In what is arguably the most well-known scripture in the Bible, Jesus states that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That’s John 3:16…well-meaning Christians hold up signs for it at football games, trying to get the message out. But what does it mean to “believe,” really? It seems to me that there’s a big disconnect between the sincere, life-giving belief I read about in the Bible, and the hypocritical kind I see around me in the lives of many who say they believe…and often in myself as well.
I think a great deal of confusion exists about the correlation between our perception of who God is, and our experience of God in our daily lives. In part, much of the confusion comes down to the definition of the word BELIEVE. You may “believe in God” and yet have no appreciable connection with Him, really….so it makes absolutely no difference in your everyday life. BELIEF, in that case, may be just a passive & detached agreement with a list of religious facts that kick-in after you die. But that’s not what the Bible word “believe” means. It’s a living, breathing, committed relationship that controls your life. I would argue that many people who believe in Jesus actually don’t….any more than they believe that a tsunami will wipe out the Oregon coast without warning someday. It’s possible, but it’s not going to keep one from enjoying a trip out to Seaside on a sunny day. The one who believes that a tsunami is coming would never go beyond the coastal range. What we truly believe in controls our motivations, values, and behaviors.
Believing has to do with putting one’s trust in something….even to the point of sacrificing something dear to you in order to maintain or obtain something even better. I not only believe that God exists, but I believe Him. I believe that His opinions and values are true and right and worth following….simply because He’s God and I’m not. Belief has to do with trusting and submission…and this produces understanding & meaning & peace. When this rebellious mind of mine refuses to believe, demanding self-determination, sooner or later I end up at the same dead-end….once again needing to acquiesce to my Savior. Following is today’s devotion from “Jesus Calling”…
“Let Me control your mind. The mind is the most restless, unruly part of mankind. Long after you have learned the discipline of holding your tongue, your thoughts defy your will and set themselves up against Me. Man is the pinnacle of My creation, and the human mind is wondrously complex. I risked all by granting you freedom to think for yourself. This is god-like privilege, forever setting you apart from animals and robots. I made you in My image, precariously close to deity. Though My blood has fully redeemed you, your mind is the last bastion of rebellion. Open yourself to My radiant Presence, letting My Light permeate your thinking. When My Spirit is controlling your mind, you are filled with life and peace.”
I implore myself and you today, believe in Jesus.
