JUST ONE THING

Just One Thing Part 1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (Col 2:6 KJV)

Some days ago till this time I've been having some conversations, meditations, understanding and I've also been praying as regards some issues. Well, I’m going to talk about one of them like I did in my previous post about “Professor or Possessor?”

A brother once advised us by saying “as you have received Christ so also walk in him”. This word, I've read it severally but I didn't really have understanding as to what he was saying. But, of late the Lord in His gracious mercy has been showing me some light and I wouldn't say this is the final light, for I know the Lord still have a lot to pass across as regard this.

I remember how I gave my life to Christ on that fateful day, oh; it was around 9:00pm on Friday 2001, through a sincere message from a young brother, filled with Christ. How the message by the Holy-Spirit pricked my heart, convicted me of my sinful way and turned me away from my sinful way to Christ’s way.

 Oh, it was a glorious day that I cannot forget.  I remember how I went to my closet, knelt down, cried and prayed. I was actually seeing Christ standing, beckoning on me to come, and I gently went to him with tears, rolling down from eyes, my feet were shaking and my heart was yearning for a Savior I just met for the first time. Such day was full of love, tears, hope, joy and a warm embrace from the Creator of the Ends of the earth. 

A day I will never forget, it always bring tears to my eyes when I remember how I met Him for the first time in my life though He has been searching for me from the foundation of earth. Here was I, and there, and there He met me. That was how I received Him into my heart.

In this passage, brother Paul encourages me to “walk in Him the way I had received Him”.  So, I began to ask myself, how have I been walking? Have I not deviate from that simple message? Have I not allowed men to put up a burden that are unnecessary on my head? This same question is a question every one of us that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ should ask ourselves… I knew when this question came, it wasn't only meant for me but all believers.

If you can remember well enough, you will recall that on that day you gave your life to Jesus Christ, the only thing you did wasn't the prayers you prayed, neither was it the tears you shed but, “the act of believing on Him and trusting your life to Him”. That was what counts most. The tears are good, the cry and weeping is great thing but they cannot save only, believing must be added. What makes us a believer today is our “believing in Jesus Christ” nothing more or less.

This is one single thing the Lord has been trying to work into every man and woman on earth, it is the perfect will of God for all things to come to that point of “Believing in Jesus Christ”. That’s God’s will for every creature. Brother John says “a liar is the person that “believes” not in the report God gave concerning His Son, Jesus Christ”. 

Christ said the same thing when he was asked by the multitude “what shall we do, that we might do the works of God?” His reply wasn't a complex answer but simple “This is the work of God, that you believe on Him who he has send”

Most of the miracles that were done either by Our Lord Jesus or our beloved brethren were results of “Believing on the Name of Jesus” and anything beyond that it’s no longer Christ.  This was one reason for Christ saying, I must do the work of him that sent me. That single work is nothing but working the word “believe” into every creation. He did it in the past and yet that what’s He is doing now.

God only has one work and that work is to work into every man’s heart to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. That has been God's work from the past. What Adam did in Garden of Eden was an act of unbelief. Unbelief and rebellion is the same thing.

The righteousness of Abraham wasn't in the good work he was engaged in but in “Believing” God for what He has said. Every time a man believe God and act on that belief, the Lord accounted it for such a man as righteousness.

The test of Noah, was a simply test of belief. God told him what has never happened before, “Noah I will bring down rain upon this earth” God says “I will kill all the living things on the earth with flood because of their evil ways”. After hearing these things from God, Noah did only one thing; He believed in God’s report. The building of the Ark was an act of “believing in what God has said”.

Many of us remember Joseph, his visions and dreams didn't come into reality because he was a superman or because he had everything under control. Everything he was told by God in his visions, he believed it. He held on to his belief.

When we judge God faithful in whatsoever He says, we are actually aligning ourselves with His divine counsels and purposes. This will be a driving force that will be driving us to do His will. Because, He had said it, I believe it and that settled it. Doing good works come to us not on the basis of seeking to save ourselves or make ourselves more holy or righteous but, on the basis that we believe in Christ and these good works are the results of our believing in Him.

The parallel line I have found over time in many of our confessions is that we confess to believe in what God has said, in the testimony God has given concerning His Son, Jesus Christ but, invariable we do not trust Him. It is possible to believe and not trust. We may say it, but our actions and in-actions should be our Judge. 

This has been one of the common practices among Christians. We believe in Christ but we feel that’s not enough unless we add our own righteousness in the Law. We want to be under grace and the same time under the law. Righteousness in law may not be the Law of Moses but our set down rules, regulations and creeds that we have put in place.

 Dozens of books were written, and many are still in print as to how we suppose to live in Christ. I am not saying those books are not good provided they are leading us to that simple statement of Paul “As you have received Christ so walk in Him” if they are not, no matter how beautiful, profound or appealing they may sound, their place is in the trash bin.

Everything that comes to the door of our hearts before allowing their entrance into our hearts, we must be quick to ask; are they leading me to walk in Christ the way I’d received Him? Are they giving me a set-down rules and regulations? Are they giving me a pattern of prayers, confessions that are in line with “walking in Christ” not in “confessions of things?” 

If everything that ever come to our doors step were to be examined, 80% (if not 95%) of them would be totally junks, men ideologies and teachings.

Every of our beliefs must lead to a Person not a thing. The whole essence is that Christ might have preeminence. If at any time we believe in something that does not lead or is not leading us to Christ, it is time to turn and go back to the way we received Christ. Whether they are prophesies or teachings or songs, once they are not confirming God’s testimony concerning His Son, they are false and they must be do away with.

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son (1 John 5:10)

And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13)

The focus of every messages, teachings, songs, books and many other things must bring you to a place of “believing on the name of the Son Of God”. It must be a daily work, a daily believing. This believing on the name of Jesus Christ is enough to make us righteous, to make us holy and grant us eternal life. In that name (Person) dwells all the fullness of godliness.

Just one thing is needed….Believe on the name of Jesus Christ.