What It Means to Believe

Introduction: What Does It Mean to Believe?

"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

In Acts 16:31, Paul and Silas said to the Philippian jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." But then James writes and says that the devils believe and tremble. So what does it mean to truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

More Than Mental Agreement

Just believing that Jesus died for your sins is not enough. There are many people who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior but they've never been born again. You see, when Jesus died on the cross, He took your sin and He took my sin. When Jesus was buried, my sin was taken with Him. Jesus died for you -- but that's still not enough, because on the third day Jesus rose again from the dead. Jesus arose for you and me, and anyone who is in Christ must be born again of the Spirit of God.

The Cross That Saves and Separates

So to truly believe -- what does it mean? Paul writes in Galatians 6:14:

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom I am crucified unto the world, and it unto me." -- Galatians 6:14

The same cross that saves us is the same cross that separates us totally from the world. When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, it means that we are totally trusting in Him -- not trusting in our own works, not trusting in anything that I've done, but trusting only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trusting that He died for me, that all my sin was placed upon Him. It's not of works, but it's all of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for you and gave His life for you so that you can have eternal life.

This is the wonderful thing about salvation: that whosoever will may come, and it's not of our works. We're not trusting in our righteousness but we're trusting in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Crucified, Buried, and Raised With Christ

When we come, we totally trust in the Lord Jesus Christ -- and also that we are crucified with Christ, buried with Christ. This means all the old is gone. Not just the sin, but all the rights to your life are now buried with Christ. The Bible says that we have been bought with a price, that we are no longer our own.

This is why, when you are born again of the Spirit of God, you need to be baptized. Not to be saved -- but by going through the waters of baptism, what you are saying is that you're confessing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When you go down in the water, you are burying all of your rights. You are sealing your salvation by saying, "Yes, all that I am now belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ."

All or Nothing

It's all or it's nothing. You cannot just believe and then live an ungodly life. When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you truly believe, then you're saying, "I don't want the world anymore. I don't want the things of the world. I'm not going to run after all those things. Now I'm going to trust fully in what Jesus Christ has done for me."

The Lord Jesus Christ gave everything for you so that you can have eternal life. When you truly believe, what that means is that you then give everything to Him. It's like you sign on the paper -- all your rights away -- and everything you are belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. You are totally immersed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism: A Declaration of Faith

Baptism doesn't save you. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and being born again of the Spirit of God -- that is what saves you. But when you're baptized in water, you are burying all your rights and saying, "Now I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I am His. Now I will serve Him all of my life."

A Wonderful Life in Christ

And it's a wonderful life! As we grow by feeding upon the Scriptures, feeding upon the Word of God, we are built up and become strong in Him. And then one day, our Savior is going to come again. We shall see Jesus, and we shall be like Him -- changed into His likeness. What a wonderful day that will be!

That's what it is to truly believe. It means you're giving everything, turning your back on all your own works. You're not trying to be saved, you're not trying to live a Christian life -- but now Christ has done everything for you, and He wants to come and live in your life so that you can become more and more like Him.

God bless you. Amen.