What does it mean to "believe in Jesus"?

hmw · Jun 27, 2013

QueSi said:
What does belief in Jesus mean to you?

Believing in Jesus actually means to believe in God.
John 12:44
Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

Believing in Jesus means eternal life.
John 3:16
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.

Believing in Jesus is obeying God's will.
John 6:40
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.”

Believing in Jesus makes us born of God
1John 5:1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,

In believing in Jesus we overcome the world.
1John 5:4,5
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Believing in Jesus means one's faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:5
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

The thief on the cross believed in Jesus when he said in Luke 23:42-43.
he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.

And note how nowhere in scripture is there any works of the law required for believing in Jesus.

1watchman · Jun 27, 2013

The Bible teaches man to "believe ON Jesus" (proper translation). There is no salvation in just believing in or about Jesus (see 1 Jn. 5:10-12). Look up always!

endtimewarrior · Jun 27, 2013

QueSi said:
What does belief in Jesus mean to you?

Believing what the creed says concerning Jesus.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

xXMikHaelXx · Jun 27, 2013

endtimewarrior said:
Believing what the creed says concerning Jesus.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

Even demons believe all those things though, don't they?

Light hearted · Jun 27, 2013

QueSi said:
Do you think it means to believe every word he said and lesson he taught and always follow them?

You've brought this verse to the forefront multiple times, it makes me curious......

Are you more focused on the law/rules/recomandation that He spoke?

Or...

Are you more focused on the Grace that He brought forth to this woman caught in adultry?

The law states she should be stoned, but God's mercy overruled.

QueSi · Jun 27, 2013

Light hearted said:
You've brought this verse to the forefront multiple times, it makes me curious......

Are you more focused on the law/rules/recomandation that He spoke?

Or...

Are you more focused on the Grace that He brought forth to this woman caught in adultry?

The law states she should be stoned, but God's mercy overruled.

He seemed more focused on teaching right from wrong, and I am most focused on his teachings.

Handmaid for Jesus · Jun 27, 2013

QueSi said:
He seemed more focused on teaching right from wrong, and I am most focused on his teachings.

What does believing in Jesus mean to you QueSi?

QueSi · Jun 27, 2013

Handmaid for Jesus said:
What does believing in Jesus mean to you QueSi?

Believing in everything he said and did as quoted in the gospels.

candle glow · Jun 29, 2013

Good question, and I also liked some of Mikhael's thoughts.

I especially appreciated the verses she posted from Jesus about the people who say, "lord, lord" but then were still rejected because they did not obey him.

If a father tells his two children not to watch TV during the day while he is out, and one turns the TV on while the other refuses to watch, how do we know which of the two believed the father?

It's the same with Jesus and his instructions for loving God and loving others.

QueSi · Jun 29, 2013

candle glow said:
Good question, and I also liked some of Mikhael's thoughts.

I especially appreciated the verses she posted from Jesus about the people who say, "lord, lord" but then were still rejected because they did not obey him.

If a father tells his two children not to watch TV during the day while he is out, and one turns the TV on while the other refuses to watch, how do we know which of the two believed the father?

It's the same with Jesus and his instructions for loving God and loving others.

Thanks, it seems to me that a lot of people simply believe in his virgin birth, miracles, death and resurrection without understanding or following his teachings.

mustardseedfaith · Jun 30, 2013

Jesus taught revolutionary things. If we believe him, we'll start trying out his ideas and become a part of the revolution he inspired.

"Sell what you have and give it to the poor...then come and follow me."

Luke 12:33

ancientsoul · Jul 1, 2013

QueSi said:
What does belief in Jesus mean to you?

That he was a man
That he was God
That he was born from a virgin
The lessons that he taught
That he was sinless
That he took everyone's sins on himself upon death
That he rose from the dead

Which one(s) of these and/or what else?

it means to believe in something other than oneself ... to trust one other than self ... to depend on one other than self ... to KNOW one other than self ... but mostly it means i belong and am loved and will be cared for ... it means someone i can count on ... and it means everlasting life free of incumberments ... and everlasting life with Him ...

Norah63 · Jul 1, 2013

There is a huge dis-connect between believing and agreeing.
Even the demons believe, and tremble, cause they don't agree.
they have chosen another path, another way. The straight and narrow is too straight and too narrow. They say no one can follow it. No agreement.
Jesus walked it and showed us it could be done. He did it for us.
As we believe and agree with our Lord Jesus, he will show us how to live.

ancientsoul · Jul 1, 2013

i believe that is where trust in HIm comes in ... we agree that He knows best, so to speak ...

the narrow Way ... the commandments are our path ... the highway of Holiness ... one can follow the narrow Way ... one must lose self and truly follow it ... Jesus taught nothing but what God would have ... we know it can be followed because He says few will make it ... not none ...

mustardseedfaith · Jul 1, 2013

Norah63 said:
There is a huge dis-connect between believing and agreeing.
Even the demons believe, and tremble, cause they don't agree.
they have chosen another path, another way. The straight and narrow is too straight and too narrow. They say no one can follow it. No agreement.
Jesus walked it and showed us it could be done. He did it for us.
As we believe and agree with our Lord Jesus, he will show us how to live.

