BELIEVE AND OBEY

Many people have the idea that just because they read a chapter or two from the Bible each day that they are living and feasting upon the bread of life. That is not necessarily true. In John 6:27-29, Jesus said, “Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for the Father, even God, hath sealed. They said therefore unto Him, ‘What then must we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.’ “

When someone reads the Word he must believe, believe what it teaches—that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God; but that is not all that he must do. He must live and abide by that Word. The whole digestive system of man must function in order for food taken in through the mouth to be profitable unto a person. Should any of the digestive organs fail to work, the whole body is affected. Food which goes through only the first stage of digestion is of no profit to a person and is very unwholesome from any standpoint from which it may be viewed. Belief or faith is only the beginning factor in appropriating the bread of life. It changes the heart of the individual. There must also be a change of life brought about through repentance. Christ said, “I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish” (Luke 13:3). Hence, one is still partaking of the bread that perishes who has not repented of his sins regardless of how much he believes. The same is true of confession and of baptism. One must be born again if he is to live by the bread of life. John 3:5 states that that birth is of water and the Spirit. This is to be baptized (Gal. 3:2). The digestive process is then set in order and as a newborn babe one should desire the sincere milk of the Word that he may grow unto salvation (1 Pet. 2:2).

Love you, David V. Fultz