What does it mean to believe God, and believing in God?

What does it mean to believe God, and believing in God?

Nine-out-of-ten Americans believe in a higher power, but only a slim majority believes in God as described in the Bible

 “He who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47). 

 “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). 

 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

 Ä      The Jews had not opened their hearts to the Father’s teaching. They didn’t know God in a personal way.

 Ä      The word of God was reminding all to trust and follow Jesus to the fullest.

 Ä      History is littered with examples of men and women who had been raised to believe in God, who had been trained to know all they could know about him, who spent their whole lives dedicated to studying him, but did not truly know him.

What does it mean to believe in God?

The word “believe” in the Bible means more than simply agreeing in our minds that something might be true.

IT MEANS “TRUST”—THAT WE BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN GOD THAT WE ARE WILLING TO COMMIT OUR LIVES TO HIM AND LIVE THE WAY WE KNOW HE WANTS US TO LIVE.

Suppose you were walking along a path and you came to a bridge which crossed a deep canyon. You might look at it and believe that it would hold you, and you might even see other people walking across it, so you know it would hold your weight. But so far, your “belief” in the bridge is only in your head. When do you really believe the bridge will hold you? You only really believe it when you are willing to commit your life to it and actually walk across it.

It is the same way with Christ. Yes, we can believe that God exists, but God wants us to come to know Him personally.

And He has bridged the gap between us by sending His Son to remove the barrier of sin and become that “bridge.”

 Simply put, to believe in God is to possess confidence in Him.

To believe in Christ is to commit our lives by faith to Christ—to trust Him personally as our Lord and Savior.

 What does it mean to believe in God?

 Believing in God includes an acknowledgement of His existence.  Of course, but true belief in God is more than that.

Believing in God is to believe that He is, and that His Word is true. Of course, this has implications for our day-to-day life …

Believing in God means living according to His Word

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

Believing in God should also involve commitment and a change of life.

 Believing in God is where He governs our whole life.

 Believing in God is an active committal to God so He may govern our whole life.

 Believing in God means our whole outlook is determined by God as our creator and judge. We live under His eye and obey His word.

 Believing in God means pleasing Him alone

Believing in God means our whole outlook is determined by God, and living your life according to this Word.

Believing in God affects all of life from thinking to planning to living.

 Application

 (1)   The bird sings not to be heard, but because the song is in its heart, and must be expressed. It sings just as sweetly in the depths of the wood with no ear to listen.

 (2)   The face of Moses did not shine to convince the people of his holiness, but because he had dwelt so long in the presence of God that it could not but shine.

 WE MUST  BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN GOD THAT WE ARE WILLING TO COMMIT OUR LIVES TO HIM AND LIVE THE WAY WE KNOW HE WANTS US TO LIVE.

 God has given us all we need for this life. Will we act upon our beliefs?

 1.      Will we put God’s truth into our minds

 2.      Will we live the gospel in real and authentic ways? 

 3.      Will we become more like Christ like?

 4.      Will we Pursue Righteousness?

 5.      Will we Pursue Faith?

 6.      We live Pursue Peace?

 7.      Will we allow the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives?

  Ellen Wheeler Wilcox’s “The Winds of Fate”:

 One ship sails east

One ship sails west

Regardless of how the winds blow.

It is the set of the sail

And not the gale

That determines the way we go.