Exit Strategy” (book seen below) is now available at most e-book venues.

What does “believe” mean? (Continued from “End Times: The Storm is coming.”

In John 3:36 NASB and NKJV, it says, “If you believe on the Lord you have eternal life, if you do not obey the Son you do not have life but the wrath of God rests upon you!”

“Whoa Michael I do NOT remember that!” If you know the King James version of this verse you will not know why this correct understanding is critical to our salvation.

Holy cow you say! ” In the KJV the first part is the same but the second part says, ” if you do not “believe” the Son you do not have life and the wrath of God rests upon you.” as most of us would have said, “I believe in Him and I believe Him too!” I know I did.

Right. My point exactly. We have seen the same word “believe”, been taught the same words but in the original text the word “believe” is two different words. (John 3:36)

The first “believe” is “Pisteuo” which means to entrust. (Strong’s G4100) If I give my life savings to a financial counselor, I am saying, I trust You and will literally follow your counsel, risking all that is precious to me. This is how we retain the eternal life that was freely given to us. Our Way to eternity is determined by our Counselor and we agree to submit to Him. No submission and we lose what was generously and freely given. We were bought with a price, with an expectation that we would increase in value and pay dividends, to our Master and Loving heavenly Father. We did not buy anything. By plan design we are to maintain His gift of righteousness to us as proof of respect and reverence for Whose we are by our conscious honoring of Him. What ever forgiveness we grant or kindness we render, HE receives the credit and glory.

The second “believe” in the KJV is the word “apeitheo.” (Strong’s G544) This word gives us the word apathetic. In the Greek it means to be disobedient or to disobey, unbelieving, obey not, believe not. Look it up.

John 3:36 once understood is pointing to a discipline that has been cast aside as some sort of works. Obedience does not purchase anything, it maintains what you have. It maintains your reconciled relationship with God. Paul speaking of Jesus said in Romans 5:10, I paraphrase, “We are reconciled (to God) by His death but we are SAVED by His life.” Again this is understanding of great significance. Doctrines fall over things like this. Fortunately, salvation is assured by correctly applied understanding. See Proverbs 8:14.

Remember the rebellion in heaven? Lucifer and 1/3 of the angels were cast down to the earth. Do you think there will ever be a rebellion in heaven again? Why would God populate His Son’s kingdom with a rebellious lot? Right…He wouldn’t. The question of our loyalty and obedience will have already been answered.

The church is about to be awakened to the discipline of obedience. It does not have to be a bad thing. It holds salvation for those who appreciate it. The Word says Jesus, yes that’s Jesus the Son of God, the Son of Man,”learned obedience by things that He suffered.”

The child of God obeys the Father and the things taught by Jesus, in the Father’s name. This is a maturing process that takes time but maybe now, in this generation, our time is growing short? This obedience proved the Son of Man’s submissive will to the Father and revealed the Father’s plan to us. Jesus saw past the pain of now into the future and the joy set before Him. That was amazing since WE are that joy. Why us? Because He loved us. He knows He faithfully showed us the Way and we will come to know and follow the Ways and yes we too will learn discipline by the things which we suffer. “Oh great Michael what an uplifting message.”  I am sure Jesus felt the same way in the Garden.

The time has come for us to embrace what our old nature rejects. This is the Way to heaven. We must start to obey the Lord’s teachings now in order to have mastered them in the coming time of distress. we must train our loved ones. As we daily pick up our cross, faithfully dying to self, we are “willing” ourselves unto Christ. We will remind others of Christ. There is a time coming when that act will save us because we will have mastered our flesh and released the love Christ gave us, in intercession. Jesus has spoken it.

So, when Jesus took that cross in our place, what was that to us? “It is eternal life! We are forgiven. It is salvation! We are saved forever!” Not quite according to John. Our first confession/submission to Christ does accomplish all that by God’s grace, if like the thief on the cross, we die shortly after. Our complete cleansing is all true because God is faithful to keep His end of the deal. John then clearly indicates there is a second half to the “deal.” assuming we live past our initial reconciliation, and most of us have, John says our obedience (to the Son) is necessary or we “have no life but the wrath of God rests upon us.” (John 3:36)

This is why “believing in Jesus” is not salvation. Entrusting ourselves obediently to His instructions, that, is our salvation. We are given reconciliation freely. We must maintain it. We are in the race. We must run it.

Our English vernacular for “believe” fails to express the critical factor of obedience. It is not works. It is obedience. It is a required discipline in heaven, to be demonstrated by us right here first. Yes, right here! If Jesus had to demonstrate obedience, how can we not know it is required of us as His brothers and sisters? Do not blame anyone because we have not been taught. We probably could have coasted along in our old thinking as we have. Circumstances have our attention now. Time is dictating our urgent need for understanding. God is bringing it on not me, although I certainly will (choose to) benefit.

Think about this and no doctrine is intended here. Once Jesus came to earth, took upon Himself sinful flesh, even though He did not sin, is it possible even His “Son of Man” side had to be tested for absolute obedience, NOT for His sake but for us to see the possibility of success? In addition, the “Son of Man” was going back to heaven in a different form than when He left heaven. He represents a God-child race to inhabit heaven. He is coming back here as the Son of Man to rule and reign for a thousand years! I am not saying His divinity had to be tested. The Word does say that as a Son He learned obedience. I think He learned it so He as King of Kings could say to us in eternity, or even now, I’ve been there and done that, having endured humanity I understand.” This is a king we can honor. His judgment will be just because of this.  He does not ask us to do anything He has not done or endure anything He has not endured.

Did you not think there is a reason we are restricted to this earth?  Those who enter into eternity will be wearing the red badge of self-denial, self-crucifixion, maybe even the bloody badge of a glorifying Christ-like death. Can you imagine the look in the Lord’s eyes as He receives you, knowing you died as He died, even interceding for those who killed us, NO, who actually helped us “accomplish our departure.”  (See Mark: The Mount of Transfiguration)

Just remember the message is distressing but it rescues those written in the book. “Why do they need rescuing?” Daniel 12.

The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing now is paramount, as He waits for us.

You are loved

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

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