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INTRODUCTION
Theme of The Gospel of John: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, who
brings us light, love and life. Quote John 3:16
We keep going in this key verse of the Bible, the gospel in miniature, this great verse short
but powerful and life changing verse. Today the rubber meets the road, today this message gets
personal. Today we will draw from John 3:16 the one phrase that describes our essential
response to God’s gift of salvation: “...whoever believes in Him...”
God has given us a wonderful gift, but you and I, all humankind must reach out and receive it
- we do that by believing in Jesus, God’s Son.
The word “believe” is a fascinating word, it is found in the Gospel of
John 98 times, it is the verb form of “faith.” NIV uses
“faith” 7 of those times. NASV, KJV, NKJV, and New Living just use word
“believe” in John.
While it is a wonderful word, it is often misused. Today we will sort truth from error, so you
can and, I pray, will believe.
1. What “believes” is not!
- Believe is not blind or ignorant trust.
- People believe the earth is flat, that milk comes from a store, that Darwinian
evolution is true.
- Ignorant trust, has not basis in reality, contrary to evidence.
- A standard answer about believing faith is “It doesn’t matter what
you believe as long as you believe” is plain foolish. It does matter.
- Christian believing is not ignorant faith in opinion, or myths, or fairy
tales, or hoaxes, or theories, or any man made idea.
- Believe is not just mental acknowledgement.
- Knowing facts is not enough, but acting upon them is essential
- Many people believe Jesus lived, but that is not enough. The demons believe
and even tremble and they aren’t saved. James 2:19
- Plenty of people believe airplanes can fly, but won’t fly in one
- So there is more to salvation than believing historical facts.
- Believe is not just doing good works.
- Good works, morality don’t save, because no one can be good enough,
moral enough. It will lead to a nice clean life, but not an eternal one.
Ephesians 2:8-9
- A minister once said that one might better try to sail the Atlantic in a paper
boat, than try to get to heaven on good works. John and Charles Wesley
didn’t get saved until after nearly 10 years in the ministry.
- Good works don’t save, sadly this fools a lot of people.
- Believe is not going to church, being a member.
- This is an all too common belief, tie church membership/salvation.
- Church doesn’t save anyone. Going to church doesn’t make you a
believer anymore than standing in machine shed makes you a JDeere
- Not even being on a church board, singing in the choir, teaching S.S. - all
that means is you are probably tired.
- Believe is not reciting creeds.
- Creeds are nice to hold and use for doctrine, but saying the words
doesn’t save you. Anymore than saying the Hippocratic Oath would make
you a Doctor, or telling the dentist “Yes, I will floss.”
- Believe is not knowing theology.
- Theology doesn’t save, a lot of religiously educated people who are
completely unsaved - I have meet a few. They know a lot, but lost. They can
debate issues, but will die in their sins.
- Different views of theology, but there is one way to be saved. All that
knowing theology will do is make you sound important at best or confuse you at
worst.
- Believe is not keeping the Ordinances/Sacraments.
- Baptism cannot save, it is to illustrate that you are saved. How can physical
water give your spiritual salvation?
- Communion is a memorial meal, there is no magic to take away sin.
- Believe is not saying a little prayer or walking an isle.
- I don’t want to mislead people in invitations. This is easy believism.
It is cheap grace, making it too simple. There are many people who said the
right words, but heart not right and no evidence of obedience.
2. What “believes” is!
- Vine’s Bible Dictionary: “To be persuaded of, to place confidence in, to
trust, signifies reliance upon, not mere credence.”
- “believes” in John 3:16 is verb “pisteuo” Synonyms:
trust, commit.
- To believe is to make an active decision. Believe is a verb, an action word.
Believing is active decision that affects whole life. Begins at a point in time,
but it continue rest of your life - you keeping believing. A decision based on
love - because God loves you, you love Him.
- To believe in Jesus is to be persuaded that Jesus is who He says He is - God, the
resurrected Lord. To be persuaded of the facts of Jesus, they are not myths,
opinions, legends; but divinely revealed historical facts.
- But to believe is to believe more than facts, it is to changed by them.
Commitment. To be committed to the authority of Jesus in your life, to surrender
to Him, committed to live in obedience to Him. John 3:36 “believe/obey”
interchangeable.
- There really is no such thing really as easy believism. Believing is a
commitment of long obedience in the same direction.
- “believe in Him” - the object of our faith is to believe is Jesus, not
anything or anyone else, not just “only believe” but the object must
be the person of Jesus Christ - the resurrected Lord. Love relationship.
- When you truly believe in Jesus you are giving your whole self to Him, to
love Him, to serve Him, to please Him. You are committing yourself for the
rest of your life and betting your eternity on His promises in Word.
- To believe in Him, you need to turn from your sins and repent of your
sins. Repentance means to change your mind, change directions. From sin to
Christ. You grieve over your sinfulness, and turning to Jesus
- Thus, You have made an active decision to let Jesus be your Savior and
Lord, you have decided to turn from your sins, you decided to love Him who
first loved you, you decided to serve Him not Satan, you decided to be
committed to trust Christ alone for salvation, you decided to obey
God’s will through Christ not your will - believing will change your
life.
- One more word in phrase: “whoever” - anyone, everyone, YOU.
Can you put your name in the verse?
CONCLUSION
Let us put this all together. What believe is not and is:
Believing is not ignorant trust, but trusting the true truth of who Jesus is, and what He can
do for you.
Believing is not mental acknowledgement, but heart felt commitment. Our head and heart agree.
Our mind and our will agree that the facts are real.
Believing is not doing good works, but claiming the righteousness of Christ as our own. When
believing, true morality and quality works will result. Works are a result not a prerequisite.
Believing is not going to church, but going to Christ. The church is really valuable to us
when Christ is in us. But Christ must be in us first, then church helps us worship, study the
Word, fellowship, and serve Him.
Believing is not reciting creeds and knowing deep theology, but by living in Jesus finding
meaning in the creeds and personal knowledge in the theology and being amazing at the depth
and breadth and height and width of our faith.
Believing is not found in baptism and communion, but found in the person both so beautifully
pictured and symbolized in baptism and communion.
Believing is not saying a nice little prayer or walking an isle, but a trusting Jesus
confidently right where you are in life, so your initial prayer is with conviction, and your
public testimony is baptism and a holy life.
Now I have talked about believing and you have listened. But talking and listening is not
enough. We must “believe in Him.”
Can you put your name in the “whoever”? Salvation is intensely personal.
Have you believed in Him? It is a matter of life and death
If not, will you believe in Him today?
Salvation Story by Monty Beals
Have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ?
If not, will you believe in Him today?
Invitation. Look to the Cross where Jesus showed how much He loves you, and commit your whole
life to Him in love and service.
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