‘Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”’
[John 6:28-29 NASB]
When I read the above verse it is my natural inclination to overlook the significance of the word believe, and the thought occurs to me, “Well, is that all I have to do?” Doesn’t sound so very grand! Just believe….. We believe in a lot of things. I believe that Jesus Christ existed, was crucified, rose again and rules from Heaven, but this belief doesn’t result in my salvation. In fact, just believing that Jesus is all of those things can most usually insulate us from salvation. Something is missing in just believing.
I looked up the word translated “believe” in verse 29, then I took it back to it’s root word, and the increased depth of the meaning becomes vital. Along with just simple belief in the existence of, the word also is flavored with conviction of the truth of, and trust in. A most vital distinction.
And so, I should say this: just believing Jesus existed once upon a time and was/is the Son of God DOES NOT result in our salvation. It does not cause us to be ‘born again’. Many of our churches are filled with well-intentioned fools who think they are “saved” because they don’t actively deny the claims of Jesus Christ, and this is sadly often reinforced by pastors who are perhaps better educated, but just as lost themselves.
God sent Jesus so we could be released from our foolishness. He did NOT send Jesus so He could bless our plans and our ways. He did NOT send Jesus so we could rule our own lives with His blessing. He DID send Jesus so we would look upon Him and realize He was the King, and not we ourselves. If we believe in Jesus in such a way so as to consider Him our Lord AND Master, we begin to live within the Salvation He died to provide.
If Jesus Christ is just an historical fact of our existence, and not Lord and Master of our lives, we are living in deception, and we are cheating Him of His due, and being cheated of the life found only in Him. Without allowing His mastery of our daily lives in real time and space, we are in the vast company of the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25. Look it up….it’s really chilling!
The word believe in verse 29 is a verb, not a noun, and it should be noted at this time, a few days before the celebration we call Christmas, that He is not now a baby in a manger; rather He is The Mighty King, fearful in His appearance, and He’s coming back soon – but only for His own.
Sadly, and after it happens, I predict many churches in this country will remain unaffected.
Business as usual.
John
