DECISIONS ABOUT JESUS
Believers and unbelievers make different decisions about Jesus (John 1:1112). But born-again believers face even more decisions concerning Jesus as their Lord.
BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVER MAY MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS ABOUT THE JESUS.
Differences about Jesus may be seen in a situation where Jesus performance a miracle of feeding a multitude of people. He miraculously feed over 5000 people with five small barley loves and to small fish, which a little boy had in the crowd.
After feeding them, Jesus told them: “ I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Then Jesus said to the crowd: “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” On hearing this, many of his followers said this is a hard teaching. They turned away and left Jesus, although they had seen him perform many unparalleled miracles.
Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they wanted to leave too. Speaking for the twelve who stayed, Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” But Jesus knew one of the twelve would desert him (John 6 NIV).
Today, when many people hear the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected for the sins of the world, they may not repent and believe. But many of us, like Peter and the believing disciples, decide to follow the Lord because we believe, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
BELIEVERS MAY FALL BUT BY GOD’S GRACE THEY DECIDE TO RISE AGAIN.
Peter and other disciples deserted and denied the Lord when they were faced with death. But later, the Lord gave them an opportunity to repented. After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, he appeared to Peter and his disciples. He gave them a chance to demonstrate their repentance. They repented. (John 21:1-17).
God’s Word says, no matter how many times the righteous fall, by God’s grace, “they rise again” (Proverb 24:16; Matthew 18:21-22). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7-9 ESV).
SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS CHOOSE TO HELP OTHERS COME TO THE LORD DESPITE HAVING TO FACE DIFFICULTIES.
Spirit-filled believers love the Lord, and choose to keep their loving Lord’s commandments to love and help others come to the Savior Jesus Christ. They reach out help others, even though they understand they may be rejected by some of those they try help; which may include rejection by even some family and friends. For they realize that the world will reject them even as the world rejected the Lord. (John 15:18). Yet they are encouraged by Jesus telling them: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Trusting the Lord and being filled with his promised Spirit (Acts 1:8), believers go into the world as the Lord instructed them to: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
Believers also trust the following that their loving Savior and Lord said: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel’s sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30 ESV). And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).
