God's KPI For Eternal Life

Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29 NLT)

God's KPI for eternal life is very simple, clear and direct. The only key performance He requires from you is to believe in Jesus.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NLT)

The criteria for eternal life is to believe in Jesus.

Belief And UnBelief Is Life And Death

For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and, "A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message - which is also what they were destined for. (1 Peter 2:6-8 NIV)

The same Jesus, when you believe, is your precious saviour. But when you do not believe, He is your stumbling block.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. (1 John 5:1 NLT)

And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. (1 John 2:22 NLT)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 ESV)

Election And Luck

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. (Proverbs 16:33 ESV, NIV)

The same law of physics determine the casting of lots, whether it is for gambling or for the election of an apostle.

Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:26 NIV)

Politics From Biblical Perspective

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3 NIV)

Those who support Israel will be blessed. Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the American embassy there and America became great again.

If this history were to be written in the Biblical style of Kings and Chronicles, maybe it may go something like this:
"President Donald Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem and it greatly pleased the LORD. He then caused his enemies to be confused and they were unable to war against him. And he greatly prosper America."

But from a secular perspective (and even Biblical history has secular perspective if you care to dig), Donald Trump is a person who dared to act out of the box. Acting out of the box does not guarantee success. Donald Trump acted out of the box at an opportune moment.

Everyone said if the American embassy were to be moved to Jerusalem, Middle East will be on fire. But Donald Trump moved the embassy at a time when the Gulf Arab countries were facing a hostile Iran. They prefer not to anger America over Jerusalem.

Everyone said if there is a trade war with China, the whole world will suffer and there will be no winner. But Donald Trump launched the trade war with China at a time when Xi Jinping thought that China has become a great power and was demanding respect from everybody. Internally, he imposed Maoist Communist policies to consolidate his political power. Externally, he started throwing his weight around and bully the small nations, making China very unpopular. His Maoist economic policies began to worsen the already declining economy of China. His great power mindset made him react wrongly to the trade war.

The success of a country, company or a person is only because of ability, but also the inability of the competition. Microsoft can take over the personal computer OS because of IBM's inability. Apple iPhone can win the smart phone war because of Nokia's inability. Google's Android can take over the smart phone OS because of Microsoft's inability.

Donald Trump's out of the box actions succeed only when God made the eternal environment suitable for success.

Difference Between Bible-Based Christianity and Other Religions

Many people always say, "All religions are the same. They teach you to be good." But there are two important difference between the Bible-based Christianity and the other religions of the world.

1. Love
   In Bible-based Christianity, God demonstrates His love for us by words and deeds. In all other religions, love is something spoken about.
   But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NASB)
2. Salvation
   In Bible-based Christianity, you are saved by what God did for you. In all other religions, you are saved by what you do.
   For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

Biblical Salvation By Works

Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9 KJV)
The Bible is very clear. Salvation cannot be obtained by works. But there are many who call themselves Christians still insist in doing some good works for salvation, just in case their faith is not enough.

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (John 6:28 NIV)
Good news for those Christians who want to be saved by works. There is a biblical way to do so.

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29 NIV)
The only work you need to do to save yourself is to believe in Jesus.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

The Unforgiveable Sin

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32 ESV)

"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" - for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:28-30 ESV)

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10 ESV)

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (Hebrews 6:4-6 NIV)

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29 NIV)