Do you believe in Jesus? How do you know you believe? The Gospel of John has a clear answer for how to know.
John 3:16 is an often quoted verse in the Bible. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16; NASB). How do we have eternal life? The answer is believing in Jesus as the Son of God for the salvation of our soul. But, what does it mean to “believe?” The Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines believe as “to expect or hope with confidence; to trust.” Webster defines trust as “Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.” To believe in Jesus is to put our complete trust in his Way, his Truth, and his Life (John 14:6). When we rely totally on him as the way to Truth, we find life.
To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice
Even the Old Testament links the idea of showing one’s devotion to God by submission to his ways. Prior to Jesus’ arrival on earth (as the ultimate sacrifice), the Jews following God’s commands, used animal sacrifice for remission of sin. The Bible also says, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). The purest tangible offering to God, is not as valuable as the intangible devotion of heart. Our affections, motivations, and attitudes toward his ways, reflect what God really means to us. We esteem God by showing our submission to His supreme authority and divine order for all things.
Believing is Jesus shows our gratitude for what He accomplished as the Savior from our sin and shame condition. Not all people believe, and therefore, not all will have eternal life. The reason why is also mentioned by Jesus, “ … men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:19b-21, NASB). Each of us needs a Savior. Each of us needs Jesus for the Gift of eternal life. Following the Truth of Jesus is the only Way to that Life.
Transforming Process
Aligning our hearts with the Truth is a process. We are all born with a broken (unbelieving) heart. Only Jesus can put our hearts together to become a whole, believing persons. We are born into darkness, but believing in Jesus brings us into the Light. “He who practices the truth, comes into the Light.” Being “born again” (described at the beginning of the Gospel of John chapter 3) starts the process. As we “practice” our believing, more and more of the dark, broken pieces of our hearts come into the Light. As we obey more, we trust more, and our belief becomes stronger.
The daily, sometimes moment to moment decision to obey Jesus, is the only path to believing. Whether we were born again yesterday or many years ago, believing is obeying, and obeying is believing. And if you’re not born again? Why not start believing right now? It’s never too late, and it’s always the right time to believe and obey.
Caution: To “obey” does not mean to strive for perfect compliance (in your own strength) with God’s ways. Obedience Is cooperating with, and relying on, Jesus to change your heart from the inside out. See my other articles to understand more about this transformation process.