Maybe the demons believe and tremble because they don't obey?

"Sell what you have and give to the poor, then come and follow me..." Luke12:33.

But do we obey? The demons might believe more than we do, because at least they tremble, but those of us who don't obey, don't even tremble....

xXMikHaelXx · Jul 1, 2013

Norah63 said:
They say no one can follow it. No agreement.
Jesus walked it and showed us it could be done. He did it for us.

So He came down, not as an expression of Love, but to simply give us more rules?

The Jews just weren't doing a good enough job, so He had to come down and show us how it's done?

Are you saying that you walk perfectly, as Jesus had, following the laws in perfect agreement?

There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.
The poison of vipers is on their lips.
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know.f
There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in Gods sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. - Romans 3: 10-20

Or, if you want to go more in-depth, we can look at Matthew 19.

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?

Why do you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied. There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.

Jesus replied, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.

All these I have kept, the young man said. What do I still lack?

Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, Who then can be saved?

Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Now, do you think this man wasn't going to be saved? He was following the commandments and according to Jesus that still didn't make him worthy to enter the kingdom of God.

Then Jesus tells him to sell everything and the man couldn't.

Jesus says that a rich man cannot enter the kingdom of God and the disciples are astonished - and probably a little worried.

Then Jesus soothes them, He tells them, essentially, that there is nothing a person can do to get into the kingdom of God within their own power.

There was only one person that was and could be perfect and that was God Himself - to say differently is to call Him a liar and say that you can do what He did and no longer need a savior.

The Galatians church was beginning to fall to the mindset you carry and this is what Paul said to them.

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vainif it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

ancientsoul · Jul 2, 2013

no one can follow Jesus perfectly ... or we wouldn't need Him ... He didn't come down to give more rules ... He came down to give us the grace to be saved inpite of the law ... not forsaking the law or rewriting the law or whatever ... no one could make it by the law ... there was no room for forgiveness or mercy or grace or any of those things ... the law must always come first because that is where things are established ... He sent grace ... unmerited favor ... His will is that none should perish ... He made a Way for us to make it ... through Jesus He also sent the Holy Spirit to come and abide with us ... comfort us ... lead us ... guide us into Truth ... most just won't hear ... that's not me speaking there ... it is written ... most won't make it ... they simply refuse to see and hear ... it's not because He didn't make a Way ...

ancientsoul · Jul 2, 2013

also we're given scripture teaching us we sin even when we don't know ... again ... no one can be perfect ... when the word perfect is used it means mature ... not running around willy nilly following this and that ... grounded ...

QueSi · Jul 2, 2013

ancientsoul said:
also we're given scripture teaching us we sin even when we don't know ... again ... no one can be perfect ... when the word perfect is used it means mature ... not running around willy nilly following this and that ... grounded ...

How can someone sin without knowing it? Can you give an example as I am under the impression that it is our intentions that cause sin not actions.

You say no one can be perfect, yet Jesus, who was fully man, was perfect.

QueSi · Jul 2, 2013

ancientsoul said:
no one can follow Jesus perfectly ... or we wouldn't need Him ... He didn't come down to give more rules ... He came down to give us the grace to be saved inpite of the law ... not forsaking the law or rewriting the law or whatever ... no one could make it by the law ... there was no room for forgiveness or mercy or grace or any of those things ... the law must always come first because that is where things are established ... He sent grace ... unmerited favor ... His will is that none should perish ... He made a Way for us to make it ... through Jesus He also sent the Holy Spirit to come and abide with us ... comfort us ... lead us ... guide us into Truth ... most just won't hear ... that's not me speaking there ... it is written ... most won't make it ... they simply refuse to see and hear ... it's not because He didn't make a Way ...

Why do you think it impossible to follow Jesus? If you recall where the seeds fall, some fall on good ground. We need Jesus because he taught us how to not sin...being love God above all and our neighbors as ourselves. Yes he set forth these two rules that if we follow we will stay on the straight and narrow path and not wander from it. Yes most won't make it because the road is difficult to walk down...the world makes it difficult to stay on the path and follow the two,great commandments at all times, but being difficult does not mean impossible. Jesus walked the road and if we follow his lessons and footsteps we can make it to the same destination. If we wander we might end up somewhere else.

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