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  • 2 days ago
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00:00So what do we need to do to receive this gift? In John 3 verse 16, Jesus says that all who
00:14believe in him will not perish but receive everlasting life. But what does believe mean
00:20here? It certainly means acknowledging that it is true and that Jesus was who he said he was.
00:26However, it goes deeper than that. By this definition alone, even the devil would be saved,
00:33since he also believes in Jesus. The word believe in the context of salvation comes from the Greek
00:40word pistuo, which means more than simple intellectual acknowledgement. Here's a deeper
00:46look. Trust or reliance. It means placing your full trust in someone. For salvation, it's not
00:54just about believing Jesus exists but depending on his death and resurrection as the only way to be
01:00saved. Commitment. True belief involves a commitment to follow Jesus. It's not just an opinion but a
01:08surrender to his will and teachings. Faith with action. The Bible connects belief with actions
01:14such as repentance, baptism, and obedience. As James 2 verse 19 says, faith without works is dead,
01:23meaning true faith leads to a transformed life. So, real faith is trusting God with your life and
01:29surrendering it fully to him. That's why Jesus said the path to everlasting life is narrow and few are on
01:37it. Faith is a walk, a way of life. When the crowd that had previously demanded Jesus' crucifixion in
01:44Acts 2 started to believe in him after Peter preached, they asked, What do we do now? Peter gives the first
01:52fruit of real faith. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
01:59forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. To repent literally means
02:05to change one's mind. If you truly trust in Jesus, he will change the way you think and live.
02:13A good example is the tax collector Zacchaeus, who, after meeting Jesus, wanted to repay all he had
02:20stolen, fourfold. The first step of faith is baptism. It's not a magical ritual but an expression of faith
02:28that symbolizes your willingness to identify with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.
02:34It's a sign of repentance, a declaration that you want to leave your old life behind and embrace
02:40a new life in Christ. Repentance means turning from the broad way and entering the narrow way,
02:47following Jesus not only as Savior but also as Lord.