Believe, But It’s Not Enough
We need to believe, but it’s not enough to only believe. To only believe is incomplete. Belief moves and stirs our hearts and minds. Belief takes effort and training on our part. But belief is part of the race. Don’t come to be in the race. Come to finish the race.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. (James 2:19)
Belief is necessary. And for some of us, belief may be the most difficult part of our training. And for others, after you become comfortable in your belief, all the other parts of the process may come quickly. But it’s not enough to just believe.
Repent & Confess, But It’s Not Enough
After the crowds believed what Peter said about the Good News and after they admitted their past sin, they asked Peter, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
That’s what we’ve been told about accepting this relationship with God, that is correct, but it’s not the complete picture. Confessing your past sins doesn’t mean you stop sinning. The same is true with repenting. When you repent, that isn’t a one-time thing you’ll never have to think about or do again because you will always be selfless. Confessing and repenting are not once in a lifetime. Instead, they’re part of an ongoing process.
Baptism, But It’s Not Enough
Baptism is one of those modes of expression that has been debated and confusing for years. It was not all that confusing until we made it confusing. Returning to the original explanations of baptism, it’s connected to a physical expression of our journey of Faith. But is that all it is? And is it enough on its own? The answer to both is “no.” But the depth of those answers is what we will explore.
Works, But It’s Not Enough
When you respond to Christ and accept his grace, there is a transformation constantly at work in you. Let your actions go to work in you as part of your response to God, too. Your actions share the best of you, express God’s love to others, and help your faith grow. Remember, “Grace is not opposed to effort it’s opposed to earning.”