Do not deceive yourself

God does not change and His standard does not change, it is the same today as it has been from the beginning.

Because man is so stiff necked, hard-hearted, blind and slow to understand, God has employed drastic means, miracles and disasters, to get man's attention before judgment.  Since God created everything He has sought a people for Himself.  A people who believe that He exists and obey His commands.  Read and understand.

The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? (Numbers 14:11)

In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe (aman). So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful (aman) to his covenant (Psalm 78:32-37).

Note: above the Hebrew word (aman) means both believe and faithful.

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites" (Exodus 19:5-6)

I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands (Daniel 9:4)

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

            The standard for God’s people does not change,

He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe (pisteuo) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household" (Acts 16:30-31)

But now righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (pisteuo). There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:21-24).

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe (pisteuo) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe (pisteuo) and are saved (Hebrews 10:39).

We see in the New Testament that we must believe in Jesus Christ and we will be saved. Doesn’t that mean that belief is sufficient? Yes and NO! We must first understand the meaning of believe pisteuo in Scripture. Strong’s Greek Dictionary indicates pisteuo which is translated believe in the above NT passages means both mental assent and faithfulness.

So, the next time someone says believe and be saved, you will know what God means, both mental assent and obedience.

Both the Greek and Hebrew words for believe indicate mental assent and faithfulness. The standard is still the same today as it has been from the beginning. Believe and Obey. A true faith in Jesus Christ is a faith that works.

You believe (pisteuo) that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? (James 2:19-20)

There are only two types of people in world the sons of God and the sons of the devil. The Sons of God will spend eternity with God and the Sons of the Devil will spend eternity apart from God.

He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 13:37-43).

Therefore, now is the time of salvation, turn from your wicked ways and believe in God - believe and obey.

Richard H Perry