Summary: Believing, in a spiritual context, is a deep trust and reliance on God, a commitment to His promises, and a willingness to follow His path. It’s about embracing all that God offers through Jesus Christ, seeing Him as Lord and Savior, and making Him the center of one’s life.
The idea of belief seems simple, at the core of being a Christian. But is it simple? John 20:31 says, “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” This verse is a powerful reminder of the gospel’s purpose and the importance of believing in Jesus Christ. So, what does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? Is it enough to acknowledge that He is the Son of God?
“The word ‘believe’ in the Bible means more than simply agreeing in our minds that something might be true. It means ‘trust’—that we believe so strongly in God that we are willing to commit our lives to Him and live the way we know He wants us to live.” Max Lucado said, “Our belief in God is not blind faith. Belief is having a firm conviction that something is true, not hoping it’s true.”
You have some friends who invite you to go skydiving. You decide to go, but are hesitant, looking at your parachute. Your friends had gone skydiving many times, and their parachutes always opened. You continue looking at the parachute, thinking that it will probably open, but that belief is only in your head. You fully believe the chute will open once you’ve jumped out of the airplane.
It is the same way with following Christ. Yes, we can believe that God exists, but God wants us to come to know Him personally. He has bridged the gap between us by sending His Son to remove the barrier of sin. To believe in Christ is to commit our lives by faith to Christ—to trust Him personally as our Lord and Savior.
Faith is more than a passive possession—it’s a firm confidence that results in action. The Bible is full of stories where faith flows into action. Noah prepared an ark, Abraham obeyed without knowing where he was going, and Sarah confidently anticipated the son God promised. They, along with many others, counted on God’s blessings and acted accordingly. God accomplished many things through them. Faith tends to grow when we put it into practice. In this way, believers strengthen their trust in God and His promises, even when they don’t live long enough to see the fulfillment in their lifetime.
Discussion Questions:
- What does it mean to believe in something, and how does that belief impact your daily life?
- What are some of the promises God has given to us, and how can we hold onto them when we face challenges?
- What are some of the greatest hindrances to faith, both personally and culturally?