Our Mere Belief In Jesus Is Futile
Recently, a dear brother in Christ who became a follower of Jesus from a Hindu background told me that believing in Jesus is not a problem for his Hindu family. In Hinduism, worshiping Jesus as one among other Gods is not an issue. He mentioned that if you say that he is the only true God, we get into trouble. So his question was, will you accept them into a fellowship on their confession?
According to John 3:16, if I believe in Jesus, I will have eternal life. Right? If anyone believes that Jesus is a true God, can they be added to the fellowship? What would you say? Will you say no, only if a person believes that Jesus is the only true God, sincerely seeks forgiveness and be baptized, becomes a disciple of Jesus? Like the rich young ruler who asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18–30) What would be your answer?
I am not talking about church membership; joining a local church happens according to that church’s traditions, and we have various of them. Let us put them aside. I am speaking in context with our new life in Jesus according to John 3:3.
In the recent past, to make people know the truth, we documented a lot of evidence on the historicity of Christ. We have provided arguments for the existence of God. That is wonderful and important; they certainly help in shaping our belief in Christ. Some believed that prophecies, demonstrations of healings, and miracles could help people believe in Jesus. When celebrities or famous personalities believe in Jesus, we think their testimonies will make others believe. All these are fine, but is mere belief is what the gospel demands?
The most common references we hear are from Romans 10:9 and Acts 16:31, “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.” “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” But James, in his book, reminds us that even demons believe in Jesus and shudder. (James 2:19) How am I supposed to read Romans 10:9?
We use another phrase, “accepting Jesus as my personal savior.” What do we mean by that? It seems nothing more than an intellectual or emotional conviction that Jesus is God and he has forgiven my sins in response to my confession.
There seems nothing wrong with this, right? But, this is a problem with our faith today. We have watered down the gospel to a mere belief that it is not demanding. That is why Jesus has to tell us, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
The problem is not just that we have many fake believers claiming to be born-again, but even the honest fail to enter the kingdom. They become the salt that lost its saltiness which people trample by foot and bring dishonor to the name of Christ.
The call to obedience
We have misunderstood the gospel as news about going to heaven; therefore, we have lost the meaning of the kingdom of God and discipleship, besides several other things. We thought the kingdom of God is what we see after Jesus’s second coming. So if we hold on to the belief until we die, we immediately enter the kingdom of God. This is not exactly true.
The gospel is not simple happy news that requires mere belief. In the Greco-Roman world, it is a term used for the royal announcement of the emperor’s accession or birthday. Here is one referring to Caesar Augustus. First-century Christians understood this.
Prophet Isaiah meant the same thing in Isaiah 41. Gospel is the proclamation that God reigns. It is always in the context of a king and his kingdom. Faith that leads to obedience is the only legitimate response to the gospel of the king.
“By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
God’s kingdom is where God’s will is being done. Mere forgiveness of sins and ticket to heaven gospel is no gospel at all because it excludes God’s reign or his lordship over all things.
Our modern mind fails to recognize the weight of the words “Jesus is Lord.” It is not about believing a historical fact or rooting a football team. It is submitting or bowing down to the Lordship of Christ. “Every knee should bow… and every tongue confess…” Confess what? Acknowledging “…that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Sadly, we want Jesus to be our present help in times of trouble but not Lord of our whole life.
When God’s will is done in all aspects of my life, God’s kingdom comes to me. In my family, marriage, education, business, leisure, body, sexuality, finance, etc. How do I enter this kingdom? It is by doing God’s will.
“And by this, we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this, we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2: 3–6 ESV) (Matthew 7:21)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Discipleship means adherence to Christ… An abstract Christology, a doctrinal system, a general religious knowledge on the subject of Grace or on the forgiveness of sins render discipleship superfluous, and in fact, they positively exclude any idea of discipleship whatever and are essentially inimical to the whole conception of following Christ.”
It is through obedience we learn to become his disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”” (Matthew 28:18–20)
It is not really about becoming a full-time minister, pastor, or pope. I may be a businessman, artist, janitor, pastor, husband, politician, etc. The call is to single-mindedly do the will of God in all areas of my life.
The cost of obedience
Jesus’s call to Peter, Andrew, Matthew, and others was, “Follow me.” In faith, they immediately obeyed the call; thus, they became his disciples.
To the rich young ruler, Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give them to the poor and follow him. He went away sad because he did not want to lose his wealth to follow Jesus. A few others gave excuses. To them, Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Christ demands single-minded obedience. If I do not choose to obey, I am not fit for the kingdom.
A disciple (talmeed) is not a student who wants to know what the teacher knows. Ray Vander Laan says, “A talmeed is the one who has an intense commitment to precisely become what the rabbi is.”
Jesus made it very clear, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24,25) This sounds harsh. Why do we preach that Jesus is all-loving, compassionate, forgiving, and understanding and leave these commands?
Jesus suffered and was rejected by his generation. (Luke 17:25) The cost is to deny ourselves and take up our cross just like our master and obey him every day both individually and in a community of disciples.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “Had he only suffered, Jesus might still have been applauded as the Messiah… But in passion, Jesus is a rejected Messiah.”
We do not want to be rejected, but that is the cost we are called to pay. When I write these articles, I expect people to accept and appreciate them. Right? But that is against the call. The church’s scandal is, we delight in winning over our critics or glory in our self-righteousness. We are failing to understand our call to become like our rabbi, who was rejected and crucified.
When the call is to obey, the cost is to lose oneself in faith that we will receive the reward our master promised. There is no middle ground. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) (Hebrew 10:35,36)
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew, 10:37, Luke 14:26)
Abraham was not only asked to leave his father’s house, but he was also asked by God to sacrifice his son. Why is this required? By calling me, Jesus cuts all immediacy with the things of the world. He requires to be the center of all things. He not only becomes the mediator between God and me, but he also becomes the mediator between me and my family, neighbor, and the things of the world.
To Abraham, after the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, Isaac is no more a son on natural terms but a son through God in faith.
Here is an illustration to depict different perspectives.
The fruit of obedience
After the rich young ruler walks away sadly, Peter asks Jesus, “See, we have left our homes and followed you. What happens to us?” Jesus responds, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29,30) (Matthew:19:29)
Like Abraham or Peter, when we renounce all that we have (Luke 14:33) to follow Jesus, he promises a new family, a new heavenly kingdom.
When Jesus said, “In my Father’s house, there are many rooms.” he meant this new family. All who do the will of the father are one family. “For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:33–35) (A study)
This idea is not our current understanding of the nuclear family but an ancient understanding of a patriarchal household. Where the patriarch lives with his children, grandchildren, and their families as one household. Even his younger siblings and the families of their children are part of the household. The patriarch’s responsibility is to protect and provide for this extended family. The picture of this household is beautifully portrayed in the Lord’s prayer.
This is the new family Jesus promised to Peter in response to his question. The apostles understood this. That is why Paul writes that we are his temple. We are the body of Christ. By our obedience to God in faith, we are born into this household by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). Our Father’s house is our new family and identity.
By denying and taking up my cross, I sacrifice all that I have to follow Christ. Now my life in Christ is a new reality. In Jesus, I am a new creation. The former things have passed away, “behold I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5, Isaiah 43:19, 2Corinthians 5:17) This new life, new family, new Jerusalem in Jesus is the eternal life we inherit from our Father in this age and the age to come. (Hebrews 11:10, 12:22–24)
So, it doesn’t matter if you are from a Hindu background or Christian background; mere belief in Jesus is futile. Through our obedience to his call “Follow me,” we inherit his kingdom. Surely, his grace will sustain us to be faithful.
