What Does Jesus Christ Require?

But what does it say?

"The word is near you,

in your mouth and

in your heart" (Isaiah 1:1:9) 

(that is, 

the word of faith

which we preach):

(Deuteronomy 30:14).

that if you confess

with your mouth

the Lord Jesus 

and believe in your heart

that God has raised Him 

from the dead,

you will be saved.

Romans 10:8-9

      What does Jesus require? What is the condemnation spoken of in the Bible? First, foremost, Christ was raised from the dead: "that I may know Him and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" (Philippians 3:10). Second, the requirement is to believe in Him: "that whosoever believes in Him Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:15). The English word "that" is the Greek word for "in order that" so in vs. 14 illuminates why one is to be "in order that," because Jesus was lifted up, crucified, and then 'whosoever" believes in that resurrection, the same as did the Israelites when Moses lifted up the brazen serpent for their healing, (please don't misunderstand what Mose did and why: read the context), for we are not to believe "on" Jesus" the Greek word is "eis" meaning into, with intention, then those who do such will have eternal life because of that belief. Thirdly, condemnation is a judicial requirement for sin.  This being proclaimed to Adam when he sinned, that death was to come upon him and being the federal head of mankind, that condemnation applied also to his progeny: us; (Genesis 2:15-16).  God had every right to destroy all that He had made, including now sinful man, but God is merciful and in His dispensation and economy, applied His mercy, and had chosen some to be saved before all creation; (Ephesians 1:4-12). Jesus plainly and clearly states: "He who believes in Him (vs. 17 gives to answer as to who is "him") is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in (Gr. eis) the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). God has wrath, this was aptly displayed by the Genesis flood, it will be and is displayed in our times, as iterated by John the Baptist: "He who believes in (Gr. eis) the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on (Gr. "ep" upon) him" (John 3:36). It is by God's will that He has determined to save some and give them to His Son and to raise them  up, not in some plan outside of Scripture as taught by many Churches, i.e., the rapture, rather on the last day, there is no plan "A" and plan "B" only the "last day." Jesus will never lose any given to him, (John 6:39) and He state: "And this is the will of Him (God the Father) who sent Me (Jesus Christ), that everyone (Gr. "pas" has the meaning of certain ones, Strong's Concordance #3956; and according to Charles Spurgeon who states: 

"... 'The whole world is gone after him.' Did all the world go after Christ? 'Then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.' Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? 'Ye are of God, little children', and 'the whole world lieth in the wicked one.' Does 'the whole world' there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were 'of God?' The words 'world' and 'all' are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that 'all' means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts—some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile." (Charles H. Spurgeon, Particular Redemption, A Sermon, 28 Feb 1858), who sees (this is an active participle, therefore it is those who participate, those who are seeing, actively) the Son and believes (the condition for salvation) in (Gr. "eis") Him may have (Gr. "eche" is subjunctive, there for the person is involved in the decision) everlasting life; and I (Jesus Christ) will raise (Gr. first person singular future active, meaning is that everlasting life, resurrection is totally dependent upon Jesus Christ) him up at (not before or after) the last day" (John 6:40). Jesus is the "bread of life" so that when we pray the Lord's prayer we ask that we be given "our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11) we are asking for, not just daily sustenance, we are asking for Jesus Christ, so He states: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. this is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one (Gr. "tis" an indefinite pronoun, then it is a certain one) may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone (Gr. "tis") eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world (here the word translated "world" is in contrast to the word "heaven" in other words He came for those certain ones not in heaven)": (John 6:47-51). God chose you, not because you had faith, He gave that to you, and this is His work: "Jesus answered (those seeking Him) and said to them. 'This is the work of God, that you believe in (Gr. "eis") Him whom He sent" (John 6:29). 

     It is faith in Christ, the object of true faith, and that not our yourself God, (this includes Jesus who is God) lives within His people, and His people are elucidated to the world and Him by their obedience (John 14:23). It is faith in Jesus Christ that is demanded by God, the condition of salvation and the Bible abounds in such statements.  We have been speaking of faith and it is clear that saving faith is faith in Jesus.

I am the vine,
     You are the brances.
He who abides in lMe,
    and I in him,
bears much fruit; 
    for without Me
You can do nothing.
                   John 15:6

May God Bless You


Richard L. Crumb