Do You Really Believe in Jesus

If I asked you if you believed in Jesus you would probably say something like, "Yeah, duh.  I'm a Christian, a follower of Christ."  But are you?  Do you really believe?

In Matthew 7:21 Jesus says, "Not everyone who says... but only he who does..."  You see, the Bible is pretty clear that belief is much more than what we say.

Imagine my family and I are going away on a month long world tour (maybe I should say missions trip to seem more spiritual).  Dad has invited a young newlywed couple to house-sit for us while we're away soaking up the sun in Spain (I mean saving souls in the Congo).  Dad nominated me to create a list of all things that need to be done around the house in our absence.  I have written down all the necessary information in a 15 to 20 paged notebook. It says things like, the cows need to be moved into the next paddock every second day, the cats are fed twice a day, customers' orders must be sent out daily that come from mine and my brother Matt's home business (www.SimplyCleverToys.com). Also, I write a whole page about how to feed and water my pet parrot.  At the back of the notebook I include all the emergency numbers just in case any thing goes wrong.  When I give the notebook to the couple they commit to do everything it says.

Now, imagine that after a month my family and I come back and the first thing we notice is that one of the paddocks has not a single blade of grass left in it and the cows look like they could fall over dead at any moment.  As we continue driving down our driveway we see two little grave sites next to each other where our cats have been buried.  After seeing what happened to the cats I rush inside to see if my pet parrot has fared better, but to my horror I find him on the bottom of his cage feet up.  Then the young couple who have been house-sitting come to me and explain how helpful the notebook had been.  In fact they tell me that they have committed parts of it to memory and that every night before they went to sleep they would read the whole thing through.  I can see where they highlighted sections and made notes.  What am I going to say to this couple?  Well, Jesus said,"...Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matt 7:23)  You see, they may have spoken words of commitment, but there is no evidence that those words meant anything.

James in the Bible puts it perfectly when he says:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (James 2:14-16 NKJV)

So, you say you believe in Jesus? I hear you, but when was the last time you fed the hungry, visited those in prison, clothed the naked or cared for the orphans and widows?  What do you do when your friends start gossiping about that girl at school?  What do you do when the movie you're watching keeps taking God's name in vain?

Last question - Do you truly believe in Jesus?