Believe!

On this midweek time, which has waited for no one and in these final hours before we come to think, learn and love more about Jesus’ return to heaven, we continue with our given text. Will you be one with me in this fact, that God knows exactly what He is doing, at all times, including now? Will you agree, by measure and way of your own personal, spiritual development, the timing of our Lord's words is just right for you? O! I know it is for me, with every nerve and sinew of my being.

Thank You Father, for holding me firm. Amen!

Here is our text again. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16: 16.

The verse is quite specific and clear about hearers. Jesus has commanded His disciples to go out throughout the world and preach the Good News to all people. Disciples have obeyed and are still obeying His command to go and preach the Good News. Therefore, the emphasis here, is on the hearers of the Good News. It is about the response of people to the Gospel message which they are hearing. There are two responses named, those who believe and those who do not believe.

Let’s study what is being explained here for us.

The Commendation of our Lord – Whoever believes the Good News and is baptized will know the Lord’s commendation and will be saved. There is a baptism that seals the belief of people. To believe is one thing, but the way one shows genuine belief is in the dying to self and the rising to new life in Jesus Christ. Baptism is the symbol, the outward sign to self-mortification. They who believe the Good News and die to self will be saved. Is it that to hear the Gospel News and believe it, is not enough? Is the Lord saying that unless baptism accompanies this declaration of belief, the believer will not know the salvation promised? The Lord was most clear when He told the Eleven that those who believe and are baptized will be saved.

The Condemnation of our Lord – Whoever does not believe the Good News will be condemned. To condemn a building is to have it shut down and not to be used for anything. It is discarded, fit for nothing good, because it has been pronounced as useless. When a person is condemned by the Lord, it is precisely that he or she is not fit to be a Kingdom dweller. He, or she, who stubbornly refuses to believe those sent by the Lord, to bring them the Good News that Jesus is alive, will be condemned. There is nothing about them being baptized for if one does not believe why will one want to be baptized? To not believe is the downfall of many.

Do not sit idly by with seared thoughts and unfounded beliefs that Jesus will not condemn those who refuse to believe. As surely as salvation is a guaranteed promise to those who believe that Jesus is alive, and are baptized, so too condemnation is a guaranteed promise to those who do not believe that Jesus lives.

Where are you in your believing? The disciples did not believe, even though they were disciples. They were the ones who knew that Jesus was dead. They knew that He was once alive, but was now dead. They were perfect witnesses to this truth and their lives showed it plainly. Had they believed what they were told about Jesus being risen from the dead, their lives would have been changed from their gloom and doom.

What is your life showing today? What are people hearing from your life? The problem is not what is taking place in your life, or what has taken place even. The problem is whether or not you believe that Jesus is alive. It is easy to answer yes. It is even insulting to ask believers or Christians that question, but what does the life of the believer say about Jesus?

Lord Jesus, do I believe that You are alive? What is the sign of my baptism?