The scripture for today, June 29 (6/29), is John 6:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.
“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent.’ “
Yes, it is true that the gift of salvation is just that ~ a gift, a free gift. And it is true that we cannot be good enough to earn salvation, because we don’t know how to be perfect, and heaven can only accept the perfect.
But at the same time, James 2:18 says “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” In other words, there are things we need to do to obtain salvation. We have to believe there is a gift for us somewhere, walk over to it, reach out, and grasp it.
Repenting is a work. And Jesus himself said believing (faith) is a work.
And how do we go about obtaining faith? By believing what other people tell us to believe? Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing/reading the Word of God ~ the Bible. Faith in the right thing is the result of going directly to God’s Words to find out for ourselves.
It takes a little bit of work to read through the Bible. But then, we can know what we believe is really true.
#faith, #belief, #work, #free, #gift, #salvation, #Bible
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
“We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.”
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
“The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him.”
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.”