Intellect vs. Really believeing?

[peteey]

Many a time now I have ran into on this forum the statement that to be a christian you have to truely believe with your heart and not intellectually believe? Please tell me what is the difference?

I understand that a person can understand who Jesus is and was, but they don't have to believe that what He did for us, and that he was God, who came down, and was a sacrifice for our sins?

Someone explain the difference please. Because some people say here that believeing isn't enough, so does this just automatically throw out john 3:16? and all those other verses that say if you believe you will have eternal life?

If possible please give Bible verses to back up your answers too....

 

[TWells]

Faith or believing in the Hebraic sense was not a intellectual aknowledgement of a event, person, or fact. Faith was seen as covenant faithfullness or doing your part in the Covenant between YHWH and Israel. This is where the Pauline/Jewish term "righteousness of God" comes from. He was referring to God's living up to his end of the bargain. So from this we can see that faithfullness or righteousness in the Biblical sense denotes action.

We live under a renewed Covenant through Christ. Merely believing in a set of facts concerning the historical Christ and the meaning of his death does not give eternal life. Its being faithfull to the Covenant of Christ by putting on the "pattern" or "mind of Christ" as Paul puts it - emptying oneself through self giving love.

 

[Dad Ernie]

Many a time now I have ran into on this forum the statement that to be a christian you have to truely believe with your heart and not intellectually believe? Please tell me what is the difference?

I understand that a person can understand who Jesus is and was, but they don't have to believe that what He did for us, and that he was God, who came down, and was a sacrifice for our sins?

Someone explain the difference please. Because some people say here that believeing isn't enough, so does this just automatically throw out john 3:16? and all those other verses that say if you believe you will have eternal life?

If possible please give Bible verses to back up your answers too....

Greetings Peteey,

Consider these verses:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

We "believe unto salvation", we "live by faith in the Son of God".

Demons believe, but they do not have faith (put their trust) in God.

Does that help?

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

 

[Crazy Liz]

Pastor Freud posted something a couple of days ago in a different forum about the meanings of the words faith/believe n the Bible. If someone remembers where it was, maybe it would be good to post a link here.

Basically, it is important to understand that the verb in the Bible most often translated "believe" is the verb form of the noun translated "faith" and the adjective translated "faithful." The English language does not have a verb "to faith," so it is often translated "believe." I think most of the time "trust" would be a better English translation than "believe."

Anyway, the nuances of the biblical word "believe" entail more than mere intellectual assent. Trust and faithfulness are also part of its meaning.