DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT WE BELIEVE

                 ... for if ye believe not that I am [he],
                  ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)

      It is obvious people believe different things about religion. Some
    worship on Saturday because they believe the seventh day is still a
    holy Sabbath. Some sprinkle rather than immerse because they believe
    sprinkling will work as a substitute. Some practice polygamy because
    they believe God approves it, and that He'll let us know He approves
    it through a man whom they believe to be a prophet of God.

      Does it make any difference what we believe? Is any one set of
    beliefs any better than another? Or any worse?

    If it makes no difference what one believes ---

         1. Then atheism is as good as faith in God. The Bible says,
            "The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are
            corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none
            that doeth good." (Psalms 14:1)
            "But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he
            that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is
            a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

         2. Then belief in many gods is as good as faith in the one true
            God. "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the
            commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one
            Lord:"(Mark 12:29)

         3. Then a Christless religion is as good as faith in Christ.
            Jesus said, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in
            your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die
            in your sins." (John 8:24) And when Peter was speaking in the
            name of Jesus he said, "Neither is there salvation in any
            other: for there is none other name under heaven given among
            men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

         4. Then belief in any book is as good as belief in the
            scriptures. Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the
            truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) "Thy word is truth"
            (John 17:17)

         5. Then worship of God is no better than worship of Satan.
            When the Devil called on Jesus to worship him, Jesus quoted
            scripture, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only
            shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10)

         6. Then a false gospel is as good as the gospel of Christ.
            Paul said, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
            any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
            unto you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8)

         7. Then there is no difference between the commandments of God
            and the commandments of men.
            Jesus said, "But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for]
            doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)

         8. Then the church of Satan is as good as the church of Christ.
            Jesus said,"I will build my church; and the gates of hell
            shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

         9. Then there is no need to convert any man, especially a deeply
            religious man.
            Yet Paul did it in Acts 19:1-5 and Philip did it in Acts
            8:26-40. Even God did it with Saul in Acts 9:1-18.

    Believing a thing to be true when it isn't won't work ---

         1. In the classroom. Two and seven do not make ten.

         2. In the area of food. Poisonous mushrooms will make one sick
            although they may be believed to be non-poisonous.

         3. In medicine. Strychnine will kill although one may believe it
            will not.

         4. In electricity. Believing a wire is not charged does not make
            it so.

    If it makes no difference what one believes then it is unfair to
    condemn a man for believing a lie. Yet the prophet from Judah lost
    his life for believing a lie (1 Kings 13:1-24). God condemns men for
    failing to love the truth and for believing a lie:
     "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they
    should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not
    the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians
    2:11,12)

    The fact is God gives us the truth and holds us responsible for
    learning it and holding to it. Note Acts 17:26,27 and Romans 1:18-32.

    Believing a falsehood may have the same effect on the mind of the
    believer as believing the truth. Believing a lie will not change a
    lie into the truth. If believing a lie brings disaster then the
    sincere believer will suffer unless he learns his error and changes
    his faith.
                            - Delton Haun -
    Copyright by Haun Publishing Co. P.O.Box 3426 Pasadena, Texas 77501