FAITH in Christ Jesus!

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Being a follower of Jesus requires faith; but just like Hebrews 11:1 states, what do we hope for? Is there any such hope? Yes there is; hope is ETERNAL LIFE. We can see this that we are going to get eternal life in the Bible which is word of God, such as John 3:16-18 and John 17:3: “For God so loved the world [heaven – kingdom of God] that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall NOT perish but have eternal life. For God did NOT send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to SAVE the world through him. Whoever believes in him is NOT condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have NOT believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” – “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the ONLY TRUE God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

God, our heavenly Father knew that ALL of us are sinners, so He sent His Son Jesus Christ, as an image of Himself (Colossians 1:15) into the world to crucify Himself on the cross as an atonement of our sins, for ‘the wages of sin is death….. But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 6:23) This means eternal life is Jesus Christ. What a GREAT gift is that!?

However, we can get easily sidetracked from following Jesus by worldly things. This is because Satan, the enemy of God is trying to make us to turn away from Jesus, NO MATTER what, and start to lean towards Him, especially through worldly materials. This is why Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple MUST deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25), and since we are already sinners. This means that we OUGHT to overcome the world, NO MATTER what, if we want to be a TRUE follower of Jesus Christ, for ‘we know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.’ (1 John 5:19) – “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are NOT burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:1-5)

"Do NOT store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But STORE up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

‘What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:31-39)

Therefore, let’s hold our hope FAST with gratefulness that we are going to get eternal life at the end of age, for ‘our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.’ (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1) – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can NEVER perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)

And let’s REALLY be the righteous children of God – ‘“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.’ (1 Peter 2:24-25)

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, NOT earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19)