BELIEF

                Pages after pages exist in concordances when the heading is belief. While this will not be brief, a number, not all, but a large number of scriptures will be examined that use the words BELIEF/BELIEVETH and BELIEVED.

Mark 1:15

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

                We start off again with that paver, John the Baptist speaking. Notice what he says in regards to the Gospel. Repent and believe is the formula.  

John 14:1

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

            Jesus uses the word “believe”. Here we see and Christians know this is not merely just a piece from The Bible, but rather a part of the promise.

John 14:10-11

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

                The core to salvation if Christ’s words are believed and trusted is oh what that B word, believed. We must believe that Jesus of Nazareth was not just a man born in Bethlehem, but that He is who He claims to be, one with God the Father. There are so many people that say they believe in God, but never equate Jesus the Son with God the Father although scripture clearly teaches the three in one Godhead.     

John 3:15-18

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

                Jesus uses Moses as a literal and figurative point of reference when speaking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee. The Pharisees were expert in the law and the scriptures of old. Even those who fiercely mock Christians and more importantly the deity of Christ know John 3:16 and can probably quote it better and more accurately than some church members. How’s that for irony? I truly don’t want to sound insulting, but have you counted the number of times the word believes is used? Belief in Christ is so simple, but so many don’t because they refuse to see past their own mistakes, sinful nature, simplicity of salvation, and because they cannot understand the concept of love. We say I love pancakes, sunrises, that movie, that shirt, and my son, daughter, mom, dad, wife, you get the idea. Yet, we say it without fully experiencing it until we believe in Him, Jesus the Christ. For God so loved. He gave Jesus up for each one of us. If you are a non-believer chances are you aren’t reading this, but for the sake of being hypothetical, let’s say you are. Christianity’s Religious opponents do not attempt to deny Jesus of Nazareth’s existence. They overlook and deny His deity, but they in their misguided attempt to reach enlightenment or whatever know that to deny Christ’s existence is futile. If you aren’t a believer, why aren’t you? Salvation is so easy to understand that the children flocked to Christ. Christianity rose after Jesus did. Uneducated fishermen were the leaders of the first century Christian churches/movement. Could they do this on their own or were they influenced by say a Comforter, say like the Holy Spirit? Belief is the key to the door. That, Door, by the way is another name for Jesus.

John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

            Belief=Everlasting Life J                 Disbelief=L  

     Do any of us know what the wrath of God is really? I suggest looking at the Old Testament prophets and Revelation. There is a second death for all do not believe.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

            The Christian that has lived a life that reflects Christ will not be sexually immoral, a liar and so forth. Many disagree saying, “But we are all human.” Yes, we are, but the Christian per God’s Word, The Bible is set apart from those who turn away from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17).

            Anyway back to the point at hand. In the word list, does one see any word that perhaps sticks out? UNBELIEVING leaps out at me. This opens up a whole new dialogue with some people. Some will say, “I believe in God,” while at the same time honestly not making the connection between Jesus and God as I mention previously.  

John 5:24

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

            There will be those in the Christian flock that will use this verse coupled with the Great Commission and try to place baptism as a condition of hearing the word. Jesus said in the Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." If that is not the word He spoke of one may ask, then explain it. Okay. The Gospel translates Good News. The Good News is that God reconciled himself to mankind by paying the sin debt accrued by you and me since Adam and Eve with his son, Jesus sacrificing His very life and blood paying the price for sin once for all. If the news were not spread by the Disciples then how would generations to come know? What about the part about baptizing? Isn’t that a part of salvation? Baptism as previous covered by the scriptures is a symbolic act that is representative of our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection. Only believers in Christ should participate in baptism. Remember prior to Christ fulfilling the prophecies and paying the sin debt the only baptism done was a baptism of repentance where as the baptism of the Holy Spirit is acceptance of the Lord as your Savior.

            But wait. I thought a believer did not have to do anything? Jesus said the new disciple were to obey all that He commanded. So Christians have to work at it right? No. It is what I wrote above. The Christian is a new creation. The old desires will disappear if a person is truly repentant and believes on the Lord Christ. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”As His children we will strive to grow closer to Him and to speak like Him, and to live like Him.

            So what at 5:24? Jesus is the Word. He is the Truth. Salvation is through Him alone, sorry New Age Thought. The key has always been belief in Him. One cannot separate the Son from the Father or belief in one and not the other. 

John 6:35

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

            God the Father and God the Son love to use it appears literary devices such as rhetorical questions and literary devices such as figurative language. Christ simply says here that our needs will be met. These are spiritual needs.

John 6:40

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

            This may be where the cliché seeing is believing started. What is the purpose of my life? It isn’t to line your wallet or your wall with money and college degrees. Those are fine aspirations as long as God is first in your life. God’s will is to be with us. The only way that can be since God does not look upon sin is for us to be figuratively covered in Christ’s shed blood which is His Grace. How do we do this again? What’s the formula? Repentance+Belief=Salvation then Baptism.

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

            This piece of scripture is so comforting in that it is so straightforward.

