Lately I have been wrestling with what Paul wrote to the Saints in Rome. He writes,
"...the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:8b-9, NIV84)
This entire verse makes sense, until I get to "and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead." It's not that I do
not believe God raised Christ from the dead, because I do.
The reason I
have been wrestling is: How do I know I truly believe
in my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead?
I have been wrestling with this for a couple of weeks now, and
until recently; I have not received what I consider an answer from
the Lord. And I am not even one hundred percent sure if the answer I
received was from God.
How do I know if I really believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ
is true?
The answer:
Are you living like it?
These words struck a chord in me..."Am I really living like
Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead?"
I can say with all the eloquent words of the world and proclaim
from the highest rooftops, "I believe Christ is risen from the dead!"
But, it means nothing if I am not living like it. Our profession of
faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ means nothing if we are not living
that profession.
My conviction is this: If we truly believe Jesus Christ was
raised from the dead, then it is time to live like it. Sometimes, I wonder,
if the western-world church actually started living like the Resurrection is
true, if we could change the world? When we walk in the power of the
Resurrected Christ, nothing can stop us from finishing the mission He has given
us (Matthew 28:19-20).
"My answer to the question, 'Did Jesus really rise from the dead?' is then an unqualified, 'Yes.' But like all the best answers, this one turns out to contain another deeper question, and it's this, 'What are you going to do about it?'"-N.T. Wright
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."-Philippians 3:7-11
My conviction and my challenge: Do I really believe in the
Resurrection? Then live like it.
That may look different for everyone, but what I hope is that you
will wrestle with that tension yourself… Do you really believe in the
Resurrection? Then live like it.
To live like it, we die to ourselves daily. We give up
everything for Jesus Christ.
Because, if He has been raised from the dead, He is Lord.
And if He truly is risen– everything changes.
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Thomas Montgomery
resides in Joplin, Missouri where he studies Psychology and Counseling at Ozark Christian College. Thomas is a pastor at Nashville Christian Church. He enjoys watching football and NASCAR (Go Dale Jr!). His hobbies include hiking, cooking, reading, and talking to people about the person of Jesus Christ. He loves people, evidenced by his service to the Church and those who do not yet know Christ. Thomas, who was an EMT for some time, wants to counsel firefighters and paramedics in the future.
Follow him on Twitter: Follow @tjmontgomery90
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Thomas Montgomery
resides in Joplin, Missouri where he studies Psychology and Counseling at Ozark Christian College. Thomas is a pastor at Nashville Christian Church. He enjoys watching football and NASCAR (Go Dale Jr!). His hobbies include hiking, cooking, reading, and talking to people about the person of Jesus Christ. He loves people, evidenced by his service to the Church and those who do not yet know Christ. Thomas, who was an EMT for some time, wants to counsel firefighters and paramedics in the future.
Follow him on Twitter: Follow @tjmontgomery90
