WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST?

 There are so many people claiming to be Christians but they have no idea of “what it means to believe in Christ.” So today, we are going to look at “What it means to believe in Christ.”

 

Jesus said, “But these are written, that ye might BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (Jn. 20:31).

 

This Scripture, serves as a powerful reminder of the purpose of the Gospel and the importance of belief in Jesus Christ.

 

The first part of the verse says, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.” This phrase emphasizes that the Gospel was written for the purpose of helping people believe in Jesus Christ.

 

The Gospel is not just a historical account of events, but rather it is a message of hope and salvation that has the power to transform lives (Rom. 1:16).

 

The second part of the verse says, "and that by believing you may have life in His name.” This phrase highlights the importance of belief in Jesus Christ for experiencing the everlasting life that He offers. 

 

Belief in Jesus Christ is not just a mental acknowledgement of His existence, but rather it is a total surrendering of our lives to Him and a recognition that He is the source of true life.

 

You must believe in the claims of Jesus for you to be saved (Jn. 3:24). “…Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household” (Acts 16:29-31, NLT).

 

In John 3:24 Jesus said, “…unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (Jn. 3:24). Concerning who He claims that He is Jesus said, “I AM…”

1. Not of this World (Jn. 8:23b),

2. From above (Jn. 8:23a),

3. The Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35),

4. The living bread which came down from Heaven (Jn. 6:51),

5. The Light of the world (Jn. 8:12),

6. He (Jn. 8:24; Heb. 11:6),

7. The Door (Jn. 10:7-9),

8. The Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn. 14:6),

9. The Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11),

10. The Resurrection and the Life (Jn. 11:25-26),

11. The True Vine (Jn. 15:1),

12. The Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8),

13. The Root and the Offspring of David (Jn. 22:16),

14. The Bright & Morning Star (Rev. 22:16),

15. The One which is, which was, and which is to come (Rev. 1:8),

16. The Almighty (Rev. 1:8).

 

Look at another claim of Jesus: He said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day…”

 

Now, what does it mean to believe? “To believe” something means to accept that that thing is true, especially without any absolute proof that you are right in doing so.

 

What then does it mean to believe in Christ? “To believe” in Christ means to accept that whoever Christ claimed to be that is who He actually is.

 

It means that whatever He said about Himself is true. To believe in Jesus Christ is to have a confident conviction that He is who the Bible says He is. He will keep His promises; He will do what He says He'll do. And upon placing my trust in Him, I am entering into a personal, eternal relationship with the Son of God.

 

"The word “believe” in the Bible means more than simply agreeing in our minds that something might be true. To believe in Christ is to commit our lives by faith to Christ - to trust Him personally as our Lord and Savior. 

 

It means acknowledging that He is not just a good teacher or a prophet, but rather He is the Savior of the world who came to give His life for us (Matt. 1:21).

 

By believing in Jesus as the Son of God, confessing and repenting of our sins, we can experience the forgiveness and salvation that He offers.

 

Belief in Jesus is not just a mental acknowledgement, but rather it is a surrender of our lives to Him. This means acknowledging that He is Lord of our lives and that we are willing to follow Him wherever He leads. 

 

By surrendering our lives to Jesus, we can experience the abundant life that He promises (Jn. 10:10). This means trusting Him in all circumstances, even when things are difficult or uncertain. It means trusting that He is in control and that He has a plan for our lives, even when we don't understand what is happening (Jer. 29:11). By trusting in Jesus, we can experience peace and joy in the midst of difficult circumstances.

 

With what then does one believe? One believes with his “heart” (Rom. 10:10). 

What then does it mean to believe with the heart? To believe with the heart means to believe with your spirit-man. For instance, Virgin Mary said: “…38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…” (Lk 1:26-38).

 

Question: Do you believe the promises of God? “Do you believe God can heal your blind eyes?” “Do you believe God can overwhelm you with abundance this year?” “Do you believe that the LORD has set an open door before you this year and no man can shut it” (Rev. 3:8)? “Do you believe God can make a way for you where men say there is no way?” “Do you believe you will live and not die to declare the works of the LORD?” (Ps. 118:17). “Do you believe you shall be above only and never below no matter where you go?” (Deut. 28:13).

 

Therefore, I decree and declare that from today: All the things you have been looking for will start looking for you. “God shall turn your mourning into joyful dancing” (Ps. 30:5b). “Your enemies will be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for you” (Ps. 140:9). “God will give you a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to you” (Isa. 66:12). “The Lord will perfect all that concerns you” (Ps. 138:8).

Conclusion: If you want to succeed as a Christian you must choose to believe whoever Jesus claims to be. Act on His promises and then rest in His power and faithfulness.

 

Watch out for the next Edition of the Good News from the Pulpit!

 

·      Your friend I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor, HOG).