Are You a Believer, Possessor, or Both?
By: Ernest J. Kolenda
We have been asked questions about believing and why just believing in the LORD
JESUS CHRIST does not save you. Many are convinced that they must only believe that
JESUS came to earth, died, and was resurrected to save us.
The “believer” theory has been taught for hundreds of years, it is ingrained deeply
into minds, and in order to teach the truth you must really get to know and
understand your own Bible.
Jesus said to the Israelites and the Jews, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in GOD, believe also in ME.” [John 14:1]
All Israel was waiting for the consolation, the coming of their Messiah. All the
prophets had foretold the coming of the Messiah and they believed that He would
come. [Luke 1:68-70]
In the Old Testament, most of Israel believed in their GOD, JEHOVAH ELOHIM. Even
today, the Jews believe in GOD.
Jesus was born as a human baby with human life in Bethlehem. Many that were
associated with His Birth and Life followed Him. This is what a disciple is, a
follower. During His three and one-half years of ministry, He performed many
miracles and multitudes followed Him. At one time they wanted, by force, to make Him
King of Israel. They believed in Him. They believed he was sent from GOD and they
believed He was born King.
On the other hand there where those who did not believe in Jesus as the Christ. They
believed Him to be a fraud and blasphemer. They sought to kill Him. They were
angered and envious of the large following that Jesus had. These priests and
religious groups called the followers of Jesus, “Believers”. That name was given
them because they believed Jesus was their Messiah. They rightly “believed” that
Jesus was The Christ.
After three and one-half years of ministry, Jesus shed His Blood and died on the
Cross. After three days and three nights, He was resurrected from the grave. Many
were convinced of His resurrection for He had been seen on the streets of the city.
Mary Magdalene had seen Him. He had appeared a number of times in the midst of the
disciples.
Mary, Peter, and some of the other disciples had seen the empty tomb. Why shouldn’t
they believe? Thus, the people continued to follow Him, and the name “Believers,"
stayed with them until this day.
Even after the Day of Pentecost, when they became Possessors of the Holy Spirit
(Christ In Them), they were still called “Believers."
It is understandable, that the Jews and religious groups of that day would continue
to call them by the name “believers." The thing that is hard to believe today is,
why, now in this age of supposedly enlightenment in the Word of GOD, so many
religious leaders do not know the difference between “believing and possessing”?
Could it be that two thousand years later we are still just believers? Why are we
still preaching as if we were still going to the synagogue and waiting for the
Messiah to come.
On the day of Pentecost the people, upon receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit,
were changed from “Believers to Possessors.” They became New Creation People. A New
Creation will by necessity have a new kind of life. Just as CHRIST JESUS received
begotten life from the Father, JEHOVAH ELOHIM, at the Resurrection so will we
receive a new kind of life. CHRIST did not have to believe that He was Begotten and
Resurrected but it is a fact that He possessed this life. The human fetus in the
womb does not have to believe that it has human life because it is a fact.
Peter and John went to the Temple to pray. They met the crippled man at the Gate
Beautiful, begging alms. Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I
HAVE...” Yes, indeed, they had something. They were Possessors of Life Eternal! This
is not about the abundance of silver and gold but it is about Life Everlasting,
incorruptible, immortal, and living with the Father in Heaven and His Begotten Son.
That is the High Calling that Paul was speaking of in his day and it applies to us
today. That is the race we run to become the sons of GOD as heirs of Life Eternal.
The days of being only a believer were over. They had now become a member of The
Body of Christ. They were all baptized into one body and they became a part of Him.
There was no need for them to just believe anymore, they had Received Him. Today we
do not only believe and wait because we have received Him.
Remember that the devils are believers too, and they tremble, but they are still
lost. [James 2:19]
Believing was all Israel and the Jews could do while Jesus was on earth, for the
Holy Spirit was not yet given. Do you mean to say that we, today, have to be
satisfied with, as we are being told, “just believe”? No, indeed not! To believe, to
hope for is to trust in the future. We need to possess salvation now, and we can.
How wonderful! GOD has provided us a way, through Jesus Christ, whereby we can
possess spiritual life. We do not have to trust and hope for it ( in the future),
but we can experience it now by being baptized in water in the Name of the LORD
JESUS CHRIST for remission [removal] of sins, and receive this new life, the Holy
Spirit. Become a possessor.
Have you considered how destructive these theories of just have faith, hope, trust
and believe can be? There are Multitudes that believe but never possess the New
Creation Life.
If you still have to hope and believe for it then it has not yet come to you.
A general belief is that when a person becomes a Christian, you will know it because
you will give up their worldly ways to show that they believe. This is certainly to
be expected. This does not make that person a New Creation in Christ. If the
Doctrines set out by the Bible are followed, there will not be any problem with
separating yourself from worldly things. The Holy Spirit will cause you to refrain
from worldly behaviors.
It is true we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
GOD, totally separated from the world. We are now in the world but not of the world.
Have you ever stopped to consider that a person can stop doing all those acts that
we associate with the ungodly man, without believing in CHRIST?
We have to conclude that a man is not a Christian because he gives up his bad
habits. However, he is a Christian because he has dealt with the sin question, the
death sentence that has separated us all from GOD. He is now a possessor.
You, of course, must first be a believer in the Father in Heaven and His Begotten
Son the LORD JESUS CHRIST before you can become a possessor. Then in [Acts 2:37,38]
When Israel was pricked in their heart (convicted of their wrong doing), they asked
this question, “Men and brethren, what shall we DO? Then Peter said unto them,
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift [ability] of the Holy Spirit
(Eternal Life – a new kind of life)."
How much truth does it take to go to heaven?
Ernest J. Kolenda
sylvia's emachine etalk
Hope you have enjoyed this writing and it will be a blessing to you. Read the blog
at
egospelblog for more teaching.
We had a precious one go home to be with the LORD recently and she told me before
she died that I should get this message out. She said there are others just like her
that want to hear this message. I fully intend to take her advise and do just that.
I really miss talking to her and the teaching that I passed on just as I had been
blessed to receive it. So even though many have gone home their lives are still
being used for us today. I pray we will all have the same privilege to leave behind
help for those seeking salvation. For now I just want to teach as I was taught and
never forget from whom I learned it.
The Truth Will Set You Free!
Your Minister of Helps
Sylvia Kolenda
Proverbs, Poems, and/or Feel Goods
The Dirty Dozen
"I heard.. .. .."
"They say… … …"
"Everybody says… … …"
"Have you heard… … .. ….?"
"Did you hear… … …?"
"Isn't it awful… .. … ?"
"People say… … …."
"Did you ever… … …?"
"Somebody said… … …"
"Would you think…….?"
"Don't say I told you… … …."
"Oh, I think it is terrible… … …"
Don'ts for Church Goers
Don't visit; Worship.
Don't hurry away. Speak and be spoken to.
Don't dodge the preacher. Show yourself to be friendly.
Don't dodge the collection plate. Contribute what you are able.
Don't stop in the end of the pew. Move over.
Don't stare blankly while others sing, read and pray. Join in.
Don't wait for an introduction; introduce yourself.
Don't criticize. Remember to think of your own frailties.
Don't monopolize your hymnbook. Be neighborly.
Don't stay away from church because of company; bring them with you.
Don't stay away from church because the church is not perfect. How
lonesome you would feel in a perfect church.
Ernest J. Kolenda from a 1959 publication
Contact Info for egospel.com
USA
Sylvia Kolenda
112 Joyce Avenue
Lewisburg, TN 37091
Telephone (931) 359 0362
egospel@egospel.com
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