Believe and Obey
Jesus told them “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one He has sent.” John 6:29 (NLT)
The Spirit alone gives life, human effort accomplishes nothing. John 6:63 (NLT)
In that day, the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Isaiah 29:18 (NIV)
Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This the way; walk in it”. Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped…. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those that walk on that Way. Isaiah 35 (NIV)
Jesus answered “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)
The first thing is this: the only true God, who created you and this whole world, has revealed himself to you through His creation, His son Jesus, His word the Bible. Will you believe it?
Let’s go back to the beginning in Genesis chapter 3 (NIV):
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
To paraphrase the first three ancient lies: 1) “Did God really say that?” 2) “That’s not really what He meant.” 3) “You can be like God.”
Sadly, those three ancient lies seem to still be effective against many people today. So who’s voice will you believe? To put it as simply as possible:
Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. John 5:24-25
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. John 3:36
And here’s the beautiful part: when He calls you and you hear Him and believe Him, Jesus does a miracle. You were dead in your sin, but your spirit is made alive again. The good news of God’s word has reached your heart and taken root. Jesus describes it like a farmer scattering seed in Matthew chapter 13:
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
So, the God of creation spoke, and all creation came into being at His command. Will you disregard the commands He gives you? If you actually believe that God speaks to you with the same mouth that spoke creation into existence, will you not obey His commands to you?
Jesus said it best:
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15 (NASB)
Again, put as simply as possible:
Here’s a wonderful freedom: Obeying doesn’t earn you anything. It doesn’t make you worthy. Obeying the voice of Jesus is evidence that you believe what He says. If you actually believe His word, you will obey His voice.
It’s the correct response to the lies of Genesis chapter 3 that are still active today.
“Did God really say that?” – Yes, He did.
“That’s not really what He meant.” – He meant exactly what He said.
“You can be like God.” – No, He is God and I am His creation. He is my Lord, and I’ll do what He asks, not what I decide for myself.
Lord Jesus, please fill us with your Holy Spirit to live out these words.