Fear not: believe only

Fear not: believe only1

This was said by the Lord to a woman who was told that her daughter was dead. I can only imagine the fear that she felt being told this. Jesus spoke these comforting words to her. Her daughter was risen from the dead, and was reunited with her parents.

It takes a bit of faith to simply believe. As was the case of these parents with their daughter.

Faith comes in many different aspects of life. Through faith we are healed, by faith we are able to know that Jesus is the Christ the only begotten Son of God. It is by faith we are forgiven of our sins, through the grace of Christ.

Without faith, what exactly are we? We live and go through this mortality no matter what the cost, it is what we are here to do. Perhaps the most interesting part of it all, is that if we have faith in Christ Jesus, there is nothing that can be held from us. The gospel teaches us to not have the spirit of fear, but to have the spirit of belief, a spirit of love, a spirit of power, and a spirit of a sound mind.2 That is the way God would have us live. Not in fear but by faith.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate peace giver. He gives us peace and hope.3 Jesus understands us, he understands our sorrow and the complexities of this life in which we have to survive. He is the mediator between God and us.4

Some would have you believe that no matter what, this life is impossible to do. Have we forgotten that simple phrase? With God, all things are possible.5 If we believe in Christ, that belief can turn into a knowledge of the risen Lord from the tomb. He died for our sins, He brings us into the light of day. He is the one who has given himself a ransom for death and sin, something which we are unable to do for ourselves.

Jesus truly is the way, the truth, and the life.6 If we expect to come back to the father, it is by Him and through Him and of Him. We are sons and daughters of God. We need to learn patience while in this mortal coil to be able to try and grab hold of that which is right and true. If we allow Jesus into our lives, our heart, our soul, and our mind, we are willing to take upon us His name. We do this through the ordinance of baptism.

In the water we symbolically die, and are born again through Christ.7 Baptism is the first step. In order to fully accept Jesus into our lives, we must live as he taught. What did he teach? The greatest commandment of all. Love the Lord thy God and thy fellow man.8 Jesus didn’t say to love someone unless they did x, y, or z. He said to love all no matter what. If we are offended, we need to look at what is blocking our own eye before we pass judgment.9 After that, if someone offends us, we are to forgive up to seventy times seven.10

Jesus taught the law of love. If we love Him, keep His commandments.11 If we love our neighbor like ourselves,12 we cannot be found guilty of hating them. We are to love our enemies, to love those who would use us, and curse us, to those who would be against us. We are seriously meant to love everyone. There isn’t an exception to this law of the Lord. If we Love God and Love the Lord, we should have no problems in loving those around us. Yet how do we love those around us?

The Lord taught it through His actions and deeds. Jesus taught that it is better to give than to receive.13 We are to give thanks to God through Jesus as well.14 So we should be seeking to do good through the eye of faith through Christ and giving praise unto God.

We are taught that Jesus came not to be served to, but to serve others.15 If this is not the best way to be taught, but by the master, I do not know of a better way. His example of love in His life truly teaches us the way to eternal life.

One thing that Jesus didn’t teach through was fear. He taught through patience. His intentions were peaceful. Where others would attack with malice and evil doings, Jesus would return with kindness.

Upon the cross, during the most painful agony Jesus looked to the people at his side. He promised they would be with Him in paradise.16 He asked the Father, His Father in Heaven, to forgive the ones who were responsible for crucifying Him.17 He preached forgiveness through His name as the only way to return to the Father.

So it is by faith that we come unto Christ. It is by faith we learn of Him and take upon us His name. It is by faith that we do all of these things in order to become one with Him and the Father. It is by faith we are cleansed from sin and are able to return to that God which gave us life.

God testifies of these things through the spirit, the fruit of the spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.18

1. Luke 8:50
2. 2 Timothy 1:7
3. John 14:27
4. 1 Timothy 2:5
5. Matthew 19:26
6. John 14:6
7. Romans 6:3-5
8. Matthew 22:37-40
9. Matthew 7:5
10. Matthew 18:21-22
11. John 14:15-21
12. Matthew 22:39
13. Acts 20:35
14. Colossians 3:17
15. Matthew 20:28
16. Luke 23:43
17. Luke 23:34
18. Galatians 5:22-23