The second part of our three steps to salvation is believe. We must believe before we can truly repent and can only believe if we have first acknowledged.
The silent pitter patter of scurrying feet tirelessly echoes across the forest floor as the tank shelled, hexapods skillfully travail. In an unplanned, unorganized manner, the manic ants search, ponder, and analyze the best building materials they see, perceive and assume.
Once they have acknowledged their mark, they return to the colony and begin drilling down to its core. When they break through, leaving no time to celebrate, they hurriedly return to their mark, give it a once over- making sure of their decision before wrestling it back to camp.
Their return begins their descent, gaster first, prize in mouth to their awaiting queen. In an unspoken, unsorted fashion, they fasten together a bed- a throne rather, for their queen. And from this throne, all that they do, say or don’t say will be filtered. Long live the queen!
And that, son, is how babies are made.
Maybe not babies but that is a simple explanation on the formation of our beliefs.
To believe is to have confidence (trust) in something or someone; a knowing that something or someone is reliable, true, able and strong. This is not a direct definition from a dictionary or the Bible but a conclusion I have come to through my study (triggered by wanting to know the difference between belief and faith) and the breaking down of several different definitions and sources,
We each hold an innumerable number of beliefs. Some have been glued together, consciously, piece by piece whereas others (the majority) have taken root unknowingly through personal or second-hand experience. All these beliefs, together, form our world view from which we perceive, interact, and encounter the world around us.
Let’s break it down. The ants in our story represent our thoughts and the forest our mind. Some ants work quickly, rushing, streamlined toward an idea unbothered by what it may be and carelessly bring it back to the colony. Others spend countless moments of time searching for just the right mark and carefully bring it back. Still yet, another ant for some reason or another (maybe it watched too many spy movies) rolls from bush to tree, peaking its tiny head through the leaves, cautiously and with much hesitation grabs its subject and hog ties it. And we can’t forget the special forces ants that sneak in and out with no one the wiser.
The ‘marks’ or items that the ants search for are ideas that have been formulated, consciously or unconsciously from within us or from an outside source. Once an idea has been grasped, it makes its way back ‘to the core’ of the colony- our heart. Now that the idea has made its way to our heart it becomes rooted within our being, helping to support/build a throne- our world view.
The throne is then embraced by that which is held most important within our world view. This becomes our idol, the thing we cherish most, hold in the highest esteem and worship. It’s the purpose, the reason, the why behind all we do. From this throne overflows all that we do, in word and deed. Even in thought. The queen has authority over the direction of the ants!
Beliefs begin to take root even before we can reason or form logic. This is why we hear so much talk about the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma. Beliefs formed in our childhood often get buried beneath more and more recent ones making it difficult to recognize or pinpoint why we think, say and do the things we do.
This is why it is said that our mind is a battlefield. The thoughts and ideas of our adolescence became the words and actions of our youth. The thoughts and ideas of our youth became the words and actions of our young adulthood. The thoughts and ideas of now become our future words and actions. If we can know this, we better be aware that our enemy knows it as well and will use it for our downfall.
It is vital then, that we learn to take every though captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). To hold it prisoner until we have thoroughly examined and interrogated it. If it is found to be beneficial for us now and our future let it in and if not, expel it from our mind and put up roadblocks not allowing it readmittance.
Our hearts acceptance of one belief often draws and attracts others similar in nature. Let’s say, for example, that when we were kids, we ended up believing we were stupid. That single belief begins to grow and develop into a monstrous world view that changes who we are as a person. I’m stupid turns to I’m not good enough then to I can’t do this, I’m not capable of doing that, I’m a failure.
In our journey to salvation this is why we must first acknowledge God and our need of Him and from that acceptance we can then begin to believe in the One God sent, Jesus.
I will warn you though, the life of a true follower of Jesus is not rainbows and fluffy kitties as some might promise. It’s work. It’s trying and difficult. It requires devotion. It requires sacrifice and death. But I can and will promise you, it is worth it!
Time and time again during the life of Jesus, it seemed as if He was trying to push people away. He would whisper to individuals, come, follow me and in the same breath yell to the masses, if anyone loves father or mother more than me, they are unfit to be my disciple (Matthew 10:37). There are many examples of this throughout the gospels.
One such example was when Jesus compared His Kingdom to a pearl that was so valuable we had to sell and give up everything for it (Matthew 14:6). Though Jesus freely offers us salvation there is a price to following Him, everything. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24); there can’t be two ‘queens’ on the same throne.
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you… Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14: 28-31)
To clarify,
- Salvation is not something that can be earned, it is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-8)!
- Salvation is only found in Jesus (John 14:6)
- Salvation makes us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)
So, what is salvation and why do I need it you ask? Great questions!
Salvation is a state of being and a process. The state of being saved first begins by our belief in Jesus, His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. Jesus’ death frees us from the imprisonment of sin and His resurrection allows for us to be resurrected- a fresh start, a new birth of our spirit.
Our existence is full of evil, and we are born inherently so. There is an eternal void in our soul that we all knowingly or not, accept. It’s that thing inside of us that never truly leaves us satisfied. We can fill it momentarily, but we are quickly left wanting more. We never have enough. Things are never good enough. Enough is never enough. And this is because the only thing that can sufficiently fill that void is God.
Salvation fills that void with God and puts us in right standing with Him. Our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus opens our eyes to see the world in a new light, attracting similar thoughts and beliefs. Old thought patterns and world view begin to break down and collapse while new, stronger, truer ones take their place. Our being gets flooded with peace and joy and we begin to experience deeper and deeper places of healing in our soul and freedom in our life.
Salvation is a gift of true life and life in its essence multiplies. Everything that is alive multiplies. And salvation is no different. It blossoms and continues to multiply the goodness of God in our life. Not just in our life but in the lives of those around us. Life is contagious and attractive; once people notice true life within you, they will seek the same change that has begun in you.
Believing in Jesus, believing that He really did die on the cross and resurrect from the grave is our second step to being saved. Now, we must begin to repent!