Believing in Jesus Christ

If you ask people, “Do you believe there is a God?” most would say yes. Of course this statement must be qualified. A person saying “I believe in God” does not necessarily mean that person is resting their eternal soul on the one true God described in the Bible. Still, it remains that most people acknowledge the existence of a god of some form. Why?

The answer is simple. God has made Himself known to all men. This is an inescapable reality. Notice how clear the Bible is on this point.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things (Rom 1:18-23).

The Bible says clearly “what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” Therefore the knowledge of God is in man. It has been shown to him by creation. This inescapable reality forces people to make a choice whether conscious or unconscious.

Again, notice the passage above, it is the wrath of God which is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. What is the response of man to the revelation of God’s wrath and invisible attributes? They see there is no excuse not to worship God so they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. How?

Unable to escape the reality of God and His wrath, they become fools and change the glory of God into an image of corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. They make idols to appease their guilty consciences. They cannot escape the truth so they substitute a lie and call it truth.

No one can escape this reality. For example: Atheists are not born; they are the result of a mind so distraught over guilt and knowledge of the impending wrath of God that they eliminate God altogether. As the Bible declares they become fools.

Therefore, before a man can believe in Jesus Christ, he must face the reality of his guilt and seek the remedy God has provided.

God’s Remedy for Man’s Sin
The Gospel Defined

Paul makes it clear that man is not without remedy. He declares the Gospel as the solution to man’s guilt.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH" (Rom 1:16-17).

If a man is running away from his guilt, he will never be righteous. As the Bible says “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away” (Isa 64:6). Paul also concluded. As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE" (Rom 3:10-12).

Perhaps an objection might be raised here. Some might think a few people are good. They do good things. They help others. The truth is some people are not as wicked as others, but all fall short of sinless perfection which is the standard for entrance into God’s kingdom. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20).

Another objection arises from that statement. No one is perfect, right? Right! No one but the God Man, Jesus Christ the Righteous. Notice Paul said the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God. Two conclusions may be drawn from Paul’s statement. 1. God is righteous. 2. Man may have God’s righteousness imputed to him on the basis of faith--the just shall live by faith.  Therefore, it is important to understand what the Gospel is.

The Gospel is God’s revelation to man that eternal life, redemption from sin, and forgiveness may be obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ being fully man and fully God lived a perfect life fulfilling the law and paying our sin debt by His death, burial, and resurrection.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:21-26).

Remember the issue is righteousness. More expressly God’s righteousness needs to be imputed to us. That is accomplished by faith in God. Notice what Paul wrote about Abraham’s faith.

And being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification (Rom 4:21-25).

The Gospel is part of God’s plan of redemption. This plan actually began before creation. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 

(Eph. 1:3-6)

This timing is important because it ensures the Gospel’s success. The question is have you rejected the Gospel. Will you place your faith in God today?