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Explaining Belief

In my experience, which includes a very large sample size over several decades now, people can understand a biblical explanation of belief.  I say to a person, “Jesus did everything that needed to be done for you to be saved, but how do you receive the benefits of what He did?  Scripture shows only one way and that is, you must believe in Jesus Christ.”

Many will and do say that they believe in Jesus Christ.  A majority of Americans will say they believe in Jesus Christ, when asked.  Yet, “What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ?”  First though, it is true that you must believe in Jesus Christ.  Scripture teaches this requirement, “believe in Jesus Christ,” and I could go for thirty plus minutes showing verses that teach that.

What It’s Not

Before I explain what it means to believe in Jesus Christ, I make this point:  “It is by belief in Jesus Christ, and not by works.”  To understand belief in Jesus Christ, the evangelist must contrast belief from works, which scripture does all over the place.  Belief and works are mutually exclusive.  You are either saved by believing or by working, not both.  It it’s works, then someone must live a perfect life, which he can’t.  Someone will not understand belief in Jesus Christ unless he understands the relationship of works to belief.

Once I eliminate works as an option, I will ask again, “What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ?”  Not only is belief not works, but it is also not mere intellectual assent to facts, like putting a check in a box.  This means that neither is it mindless repetition of words with or after someone, simply saying, “I believe in Jesus Christ.”

Aspects of Belief

When I explain belief in Jesus Christ, I don’t go into a long doctrinal dissertation, proving that belief is both intellectual, emotional, and volitional.  It is those three, and you can prove that with various passages for each of those aspects.  This is also the history of Christian doctrine of salvation.  It is said, belief is, the Latin, notitia, assensus, and fiducia.  Notitia is the knowledge, assensus is the volition or commitment, and fiducia is the trust or reliance.  All three go hand in hand, not to be separated from one another, like truth and love go together.

As you read this, you might think, “You’re making this too hard.  What about ‘God’s simple plan of salvation?'”  Scripture doesn’t say salvation is simple.  I’m not saying it isn’t.  I think it is, but it isn’t less than what scripture says that it is.  The evangelist should not leave out something indispensable to a scriptural understanding.

Scriptural Requirement for True Belief

The Bible does say that there is a belief that does not save.  This is quite common that someone falls short of a scriptural requirement for true belief in Jesus Christ.  I say that men purposefully leave out the hard part, the least popular aspects that are the biggest reason for not getting a desired response.

Imagine this:  “They’re not going to like this about Jesus Christ, so I’m not going to say it.”  What’s not to like about Jesus Christ?  People are not saved by believing in a Jesus that’s just acceptable to them.  He’s got to be who He is.  Another aspect to the object of faith is the Deity of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is God.

Deity of Christ

Usually when I explain the Deity of Christ, I do it at the point that I say, “Jesus died for you” or “Jesus paid the penalty for your sins.”  I say, “Let’s say that I wanted to die for you, and I think I would, but my death wouldn’t do anything for you — it couldn’t save you.  Why?  Because I’m a sinner.  I deserve the penalty for sin myself.  I can’t pay for yours, because I deserve my own.”

Well, who could pay the penalty for sin?  A perfect person.  A sinless person.  Who could do that?  What man could do that?  Only Jesus Christ, because He is God.  He is sinless, because He is God.

I briefly explain the Trinity at this point in the conversation and quote or go to verses on Jesus’ Deity.  If someone does not believe that Jesus is God, then He does not believe in Jesus Christ.  I include with that modalists, like the apostolics.  They have not the doctrine of Christ, so they have not God (2 John 1:9).  An evangelist must go much deeper and further on this subject if he is talking to a Jehovah’s Witness or a Mormon, people like that.

Even if you are talking to a Hindu, you’ve got to differentiate a true belief in Jesus as God and the Hindu version that puts Jesus on the shelf with other gods.  The true identity of Jesus Christ is that He is God.  Again, saving belief must have the proper object and part of that is that Jesus is God.

More to Come