What Does it Mean to Believe?
John 3:14 , 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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.”
Arriving now at the most popular passage in the Bible, John 3:16, let us examine the words closely and carefully. We are clearly told by Christ Himself, “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Here, it is plain that believing in Jesus Christ brings salvation. But what does it mean to believe? Allow me to look at, first, what believing IS NOT; and second, what believing IS.
“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing in God’s Existence
When dealing with the lost, I have had people repeatedly tell me, “Oh, I believe in God.” Believing in God’s existence is not what the scripture means by believing IN Jesus Christ, or believing ON Jesus Christ. Notice:
James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
As far as the existence of God is concerned, the devils believe, but they are lost both now and forever:
Jude 6 – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
The devils believe in God’s existence; yet they are reserved for the judgment of God. Simply believing that God exists does not produce salvation.
“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing that Jesus Died on the Cross
Still yet, there are those who adamantly declare that they are ready for heaven because they accept the historical fact of Christ’s death upon the cross. Again, the Bible is clear that the devil believes that Jesus died! Every devil in hell saw the crucifixion of Christ take place, and was spoiled by it; yet every devil is lost!
Colossians 2:13-15 – “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers [devils], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
When Christ died upon the cross, He made a show of principalities and powers, triumphing over them. The devil himself was there when Jesus died upon the cross. He witnessed the fulfillment of every scripture prophesying Christ’s humiliation. The devil was spoiled at the cross! “Spoiled” is a war term. When the scriptures declare that the devil was spoiled, this means that the devil lost a war at the cross of Jesus Christ, and Christ openly showed that Satan was a defeated foe! Of course Satan believes that Jesus died upon the cross, for that is the very place where Satan lost the war. Yet, Satan is as unconverted as he can be. You can believe in the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and still be lost.
“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Obeying God’s Law
Now we come to the other extreme in people’s interpretation of “believing in Christ.” While some think that believing in Jesus Christ is equivalent to believing in His existence, or believing in the historical fact of His death upon the cross, there are others, however, who go to the other extreme. They say things like, “Believing is obeying;” and “Faith is action.” They attest that one must obey God’s laws to be saved. That, they say, is the true meaning of the Biblical word, “believe.” They will read you a verse that speaks of believing on Christ to be saved; then they turn to James 2, where James says, “Faith without works is dead.” Therefore, they conclude that believing on Christ is synonymous with obeying the law of God. The Bible, however, plainly shows that we are justified by believing (or, by faith), and that this faith is completely apart from the law.
Romans 3:20 -22 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”
Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”
Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”
Clearly, the Bible teaches that when we believe, or place our faith, in Jesus Christ, this act is completely apart from the law. Therefore, “believing in Jesus Christ” is not the same as “obeying the law of God.” You can obey God’s moral laws, and burn in a devil’s hell.
So, What is “Believing in Jesus Christ”?
Having seen a few things that believing in Christ IS NOT, I will now discuss what such belief IS. In this post, I have used the terms, “believing” and “faith” interchangeably. When the Bible speaks of “believing in Christ,” it is speaking of us placing our faith in Christ. There are verses that show this plainly.
Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by THE FAITH of Jesus Christ, even WE HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Romans 3:22 – “Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference.”
Without a doubt, the scriptures use the terms, “believing in, or on, Jesus Christ” interchangeably with “faith.”
And that is what the scriptures mean by believing IN, or ON, Jesus Christ. When you believe in Christ, you are not merely believing about Christ; you are not merely affirming historical facts regarding Christ; but you are placing your faith in Christ. Placing your faith in someone means that you are TRUSTING them.
Picture this. I am standing in front of a chair. You ask me to have a seat. I continue to stare at the chair. You ask me again to have a seat. I respond by saying, “Oh, I believe that if I were to sit down, the chair would hold me up.” But I keep standing. When I finally make the decision to sit down, then and only then am I trusting the chair to hold me up. Many today look at Christ’s work upon the cross, and they say, “Oh, I believe Jesus died on the cross.” But they are as lost as they can be. On March 13, 1994 , I believed on Jesus Christ completely and exclusively for salvation. I completely trusted Him and Him alone to save me. I am trusting Jesus Christ in such a way that the only way I could possibly be lost is if the blood that He shed upon the cross to save me was not enough. I was baptized in water on April 24, 1994 . But I am not trusting my baptism in water to save me. If you are trusting the fact that you have been baptized to save you, then you are not believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, and you are therefore lost and on your way to hell. If you are trusting in church membership, sacraments, law-keeping, commandment-keeping, how much you pray, how much you fast, or anything other than Christ’s work upon the cross to save you, then you are lost at this very moment. Believe in Jesus Christ today; trust Him completely to save you. The moment that you let go and cease to trust anything else, and completely place yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ, He will save you that very moment. Trust Him now!
