If? Or Yes Indeed

We've all seen sayings that appeal to us. Sometimes they keep their appeal; other times, upon reflection, we find we don't really agree with all that it conveys. This is one of those sayings:



Parts of it are truly good. If we live our lives as if there is a God, we will live moral and circumspect lives, we will care about others and not just ourselves, we will be concerned about what is right and what is wrong. That is good.

But the rest of it misses the mark because when we die we will stand before the God of all creation, the God against whom mankind has rebelled, the God who is not only a God of love but also a God of justice. We will be judged on the basis of our knowledge of God and our relationship to Him.

Without faith if is impossible to please him,
for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV

I don't see any "ifs" in that verse, do you?  Not only that, we have no excuse for not believing that God exists.

For [God's] invisible attributes,
namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived,
ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made.
So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:20 ESV
 Just what are those invisible attributes that we should see clearly?

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork, 
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world...
 Psalm 19:1-4 ESV

There IS a God and He wants us to know Him, to believe in Him, to trust in Him—without doubting! I want to live my life KNOWING there is a God, knowing He loves me and has provided a way for me to be in relationship with Him. That way, of course, is Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, fully man and fully God. Jesus, who bore the consequences for our rebellion against God with only one condition: belief!

And there is salvation in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given among men
by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12 ESV

 That's what God says! Jesus added to that when he said:

Jesus said to him, 
I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father
except through me.
John 14:6 ESV

Only one name, only one way to bring us to God, to bring us to life everlasting. Belief is crucial! Here's one more verse:

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, 
but whoever does not believe is condemned already, 
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:18

But God does not ask us to live our lives as if there is a God; He expects us to live our lives because there is a God—one true, holy and righteous God. If we only life as if there is a God with no conviction, no true belief, when we die we will not only discover the truth of God, but we will also suffer the consequences of our lack of faith. Without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son, we might as well have lived our lives as if there is no God.

I am so thankful that I can live my life knowing there is a God and that when I die I will have no fears because Jesus made a way for me to come to Him. I KNOW I will spend eternity with my God and my Savior. Praise God!

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