Words matter. Those close to me know this, for I remind them a lot. Words shape the culture of an organization. Words shape your outlook of the future and your perspective of the present. Words can cut to the heart and they can cut the heart.
Words show our children what we value. Words show our children if they are valued or not. Words can build up or tear down. Words are important. Words are our thoughts for others to see. Words are our thoughts. Words are our beliefs. Some things must be said. Some things must not be said. Some words, when put together, reveal the attitude of the masses. 5 words. If I ever say them again together, you’ll know something is wrong. I’ve learned that saying never is a dangerous thing, but I really believe never is the right word here. It has the right meaning…
5 Words I Will Never Say Again
I will never say these words again…
Well, I believe in God.
I can hear it now. Your thoughts are so loud (turn the volume down?)! “What’s wrong with those words?!”
I know, you may think this is petty. You may think this is so nit-picky. Maybe. But maybe not.
When We Say Those Words
What are we really saying when we say, well, I believe in God?
I hear it said when death is on someone’s mind. I hear it said when the after-life is on someone’s mind. I hear it said when guilt and shame are on someone’s mind. I hear it said when someone’s beliefs are questioned. I hear it said when Jesus is either thrust into a conversation, or carefully brought into it.
When we say, well, I believe in God, we are saying that merely believing that a deity exists is grounds enough for us to die and be in a place of paradise that we so blindly call heaven. Have we even given thought as to what this deity we so easily put on the back-burner of life is like?
Well, I believe in God they say. And to that, James exclaimed, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (2:19)
Good job. Kudos to you. I’ll put a star on the chart, the chart that your name is on, right below the demons in the classroom.
Don’t we see? Mere belief in God has never been anything to commend. It’s never been anything to exclaim (as if it counts for anything). Romans 1 makes the case that belief in God is clear. Anyone who walks on this earth, hears, sees, feels, thinks, comes to the same conclusion – God exists. Sure, some may suppress that knowledge and exclaim, “I don’t believe in God!” Just read Romans 1 and see.[shareable]Don’t we see? Mere belief in God has never been anything to commend.[/shareable]
I’ll Say Something Better (will you join me?)
Instead of those 5 words, I’ll say these 3 words, I follow Jesus.
I love those 3 words because they are life-giving and life-changing. I believe in God, yes. Of course. But don’t miss these words, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What name? Who is it? What’s the answer? “Jesus is…” (Acts 4:11).
I’ll never again say, well, I believe in God, for when I say those words I am merely trying to justify my apathy toward a puny god I have conjured up in my mind. The one true God demands far more than a mental acknowledgment of His existence. He DEMANDS radical surrender. Why? Because it is in the place of radical surrender where we glorify Him, where we acknowledge that He is, in fact, on the throne that we so often try to sit on.[shareable]The one true God demands far more than a mental acknowledgment of His existence.[/shareable]
This Universe is His. The stars are His. The black holes are His. They exist because He allows them to. They exist because He decided to speak them into existence. The earth is His. It’s colorful because He wanted it to be. The oceans are His. The waves are His. The rolling hills are His. The mountains are His. The rivers are His. You, my friend, are His. I am His. Every cell that exists is His. Every element is His. Every form of energy is His. He owns it all.
Well, I believe in God.
When I say those words, when we say those words, it is like a lowly servant coming before a King and saying, I suppose you exist, King. As if that’s going to go well…
No. I will never say those words again.
I will say 3 instead.
I
follow
Jesus.
Do you?
Want More?
If this article resonated with you, subscribe to the blog. As a way of saying thank you, I have a gift to send you. It’s called Journey to Knowing God. It’s a 28-day daily devotional that features 4 audio sessions and 24 daily prompts. It will help you experienFWce God in a real way every single day. Let’s connect!
