“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 ESV
Let’s break this down. “But to all who receive Him,” when individuals write, they are careful to use the right word and the corresponding meaning to that word. John used the word receive in such a way as to mean to welcome someone who is visiting you. In this case, instead of you inviting the person in as they visit you at your home, you are welcoming them into your life. We receive Jesus as we welcome Him into our heart and not just for a visit. Not everyone received Jesus back in John’s time and not everyone receives Jesus now even though we have all been given the same chance to do so.
The next section of the verse says “who believed in His name,”. There are different ways that the word ‘Believe’ can be used. There is believing in facts such as believing that 2+2=4, there is an assumption of belief such as believing that someone is your friend and then there is believing with your heart. Believing with your heart means that you believe in a person and that the person is who the person says they are. Knowing Jesus not with your head but knowing him with your heart so completely that you know He is the only way you are going to be saved, falls into this category. You believe this, knowing that if He is not telling the truth then you are let down and destined to hell for eternity.
The last part of the verse takes the first two parts and gives a reward to your actions. If you receive Him, welcome Him in to your hearts, and believe in Him, trust that He is who He says He is, then your reward is that you are allowed to consider yourself one of God’s children. You are adopted into the family of God and you are given the ability to inherit what the other children are able to inherit, which in this case is eternal life in Heaven with God.
Eternal life in Heaven with God is the ultimate reward for choosing Jesus. Hell is a place of torment, never ending torment and God doesn’t want anyone to go there. We will go there though if we choose to follow the devil and not Jesus. Following the devil leads to hell but following Jesus leads to Heaven. So the choice is simple…the devil or Jesus. Only you can make the choice for yourself, no one else can make it for you. My choice is to follow Jesus, what choice are you making?