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We often hear the phrase "receive Jesus" in religion, by
people who teach that we say a prayer of faith to receive
Jesus.
In this article we review the word "receive," and learn
how to receive Jesus as taught by God.
As a result we learn that Jesus isn't received by praying
a prayer of faith, a vain system of salvation invented by
men, beginning with the 16th century Anabaptist revolution.
Different Usages for "Receive"
In the Bible, the word "receive" is used in different ways.
One way it's used is to receive a person like a friend.
In John 4:45, the Galileans received (Greek, dechomai)
Jesus, meaning they welcomed Him as a friend.
Another usage of "receive" appears in John 1:12 and John
12:48, where it's translated from lambano, meaning
to take, seize hold, take away, receive, try, to take
as authority.
- John 1:12 "But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God, even
to those who believe in His name."
- John 12:48 "He who rejects Me and does not receive
My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is
what will judge him at the last day."
How Do We Receive Jesus
We receive Jesus by believing in His name. As a result,
we accept Him as the authority of our lives and obey Him
(Jn. 1:12; 12:48; Matt. 28:18; Heb. 5:9).
- "But as many as received Him . . . those who
believe in His name" (Jn. 1:12).
To believe in Jesus' name is to believe in His authority
and power, resulting in obedience (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17;
Heb. 5:9).
- The word "name" denotes authority and power. To do
something in someone's name is to do it by their authority
and power (cf. Esth. 8:8; Col. 3:17).
To receive Jesus, we must obey Him, otherwise we reject
Him (Jn. 12:48).
Illustration: Receive Jesus
For example, a boy was deserted by his father before his
first birthday. A few months later, the boy's mother remarried,
and he was adopted by his mother's new husband.
The boy grew up accepting his stepfather as the male authority
in his life.
Years later, his birth-father decided he'd like to be
reconciled with his son. The boy and father met and the
boy welcomed him into his home, just as he did his friends
when they visited.
In a few days, the boy's birth-father asked him to move
in with him, but his adoptive father told him he had to
stay home with his mother till he was eighteen.
The boy had to decide whom he recognized as the male authority
of his life.
He decided to obey his adoptive father and stay home,
rather than authoritatively embracing his birth-father.
This story illustrates the two ways people receive Jesus.
Some people receive Him as they receive their friends, and
others receive Him as the authority of their lives.
A person who receives Jesus as he would a friend, does
not explicitly obey Him. But a person who receives Jesus
as the authority of his life, unconditionally obeys Him.
Receive Jesus, Born of the Will of God
As a result of receiving Jesus, we are given the right to
become children of God. We are born, not of flesh and blood,
but of the will of God (Jn. 1:12-13).
In John 3, Jesus explains this new birth, which occurs
when we receive Jesus.
- "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (Jn. 3:5-6).
We are born of water and the Spirit when we are baptized
into Christ (Jn. 3:5).
- We are born again of the word of God, when we obey
Jesus (1 Pet 1:2-3, 22-23).
- We are baptized in water, and receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit born of water and Spirit (Acts 2:38).
- We are baptized into Christ, and rise to walk in newness
of life as a new creation (Rom. 6:3-5; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal.
6:15).
- We are baptized into Christ, and adopted by God (Gal.
3:27-4:7; Rom. 8:15-17).
- We are baptized into Christ, and made alive together
with Christ (Col. 2:12-13).
The Result of Receiving Jesus
Because we believe in Jesus' name, we accept Him as the
authority of our lives and submit to His will. As a result,
we are born of God when we obey in baptism.
Therefore, the Bible says we have eternal life in Jesus'
name (according to His authority and power).
- "But these have been written so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing you may have life in His name" (Jn. 20:31).
- "These things I have written to you who believe
in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know
that you have eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:13).
Summary
We receive Jesus by believing in His name. As a result,
we accept Him as the authority of our lives and unconditionally
obey Him.
When we obey Jesus' command to be baptized, we are born
again, rising to walk in newness of life as a new creation,
adopted by God as His child, and made alive together with
Christ.
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