That’s a fair question. We’ve all heard the preachers tell us that all we have to do is believe to be saved, so why go through the work of reading it? John 3:16 says so and that’s a pretty popular verse.
If we were to say that we believe in Queen Elizabeth, that doesn’t mean that we have any relationship with her. To get to know her we would have to learn about her. Otherwise you might as well say that you believe in a cabbage. So what? That means nothing. Satan believes in God, you haven’t impressed anyone. That’s just poser Christian talk.
Luke 11:25-28 tells us, in Jesus’ words, the greatest commandment.
” There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him,”What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, ” You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, ” You have answered correctly; do this and you will live”
Hmmm, that sounds like a lot more work. You see God isn’t interested in your theoretical belief. He wants a working relationship with you. Yup, a living active relationship. So how would that really work? God is so incredibly powerful, I don’t think we even have the capacity to understand Him. Still, if He was patient enough to teach us about Himself and love us enough to help us get closer, maybe we could get to know what He wants to reveal.
Friends God loved us so much that He sent a message that was so finely tuned that it applies to everyone today from every continent, language, race, and every person that has ever lived. One solitary message, 66 books written by 40 different authors, that reveals Himself to us. Not so much how powerful He is ( The creation of everything in existence only took 2 pages, 56 verses), but His tender vulnerable side. How He loves us and how we hurt Him and how far he went to save us from this horrible mess we’ve created. He wants to save us, but He won’t violate our free will (that wouldn’t be love if He forced it on us). We don’t have the capacity to understand how great His love is for us, but I want to get to know Him. I study my Bible to find Him. I can look back and see how He pursued me. The circumstances and the people that have crossed my path are no coincidence. I know me and with glassy eyes, I can tell you that I wasn’t worth His effort. The hound of Heaven saved me from a horror I can’t even understand.
Now the tables have turned, I’m chasing Him. He’s teaching me things that He wants me to know, although I don’t always understand at the time or like every challenge. I’m hunting Him down and He gave me the map to find Him. I won’t solidly grab hold of Him while I’m on earth, but when I die, He’s not getting out of my grasp and I’m not getting out of His. Not that fake, just for church stuff, this is real and personal. He is my Savior and my friend. He wants that type of relationship with you. He wrote you a love note too. Learn to love God with all your heart, being, strength, and mind.
Don’t be a fake conformist, if you believe in God and what He’s done for you, prove it. Go to church to learn about Him, not thinking that you did Him a favor by showing up and singing a couple songs. There is a time coming that the posers and the true followers will be divided up. Posers will be lost. Be a true follower, friend, He’s a good God. Trust and obey.
humbleshoeshineboy 