John 20:29

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

            This is part of the thesis of faith. We are blessed by belief without seeing the Risen Lord. We can see His wonders and blessings all around if only our eyes were open. 

Acts 10:43

To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

            Peter in chapter ten was witnessing and spreading the news to the Gentiles. The key here again is whoever believes will receive remission/forgiveness of sins.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

                Please read that again. Now read these words once more as well: salvation for everyone who believes. The plan for salvation has always been first to the Jew then the rest of us.

Romans 9:33

“ Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

                This is a reference to Isaiah and how Christ is the cornerstone of the faith.

Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

            Before Christ the Jew was under Mosaic Law. Christ’s fulfilling of the prophesies also fulfilled the Law. In other words people cannot do enough good deeds or follow enough rules to earn a spot in Paradise.   

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

            The spirit spoken about is the Holy Spirit and the truth is also known as Jesus Christ!

I John 5:1

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

            Yes, God has created everything. However, not every creation human wise is a child of God. Only those who accept Christ have the right to be called so. Those (the Pharisees) who do not accept are called sons of the devil. 

I John 5:5

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

                In other words, we as Christians have a power within us, The Holy Spirit, by belief in Christ that we have overcome the world, a fallen faiuled place ruled by Satan.

I John 5:10

He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.\

                Who wants to call Jesus a liar? Anyone? Oh right, atheists, mockers, false teachers, and that ilk.

Hebrews 4:3

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

      “ So I swore in My wrath,

      ‘ They shall not enter My rest,’”
   although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

            The writer of Hebrews is referencing Psalms 95:11. We read again, For we who believed receive the rest.  

SALVATION/SAVED

            Here are a few selected verses concerning the words salvation and saved.

Romans 10:9-13

if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

                Why must we confess? Jesus said, “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” We believe that God raised Christ from the dead. This is second part of the “Easter” Gospel story, the empty tomb. We believe that and we are saved. By believing we have acknowledged our need for Christ and have repented from the old ways through confession. Christ died once for all as I stated earlier repeating the inspired writings of Peter. 

II Timothy 2:10

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

            The use of the word elect may throw some casual readers. Elect does not mean certain ones that God has chosen to save through Christ over others. Jesus spoke of the elect as He prayed to the Father in the Gospel of John. God knows who will come to him and who will choose to spend eternity in hell separated from him in the Lake of Fire.

            This particular writing is Paul’s last to Timothy. Paul wanted to let those who would read know what he went through not because he wanted a pat on the back or a shout out, but rather that he considered it a blessing to suffer for Christ. Salvation is in Christ alone.   

Titus 3:4-7

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

                What is this washing of regeneration? The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit refers to a person’s turning from their sin, repenting and accepting Jesus as the Messiah. We are regenerated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

            Do you know why so many people deny Christ? They don’t look at The Bible as the reverent, holy, word of God. So many rather sit and say that every man, there were 40 that wrote The Bible were either on drugs or were mentally ill. They refute the math when looking at the probability of someone other than Jesus Christ fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. They say The Bible is outdated morally and scientifically when it (The Bible) proved scientific concepts and thoughts long before there were scientists. For the sake of time, I’ll only use three.

            Job 26:7 proves the earth’s suspensions

            Job 28:25 speaks about fluid dynamics

            In 1616, William Harvey discovered that blood circulation is the key factor in physical life. Guess who said this about 3000 years earlier when talking about the importance of blood? God. Leviticus 17:11 ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’  

            Speaking of blood, it is Christ’s shed blood from the cross that atoned once for all.

FAITH

Matthew 9:2

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

Faith is what healed! She was healed not after she went and partook in baptism, but at the moment she believed in Christ as Lord. To be sure you know the truth, please be baptized if you are a believer in Christ. To be an obedient Christian one must be baptized.

Matthew 15:28

Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

                Again, see above for further detail. Faith is the key.       

Acts 26:18

I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

            Jesus was speaking to Paul reassuring him and telling him how it is present tense because the work is not done yet. We receive forgiveness of sins upon our calling out to Christ in acceptance of His Grace. The inheritance is eternal life. The key words here are sanctified by faith in Me (Jesus). Sanctified: 1.To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. So let’s use those definitions in place of sanctified.

They may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are set apart, consecrated, made holy, and purified  by faith in Me.’

Romans 1:17

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

II Corinthians 4:13

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,

II Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 2:16

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 3:8

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”

Ephesians 2:5-9

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 4:5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

            As you can see, for the Christian, it all comes back to simple concepts. It is first repentance, a turning away from the sinful nature then followed with belief in Jesus as Christ, the Messiah, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus said no one would go to God unless it was through Him. That may offend a great number of you reading or hearing this, but the Truth is what it is. I pray you know Jesus as your Savior. If you don’t, you can by simply praying to Christ to come into your life and saving you. There’s not a magic set of words. Just remember what we have studied here:

if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

            Father God, I know I’m a sinner. Lord, I need you in my life. I believe Jesus is your son. I know that He died for me only to have you raise Him from the dead. Lord, I turn from my sin and ask Jesus into my life as my Savior. Lord, I love you and I want to live my life for you.