We Believe God

"Friends of God" believe God...

Becoming a friend of God begins with believing what God has said.

"Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." (James 2:23)

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

So the prerequisite to becoming a friend of God is to first know exactly what God has said, that you might believe on the truth and avoid any deceptions.

"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1)

Satan created his own perversion of what God had said and deceived Eve. Eve chose to believe the lie rather than believe what God had said and she then died, just as God said she would.

Since the beginning, Satan has been maligning the Word of God, for Satan is only full of lies. Unto the Pharisees who would not believe the truth and sought to kill Jesus, Jesus said...

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

Question; What have you been reading, or listening to, that it can be said that you believe God and you will be called the Friend of God?

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

For it to be true when we say we believe God, we must be reading what God has truly said. We cannot change His Word and then claim we believe God. Jesus warned us, the Apostles have warned us. We are to take what any "teacher" or "preacher" says and try it against what has been truly written. We also are given a choice, to believe God or believe a lie.

The Word of God...

Who is the Word?

Is the "Word" God... or is the "Word" a god? (John 1:1)

A. Does your bible say..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Or...

B. Does your bible say..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."

Is Jesus Christ the only begotten "Son" in the Father's bossom or is Jesus Christ the only begotten "god" at the Father's side? (John 1:18)

A. Does your bible say..."No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

Or...

B. Does your bible say..."No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten god, who is at the Father's side, is the one who has explained him."

These are just two examples of the many ways Satan attacks the Word of God so as to deceive and destroy. It is our responsibility to weigh the facts. We cannot rewrite the Scriptures to suit ourselves and then claim that we believe what God has said. What we believe has eternal consequences. It will not be the fault of God if we base what we believe on a false writing of the Word of God and find ourselves separated from God forever at the Judgement to come.

A. Are translations supported by the KJV, NKJV, NLT, NIV, ESV, HCSB, RVR60, NASB, NET, RSV, ASV, YLT, DBY, WEB, HNV, VUL, MGNT, TR. To name a few.

B. Are translations supported by the NWT, a rewrite created in 1950.

One is Truth. One is a Lie. You decide if God has waited until 1950 to give us His Word that is true to what He has said. Or if God in His Providence has been providing His unchanging Word to his people throughout the centuries.

The Son of God...

One of the things that infuriated the Jews during Jesus' ministry was Jesus declaring Himself to be the Son of God. The Jews understood full well to say such a thing was to make oneself God...

"Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18)

Jesus' disciples were also Jewish. They understood as well that to believe this Jesus was the Christ was one thing, but to believe this Jesus is the Son of God was to believe this Jesus is equal to God, which would indeed make Himself God.

After Jesus' disciples encountered the risen Lord they understood and believed Jesus was indeed the Christ and was indeed the Son of God as He had said He was. Thomas was the last to hold out who vowed he would not believe unless he seen Jesus alive for himself, and when he did see Jesus alive he confessed Jesus as his God...

"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." (John 20:27-28)

Remember the Jews were looking for their Messiah, still are. They knew nothing of a Son of God coming to earth. Even to this day they do not believe a Son of God exist. This concept was and is totally void of the Jewish religion. In Judaism, this concept of there being a Son of God is blasphemous!

"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God..." (John 10:33)

"Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." (John 10:36-38)

When the Apostle Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was blinded, afterwards, when he received back his sight and was ministered to by the disciples, the scripture says...

"And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." (Acts 9:20)

Why the importance of preaching Jesus as being the Son of God? Why go beyond just preaching Jesus as being the Christ? Paul preached "Christ...that he is the Son of God". This is very significant.

Paul did not preach Christ...a god sent by God.

Paul did not preach Christ...an angel sent by God.

What a person means in their heart when confessing Jesus Christ is the Son of God is a matter between receiving eternal life (regeneration) or hearing the words "I never knew you"...

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt 7:22-23)

Hath God Said...

Many commentaries have been written going to great lengths to prove the Son of God does not mean equal to God.

Question is Why?

Why not just let the scriptures speak and believe as they say?

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" (Genesis 1:26)

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;" (Genesis 1:27)

"His own image"...is..."our image"...is..."the image of God"... "Us" is addressing God.

