Do You Believe in Jesus?

Is there any more important question? Can any other question lead to any answer that has greater consequences? Do you believe in Jesus?

There are three operative words in that short question, they are: you, believe and Jesus.

JESUS is the key word around which the meaning of the rest rotate. If the name of JESUS were changed to any other word or name, the whole meaning of the question and the utter importance of the answer would be drastically different. No other question rises to greater importance. No other name carries such meaning and significance. One minor change in that question diminishes the importance of the answer. Do you believe in college professors? Do you believe in your parents? Do you believe in Conservatism? As hard as it is for me to admit it, even that last question does not rise to the level of a shadow of the real question. Do you believe in Jesus?

YOU is the word that defines the personal importance. Whether you believe is what is important in the question. Once again, change this word and it becomes academic instead of eternal. Does Joe believe in Jesus? Good question! But, you could only speculate based on observation and your answer may be wrong. In order for that question to yield an answer with certainty, you would need to ask Joe. Do YOU? Not someone else, not your parent or child, husband or wife, friend or foe, brother or sister; do YOU believe in Jesus? If you do not or are not sure, heaven and hell hang in the balance. JESUS is calling YOU! He knows YOU by name. His heaven will not be complete without YOU. The angels are all waiting on YOU. Only YOU can believe for YOU. You cannot believe for someone else and someone else cannot believe for you. That is why the question is so personal. Your status is not based on the belief of your family, friends, spouse, or anyone else - it is based on your personal belief in Jesus.

BELIEVE is the word that defines the relationship between YOU and JESUS. Do YOU BELIEVE in JESUS? Change the word away from faith and you may have an interesting question and a provocative answer, but the significance is on a lower level. Do you know about Jesus? Do you like Jesus? Do you know WWJD? Do you do what Jesus would do? Interesting, but not providing any level of eternal direction for your life. Do you BELIEVE? Do you have the faith that comes from the heart? BELIEVE is in a different realm than "know about" or "understand" or "agree with". Belief comes from the heart, not mind. We humans tend to want to analyze with our brains to decide whether or not we "believe" something to be true. That is not faith and it is not from the heart. It is mental assent and it will not save you. Believing in the historical events concerning Jesus is not enough to bring you into the fold. Having a belief, based on your faith that comes from the heart, and is centered on JESUS will set you free and save you.

Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Do YOU BELIEVE in JESUS?