “For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."” (Romans 10:13) 

It is only the elect that will make it to heaven. Who then are the elect? Those who call upon the name of the Lord! So then who is entitled to call upon the name of the Lord? “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” (Romans 10:12) – But call we must! 

Do not be fooled to think that if God is love, which He is as He has displayed it in and through his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that He does not have room for hate, for the culmination of His hate will be an eternity in hell for all those who reject His Son’s sacrifice on Calvary.

However today is the day of salvation as we remember the call has gone out to all and if you still have breath and have not breathed your last you still have an opportunity to call out unto Him and call you must to avoid the inevitable!

We can only ever be in one of two camps. I trust we have a clearer understanding of God’s love and what we must do to be covered by it. We must believe on the Lord Jesus and this is how we believe; “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." (Romans 10:9-11)

If we now truly believe we will begin to confess our Lord and Saviour to others; “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)

In and through all I have said is obviously under the banner of God’s grace, boasting is excluded. Salvation is and will only ever be a gift of God and we can do nothing within ourselves to merit salvation. Our God is truly wonderful; praise His name now and forever more, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone