Know and Believe This!

“That you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Eph. 1:18-21)

We have the good news

Yesterday, in the USA, was April Fool's Day, a time when people often play harmless jokes. However, there's a more serious kind of foolishness worth considering. In yesterday’s writing, I discussed a man whom God called a fool for selfishly planning his future, unaware of his impending death. Another example of this is the rich man from Luke 16:19–31, who also lived selfishly and suffered torment in hell, forever filled with regrets and with no hope of relief. The good news is that we don't have to meet the same fate. Jesus Christ offers us redemption, as demonstrated in the Easter celebration just past. Jesus explains this to Martha in the following passage.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26 NIV)

Therefore

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)