What does it mean to BELIEVE?

 

Highlight

Acts 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. What does it mean to believe?

Explanation

God chose some before the foundation of the world to be in Christ. Eph 1:4 & 5. He also said that whoever believes in Jesus shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. So whether we've been appointed for eternal life or not, it doesn't matter, we all have opportunity to repent, believe in Jesus, and to be saved!

Application

To believe in Jesus is more than just a mental acknowledgement. According to the Amplified bible, believe means to trust in, rely upon, and cling to. Here's the exact reading of John 3:16 from the Greek manuscript.

Because, God has Loved in such a manner the satan's world, so that He Gave His Son, the only Begotten Risen Christ, in order that whoever is Continuously by his choice Committing for the Result and Purpose of Him, should not perish, but definitely should, by his choice, be Continuously Having Eternal Life. [Committing means putting your entire being under the orders of another.]

So, if we believe in someone, then we should express that belief by doing what they ask us to do. We should put our entire being under the orders of that person.

The bible contains examples of people who believe in a shallow way, merely mentally acknowledging Jesus and not putting themselves under His authority.

Simon believed and was baptized. Acts 8:13. Even though he believed and was baptized, Peter told him he better repent because he was full of bitterness and captive to sin. And perhaps the Lord would forgive him. (If repentance was genuine) Acts 8:22.

Response

Lord, help us to realize that to believe in Jesus is more than just a mental acknowledgment of who He is. To believe in Jesus means to trust in, rely upon, and to cling to Him. To believe means to put myself under His authority and keep His commandments.

A New You

 

Because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, there needs to be a new you! Romans 3:23

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all people, because all sinned

John 3:3 Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

We've all sinned

We've all sinned, according to Romans 3:23 & 5:12. Jesus said flesh gives birth to flesh. We're born into this condition. Jesus said unless we're born again, we will not enter the kingdom of God. We all have a natural birth. i.e., flesh. This is natural birth from our mothers. But what is "born of the Spirit"?

We need a personal relationship with Jesus

In Acts 8:12 The people of Samaria believed Philip when he proclaimed Christ, and they were baptized. But the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them! Acts 8:16. They had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. So, they listened and accepted the message, performed all the motions, but they had not entered into a personal relationship with the Lord via the Holy Spirit.

Simon believed and was baptized. Acts 8:13. Even though he believed and was baptized, Peter told him he better repent because he was full of bitterness and captive to sin. And perhaps the Lord would forgive him. (If repentance was genuine) Acts 8:22. More on repentance.

Believe Jesus

We need to get past all of our own ideas about who God is and how He interacts with His creation. We need to start believing Jesus and what He says about God and His creation. To Believe is more than a mental acknowledgement. Believe means to trust in, rely on, and cling to. (Amp) If we believe in someone, then we should probably express that belief by doing what they ask us to do.

Experience Jesus

The Samaritans experienced this personal relationship with Jesus by the laying on of hands of Peter and John. We can experience this personal relationship with Jesus by keeping His commandments.
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. (Holy Spirit)

17 The Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (Via the Holy Spirit)

Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. _Jesus