Many churches and Bible commentators teach that
if a person believes that Jesus died for their sins,
then they will be forgiven their sins and thus saved.
In other words, personal belief is needed to activate Christ's sacrifice for them, and so obtain their salvation.
Or, more arrogantly, Christ needs our help to save us!
This doesn't seem to harmonise with what the Scriptures say about what God has done through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
First, our sins have been dealt with 2000 years ago - whether we believe it or not.
Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
[1 John 2 : 1 - 2 NLT]
Second, God is reconciled to us and thus is at peace with us - whether we believe it or not.
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them.
[2 Corinthians 5 : 19 NLT]
Third, God intends everyone to know these truths and live in unity and harmony with him and his creation forever - whether we believe it or not.
... God our Savior, who wants (intends) everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
[1 Timothy 2 : 3 - 4 NLT]
God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
[Ephesians 1 : 9 - 10 NLT]
Belief doesn't create these truths.
Creatures like you and me cannot believe the Creator's plans into existence.
All truths need to exist before they can be believed, meaning they are equally true for believers and unbelievers.
So if these truths do exist, why doesn't everyone believe them?
The simple answer is that not all of us come to belief at the same time.
Are you a believer?
Did you become a believer at the same time as other believers you know?
Probably not.
God draws us to him, gives us the Holy Spirit and the faith to believe his good news at his appointed time for each of us.
And those appointed times will be spread across the eons or ages of time, not just in this present one, for all of creation.
Indeed, in this present age, God is only choosing the advance party of early believers, called the Body of Christ.
They do not have to wait till the end of time to come to know and believe the truth - as all others do.
Early believers are chosen and equipped to serve Christ in announcing these truths to the rest of their generation, so that those others still to be chosen from that generation will hear their call, be given faith and drawn into this advance party.
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
[Romans 10 : 17 NLT]
And God is still actively filling and empowering the advance party in 2022 - almost 2000 years after He began.
Blessings, Barry