"...hath God said..." ...Yes satan, God hath said!

Could God have been speaking about the angels or an Angel when He said "Us"? What saith the scripture?

The Scripture is clear, it says... "And God said, Let us make man in our image".

Angels are not the image of God..."in the image of God created he him".
Scripture states God is doing the creating..."So God created..."...not any angel or angels.
Scripture does not say anything, anywhere, at anytime that God ever used an angel or a god to create anything...this would only be man's own imagination and for what purpose? Remember it is Satan's purpose to direct people away from Truth and away from God.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made...and the Word was made flesh". (John 1:1-3,14)

The Word was God, The Word made all things, The Word was made flesh.

Another Gospel, Another Jesus...

...a very serious condemnation...

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Gal 1:6-9)

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." (2 Cor 11:3-4)

How important it is to believe the Scripture's revelations of who Jesus Christ is. Believing anything less than what God says concerning the Son of God, believing another gospel or another Jesus, carries fatal eternal consequences. Avoid false translations and extra-biblical books which may even falsely claim "Another testament of Jesus Christ" for there is only one testament given, the New Testament, and it is found only in the Christian Holy Scriptures.

Ye Must be Born-Again...

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:5-7)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 3:1:14)

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36)

"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 we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 John 5:20)

God has spoken. Simply read what God has said and believe God. The Scriptures are written plainly for the common person to understand. Do not allow any organization with extra-biblical writings or false translations deceive you and rob you of the eternal life God has offered to anyone who will believe..."the record that God gave of His Son"...not any falsely fabricated record...it must be the unadulterated record that God has given us of His Son.

Believe God...

"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." (1 John 4:15)

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

"[Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)

Pray to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...

"LORD Jehovah, have mercy on me a sinner. Holy Spirit I invite you to enter into my heart and cause Your Spirit to be one with my spirit making me a new creation in Jesus Christ. Jesus live in me as my Lord, my God and my Saviour, teaching me to repent of the things in my life which dishoner Your Holiness. Teach me how to follow You with faith, hope and compassion for others. Thank you for going to the cross and dying for my sins. Thank you for keeping Your promise of eternal life through believing on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Thank you for making me Your child and considering me Your friend. Amen.

Welcome to the Kingdom of God!

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

...Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel". (Mark 1:1,13-14)

If you believe with your heart the record the Father gave of His Son and have humbled yourself calling upon Jesus Christ for the gift of the Holy Spirit regeneration, you have entered into the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth which began with the resurrection of Jesus Christ bodily from the grave and continues to this day. Jesus Christ being our example, the firstborn into the Kingdom of God, the Head and King. God with us and in us!

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence...Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Col 1:12-18,26-27)

"And when he [Jesus] was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you". (Luke 17:20-21)

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you". (John 14:16-17)

"And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom". (Hebrews 1:6-8)

The Spirit of Christ...

Congratulations! If you believe God's testimony of His Son and prayed for salvation,

You have received eternal life through Christ in you!

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit". (Romans 8:1-4)

"God sending his own Son"...(not a god, not an angel)..."his own Son"...

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit islife because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you". (Romans 8:9-11)

a) The word of God is perfectly clear. The Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are Both God, Whom dwells in you, and are inseparable. Also who has the Son also has the Father, completing the Trinity of God, the Godhead, as we will see next.

b) If one does not have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, one does not have the Spirit of God, he is none of his. He is not born again, he is not saved, he does not have God.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" (Romans 8:14-16)

The Godhead...

Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you". (John 14:16-18)

The Father shall give you another Comforter.
The Comforter is not Jesus nor the Father.
The Comforter is the Spirit of truth.
This Comforter will abide with you forever (eternal).
This Comforter is addressed as "him" ...a person.
This Comforter shall be in you.
This Comforter is omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time) He is in every believer all around the world. Only God is omnipresent.
Jesus concludes with, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you". Clearly indicates Jesus is one with the Comforter, even as Jesus said he is one with the Father.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;" (John 14:9)

Jesus said, "I and my Father are one". (John 10:30)

"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device". (Acts 17:29)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily". (Col 2:8-9)

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;" (Genesis 1:26-27)

"He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true."

(John 3:33)