[Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version “NIV” copyright £ 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. All rights reserved.
NIV and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States patent and trademark office by International Bible Society.]
All other scripture taken from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
“Understanding is in the heart”
When most Christians claim to believe in Jesus, they do so by what they call faith.
This faith of theirs is the conclusion of all they have learned in church. First, to each man is given a measure of faith.
“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 niv
Second, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. Hebrews 11:1 kjv
And so it goes, that every person has a measure of faith, that if we use it to believe in Jesus, whom we do not see, we will be doing what Christians are suppose to do.
But the only reason we “Believe” is we act on our faith. That makes it real to us — or so we are told.
They lied. That’s not a sober judgment made “in accordance” to faith.
In accordance means we believe in the unseen because of what we know in faith. The more we know, the more we can believe. Now the question is: ‘what can we know?’ and don’t forget, understanding is in the heart!
“He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn – and I will heal them,” John 12:40 niv
Before you claim to believe because you feel to believe based on the reasoning of the scriptures and the miracles given by Jesus so we can believe; let me ask you – why do you believe in the miracles?
Perhaps you have personally experienced a miracle in your life and consider it to be your proof to believe in Jesus.
Well that’s a noble sentiment, but it has no foundation for proof because even satan performs healings to further his agenda of being God. He’s not, but if he cures you and says he’s God, what do you have to prove him wrong?
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matt. 7:21-23 niv
Hence, the driving out of demons, or the receiving of a miraculous healing is not the proof of the pudding.
What is the substance or things hoped for?
What is the evidence of things unseen?
“But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit of Righteousness for which we hope, for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6 niv
Hope is given through the spirit of Righteousness and it is the Spirit of Righteousness for which we hope to see in all things. A new world where righteousness rules and all that live ARE IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WE HAVE THROUGH Christ Jesus.
But what’s right for me, may not be what’s right for you. So, the righteousness that we know even if based on the Ten Commandments, is not our proof either. After all, that righteousness is apart from grace and based on the minds knowledge of the Ten Commandments. Don’t do this don’t do that — all based on our attempt to be found “in accordance” to the written word; known as ‘the letter of the Law.”
But the heart operates by “The Spirit of the law! And the spirit of the law is God! By the same token, the evidence of things unseen must also be of the spirit of God.
Not that the evidence is unseen, but that what the evidence reveals is unseen! It is but it is witnessed by the heart.
“All things have been committed to me by my Father, No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22 niv
Hmmm, here we see that no one knows who the Son,(Jesus) is. We say we do, but really we don’t. only God the Father, who is Spirit, knows God the Son, Jesus who is not a spirit.
Yet Jesus reveals to us the Father. If we know the Father, then it is only because Jesus shows us the Father’s Love. We still don’t see Jesus, but because we can come to know the Father (through) Jesus, we can testify that we believe in Jesus, who shows the Father to us. Seen not with the eyes, but with the heart.
Hence, “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:25-26 niv
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:8 niv
And it is Jesus that shows us the love of God; (he does that by your search for the truth of why you sin — what is your motive for doing sin — a motive that serves to gratify the worries, riches and/or pleasures of our deceitful desires. Once the motive is found you can seek out the “loving” alternative that the born-again spirit of God within you, acknowledges, and then you can choose to submit to it by doing it).
God is love, whoever lives in [the found Way of] Love, lives in God, and God in him. In this way love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.” I John 4:16-17 niv
Now know this love is God’s AGAPE Love! It is found in repentance to the lie of sin, and acknowledged in the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and by our heart.
It is the substance of our hope, and the evidence of the unseen Jesus; Hence, “Repent and believe the good news.”
Now all you have to do is repent correctly in your continuing effort to effect a change towards love.
In Him,
J.J.