Scripture References: John 7:17
Notice that Jesus says plainly that if a man will do the will of God, then he will know of the doctrine whether it be of God or not. First of all you need to understand what it means to do the will of God. To do the “will of God” simply means to do what Gods word tells us to believe and do. Note also what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 these words that says, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” What did Jesus mean when he said “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord?” If you confess to know Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, and you do not obey his word, then you have a confession only on him and you absolutely are not doing what he tells you to do as revealed in his word. Many say they know Christ, but they do not keep his every word as we are clearly told to do. So those who only confess belief on him without obeying him are those who will absolutely not enter into the kingdom of heaven. It will only be those who confess belief in him and obey him that will enter Gods kingdom. Those who only believe on him, as multiplied millions do today and in times past, but fail to obey his word they are not doing the “will of God” and so therefore they will not enter Gods kingdom. Are you among the millions that confess belief on Christ as being your Lord and Savior, but are failing to obey him? Listen to what the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us as recorded in Hebrews 5:9 that says, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
Do you not see here that Jesus is author of one’s eternal salvation “if” they not only believe on him, but if they obey him as well? This scripture does not simply tell us that Christ is the author of eternal salvation unto all that just believe on him, but we have millions of people in the world today thinking and believing this. The power of God that leads us to salvation is not just merely believing on the person of Christ alone, but rather we are told these very words by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:16 that says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Notice that Paul is not saying here that just to believe on the person of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, but rather he clearly tells us that it’s believing his gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. There is a great difference in believing on the person of Christ and to believe what he says in his gospel, which are his teachings. Many believe in Christ which is very much necessary, but they don’t believe him, which means they are not believing and obeying his teachings revealed throughout the New Testament scriptures. They are erroneously being told that to believe on Jesus is what will save them. If all one has to do to be saved is just to believe on the person of Christ, then tell me what the 7,959 verses of scriptures are for that make up the entirety of the New Testament covenant. Why do we need 7,959 verses of scripture if all we have to do to be saved is to merely believe on Jesus? No, we are not saved by merely believing on the person of Christ, but rather we can only be saved by believing on his person and then submit to him and obey him, as Hebrews 5:9 says saying, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Now you can argue against this fact all you want, but remember you must let God be true according to his word and count all men as liars until they are proven out by the word of God. Listen with an open mind to what Paul tells us in I Timothy 4:16 that says, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” How can we save ourselves? Does not Paul tell us to continue in the doctrine of Christ and by doing this we will not only save ourselves, but them also that will hear and believe what Gods word says? Now don’t be foolish enough to believe what man says about it and not believe what Gods word says like millions are doing today as well as in times past. Man will tell you that you are saved by merely believing on Christ, but Gods word says through the apostle James these words saying, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Is not both the apostle Paul and James revealing that we can only be saved by continuing in the teachings of Christ believing and obeying what Christ taught? Did not the serpent in the garden of Eden tell Eve that she would not surely die if she ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but did not God tell Adam that he would surely die if he ate of the tree?
Listen to what Gods word says about this as stated in Genesis 3:1-4 that says, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” Did they die just like God said when they ate of the fruit? Yes they did and that death was a spiritual death into sin and separation from God. They died in sin that completely separated them from God and was later cast out of Gods presence and out of the garden as well. So don’t be so quick to believe what you hear until you have proven it out in accord with what Gods word says about it. Learn to put your faith and trust in Gods word making sure it is Gods word and you will never go wrong, but if you fail to do this, then Satan will deceive you and cause you to believe lies to be damned. The power of God that imparts salvation in your life is the power of the gospel that must be revealed by revelation of the Spirit, and not just to believe on Christ thinking that saves you. This is why Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation and not just to believe on his person like millions have been led to think and believe today.
The gospel of Christ is the saving power that will save all who believe and obey it, but the many truths of the gospel must be revealed to us by revelation of the Spirit. How to receive the Holy Ghost is one of the many truths revealed in Gods word that must be obeyed in order to receive the Spirit that will begin to reveal truth to us that does the saving of the soul. It was the apostle Peter that tells us what we must do in order to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, but if we fail to do exactly what he says, then we will never receive it. Peter tells us these words as stated in Acts 2:38 after those Jews has asked him what they had to do. This scripture says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” These are Gods word revealed through the apostle Peter, but if we do not do as it states, then we will remain in our sins and if we die in our sin we will be lost and suffer the consequences of the second death, as Gods word clearly teaches. Keep in mind that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto eternal salvation only to them that believe and obey it. What Acts 2:38 says is the beginning of what we must do to be saved, but this is a truth that most religious denominations has rejected today. “So he that has an ear to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches today” Amen