To Believe and Confess Jesus is not enough

I am in a discussion with a good friend who is a fulfilled Jew. His comments were of interest to me. This is only a portion of his statement.


Shalom,

It doesn't take a "believer" to say that they know Y'SHUA!Mat 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?Mar 1:24 Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.Mar 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.Luk 4:34 Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, [thou] Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.Luk 4:41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking [them] suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.Confessing the name of Y'SHUA is not enough for as you can see even the demons know who HE is!Knowing HIM is not enough. The demons recognize HIS voice. They know HIM well enough for they were once in Heaven with HIM.Doing miracles is not enough nor does "DOING" alone prove you to be HIS child, for there will come a time when even a "False Prophet" will "DO" such things.Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

For you to be saved when the dead in CHRIST are raised and when the final trumpet sounds there must be the combination of these aspects. You must first accept and confess Y'SHUA as your SAVIOR! Is HE your SAVIOR? If not, then call upon HIS name to save your SPIRIT! Accept the price to redeem you that HE has paid, please?

Pastor Eric Aschendorf

My response:

Once again, I approach things from a bit of a different view. Ha-ha!

Often people I encounter claim to have had an experience of "going forward" to receive the "forgiveness of Jesus". As I talk to them I realize they have never really accepted Jesus Himself. Some claim they are not yet clean enough, or that they have never heard that Jesus gave them His Eternal Life to live through them.

There is a passage in Philippians 2 that states:

12. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Many focus on the first part. Of working out YOUR salvation with fear and trembling….

But miss the most important part …. For it is GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL and act according to HIS PURPOSE. Emphasis of course is mine.

It is God’s work He is doing through us…. We submit our will and receive His will.

I see we are literally “dead in our sins” and resurrected spiritually alive in Christ. This is a shadow of sort (a reality also) that points to the Last Resurrection we call our Blessed Hope.

Too many spend their life double minded, thinking they still have a free will, even though they gave that up for God’s will. They carry the corpse of their former self around and live shallow stinking dead Christian lives…. Often suffering for no reason other than they have not allowed themselves to be dead.

Don’t get me wrong; I do believe we still sin. For we are not perfect, but that is God’s job not ours…. To be perfect. Ours right now is to be the imperfect creature in need of a Savior. Paul states in Romans 7:

17. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.

Yes, we have a corrupted body of flesh. It has desires and impulses and we fall for these all the time. Yet, we are in the spirit alive. The Seed of Christ is planted in our hearts and is driving out the work of the devil. (1 John 3:9)

Many of these things seem so simple. Yet, if one only receives the forgiveness without receiving the Eternal Life, one has only received half the Gospel.

Forgiveness is the gate to salvation…. Jesus was the sin sacrifice for our salvation. He called Himself the gate for His sheep to enter…. (John 10: 17)

But often many equate forgiveness = salvation… forgiveness was once for all (Romans 6:10,Hebrewss 7:27, Hebrews 9:12)

Jesus said, at the cross “forgive them Father for they know not what they do!” They all were forgiven, yet not all were saved. I see that is the issue. Some have received the forgiveness and never received the Forgiver!

For it is good to be forgiven, yet it is better to be a Beloved.

Of the Called Out Ones who Gather at Billings MT.
Blessings,
Pastor Carlos