I have some thoughts on Faith vs Belief

Many verses tell us to believe and be saved.  Acts 16:31; John 3:16; Romans 10:9,10 and many others.  So that is God’s truth and we must accept it.  However, we must compare Scripture with Scripture and when we do that, we begin to develop a definition of the belief that God says will bring you salvation.

The Bible says the devil believes and he certainly will not be saved from the wrath to come.  What is the difference?  We hear preachers tell us that He must be Lord and preach what has been defined as Lordship salvation.

However, as I study real church history, I find for about 1500 years there were thousands of Christians, outside of the Catholic structure, that did not have much of the written Bible to read and study.  They lived in villages, had preachers, and did missionary work throughout all of Europe and beyond.  They were persecuted, killed, and harassed for believing in Jesus and opposing infant baptism.  All we know about them is found in the Catholic archives when they were brought in for trial or when they were being hunted and persecuted.

The Catholic record says that they were good people who worked hard, tended to their own business and did not own swords nor fight.  There is much more in history, but I won’t go into that right now.

So what caused these people to be saved or as we call it from John 3, to be born again into the family of God?  Here’s my thought: They believed God and their faith connected them with salvation.  So what is the difference in belief and saving belief?  Let me try to illustrate it.

So you believe Jesus was a person.  You can conceive that He lived and died.  Does that make you a Christian or what God says is a “saved” person.  No.  There is another element involved which is faith.

Faith is the glue that fastens belief to Jesus in obtaining salvation.  It is the catalyst, may I say, the spiritually enzymatic action that changes belief from just believing about something to an acceptance of Jesus Christ for salvation.

You see a car, you believe it is a car.  That doesn’t mean you own it.  That car has to be bought and paid for and you have to physically take possession for it to become yours.  A poor, inadequate illustration, I know, but you get the point.

In the salvation arena of thought, you may believe Jesus was a good person, did good deeds, died on a cross for sins, but until you spiritually take possession of salvation through faith, your belief will not secure salvation.  Faith adheres you to belief which appropriates salvation from God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, not to worry.  I do not mean to make it sound so complicated which I fear I’ve done.  Here is the reality and simplicity of becoming a child of God.  You hear about Jesus and what he has done on the cross.  The Holy Spirit will begin convicting you of your own sinful heart.  You begin to long for peace and fulfillment and cleansing from your heart’s unbelief and sinful deeds.  You then trust Jesus to be Who He said He was and you receive Him into your heart and soul by simple faith.  That’s salvation that is real.

If you have any questions, please direct them to me as I would love to help you.

Ken