He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Even atheists understand what the words “eternal torment” mean. They just don’t believe it either.

To believe is to be persuaded of – to be won over to a change of mind and hence to place confidence in, to trust.* In this sense it signifies, reliance upon, not mere credence. [1]

Only Trust Him

Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His Word.

Refrain:
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay
And you are fully blest.

Come, then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go,
To dwell in that celestial land
Where joys immortal flow. [2]

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

*Note: Biblical faith is not a blind leap into the dark. It is a relationship based on trust in our Saviour and Creator, Messiah Jesus.

[1] Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, copyright 1984,1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN, p.61 & 469.

[2] John H. Stockton, pub. 1869. Copyright status is Public Domain.  Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library.

Isaiah 41:10 became my life’s verse many many years ago. Yes, it is a promise made to Israel, but Old Testament promises may be claimed by the New Testament believer when they are re-iterated in the New Testament. The following breakdown of this verse will show Old Testament promises to Israel re-stated to New Testament believers.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not;

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7

for I am with thee:

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

be not dismayed (terrified);

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. Philippians 1:28

But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Luke 21:9

for I am thy God:

Whosoever therefore shall confess me (Jesus Christ) before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:32

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. John 10:27-30

I will strengthen thee;

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:14-16

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. I Peter 5:10

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

I will help thee;

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: Acts 26:22

yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Hebrews 1:3

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Romans 10:3

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Philippians 3:9

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Note: Isaiah 41:10 is an Old Testament promise to Israel that extends to the New Testament faithful.

A well known preacher once said; We must never imagine that we have faith if we do not obey. Obedience to the Word of God is not the cause of salvation, it is the result of salvation. Saving faith produces obedience.

Saving faith is trusting Jesus Christ and His merit alone as your only hope of salvation.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing (cleansing) of regeneration,* and renewing** of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified (acquitted) by his grace (unmerited favor), we should be made heirs according to the hope (confident assurance) of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12&13

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

*Regeneration – palingenesia – palin meaning again, genesia meaning birth. Does born again sound familiar?

**Renewing – anakainoo – to make new – see II Corinthians 5:17.

Definitions are from W.E. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.