By Femi Aribisala

Miracles don’t lead to belief: belief leads to miracles. We don’t see to believe: we believe to see.

The Jews asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” He said to them: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.” (John 6:28-29).

Jesus is the Saviour therefore, undoubtedly, belief in Jesus is fundamental to salvation. Often, when people came to Jesus for healing, he would ask: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). When he visited his hometown, John notes that: “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:58).

Jesus did not tell Nicodemus to become more religious in order to obtain eternal life. He did not tell him to give more tithes and offerings to the synagogue. He simply told him to believe in him: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to determine precisely what it means to believe in Jesus; especially because although demons believe, nevertheless, they are not saved.

Active participle

Faith in Jesus is an active participle. If we believe in Jesus, our actions will testify to our faith. James says: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18). Likewise, the psalmist says: “I believe therefore I speak.”

If we believe in Jesus, we would not be overwhelmed by sickness because he is our healer. If we believe, we would not be dismayed by loss because he is our redeemer. If we believe, we would not be intimidated by giants in the wilderness of life knowing he is our shield.


If we truly believe, everything we do and don’t do will derive from our belief. Indeed, anything and everything that does not come from belief in Jesus is a sin. (Romans 14:23).

So answer me this: what precisely has your belief in Christ ever caused you to do? Those are the things that validate your salvation. Have you ever removed the roof of a house because you believe in Jesus? Has your belief finally led you to lay down your life for Christ’s sake? We walk by our faith: we don’t merely stand by faith.

Believing requires us to step out of a boat at Jesus’ command and walk on water. It requires us to forsake all and follow him. It requires us to walk a tightrope across a great big gorge in order to get to God. That tightrope is Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life.

Rise up and walk

I was cornered by armed robbers on the way from the airport in Lagos. Nevertheless, the Lord assured me: “Nothing is going to happen to you here.” After he said this, one of the armed robbers shot me in the leg, seemingly contradicting God’s promise. But then the Lord continued: “Femi, nothing is wrong with your leg.” Should I believe the word of the Lord, or believe the evidence of the bullet in my leg? Later on, the Lord said to me: “I allowed you to be shot because I wanted you to see yourself using crutches.

You have been using crutches all your life but did not know it.” Then he asked me: “Can a man with a broken leg walk without crutches?” I did not think so. But he insisted: “He can walk by trusting in me. Now, put down your crutches and walk.” I put them down but could not walk. Therefore, I had to learn to walk again, but this time by trusting in God.

That is what it means to believe in Jesus.

When we believe in Jesus, we do the impossible. When we believe, we rise up from our sick bed, take up our bed and walk. If we believe, we would not stay too long on any mountain: we would go forward. Because they believed, Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. Because they did not believe, the rest of the Israelites perished in the wilderness.

Disbelieving believers

There are so many so-called believers who don’t believe in Jesus. Most believe with their lips and not with their heart. Many profess belief in a Jesus they do not know. But true faith must be grounded in knowledge. Peter says: “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.” (2 Peter 1:5).

You cannot believe in Jesus from merely reading about him in the pages of the bible. You have to know the Jesus of the bible. You have to enter into a personal relationship with him. Paul says: “I know whom I have believed.” (2 Timothy 1:12). It is a shame that today’s Christianity is rife with contradictions.

The president of the Christian Union is jilted in love and falls into depression. In truth, she does not believe in Jesus. She does not know Jesus is the redeemer. The choirmaster’s project fails and thereafter he loses all hope. In actual fact, he does not believe in Jesus. He does not know that the hope in Jesus does not disappoint. (Isaiah 49:23). The evangelist loses a child in a car accident and refuses to forgive the driver who hit her. She does not believe in Jesus. She does not know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25). The usher’s business collapses and he stops going to church. He does not believe in Jesus. He does not know that the Father of our Lord Jesus is not mediated through results.

Believe to see

Thomas says of the resurrected Jesus: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). Poppycock! Seeing is not believing. The Jews saw Jesus’ multiplication of five loaves to feed five thousand and still did not believe in him.

They came asking to see another miracle before they would believe. Miracles don’t lead to belief: belief leads to miracles. We don’t see to believe: we believe to see.

David says: “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13). Faith in Jesus opens the eyes of the blind, enabling us to see the kingdom of God. Accordingly, Jesus said to Martha who was mourning her dead brother: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Thereafter, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, even though he had been dead and buried for four days.

When Nathaniel believed what Jesus told him, he received a promise. Jesus said to him: “You will see greater things than these. Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51). “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3).

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/10/mean-believe-jesus/

Seun Lalasticlacla Mynd44

Hungerbad thank you for sharing this message. This has touched me

dingbang:
Hungerbad thank you for sharing this message. This has touched me

Anytime bro.

Believing in something that doesn't exist

Inspiring bro
There is a lot of things that cannot just be physically explained about believing in Jesus. It goes beyond wat we can see or feel.


Just hope some people wont come around and desecrate this wonderful thread with blind arguments

Neymar1095:
Believing in something that doesn't exist

and what is dat which doesn't exist?

To take him as your LORD and Saviour

Beautiful

God allowed Armed Robbers rob and shoot you in the Leg just so he can heal you to believe more in him..

Then you say If a person believes they will not fall sick.


Then that Demons believe in Jesus but are not saved.

Then you say we have to "KNOW" Jesus yet you still "BELIEVE".. You don't need belief if you know.

What does it mean to have blood in ur veins and no blood in ur veins?

Religion is a scam
Only believe in urself

Oh Lord, help my unbelieve.


Thanks sir!

Modern times is making "believing" difficult

people rather place their belief on machines, fellow humans, self knowledge rather than trusting in the omnipotent and His existence. Not to long I went through this phase but now my mind is clear.

It means stop paying tithes
Be humble
Be peaceful
Don't lord urself over others
Pay ur tax
Respect superior authorities
Love ur neighbours
Pray for ur enemies
Many many more........

It means to believe in yourself because you are Jesus

Wonderful article.

Lies

Ok then

pezeji:
and what is dat which doesn't exist?

yep

it means you believe in noble poetry,some good morals and a wealth of obscenity and upwards of a thousand lies and unprovable stuffs of course

what else?

budusky05:
It means stop paying tithes Be humble Be peaceful Don't lord urself over others Pay ur tax Respect superior authorities Love ur neighbours Pray for ur enemies Many many more........

You want to cause trouble

Esepayan:
Religion is a scam
Only believe in urself

yes Jesus Christ first came for the lost souls, to remeed man from clothes of the devil, If u follow the scripture you will get to know that Christ was against those religious leaders,the scribs,pharrisses ad religious head.so Christ came to repair that bridge that was damage as a result of man sin,so Christ is no t a religion

This is so inspiring and faith strengthening. Thanks bro.

@ seun lalasticlala mynd44 and all NL mods
This is a wonderful thread written by a christian. Look at the type of comments here and tell me why Islamic threads should be locked up while Christian threads should be left open for all sorts of denigrating comments. If u have unbias for religion on this forum why dont u lock up our threads too. Or doesnt Christianity deserve any respect too?
A beautiful thread for Christians and Atheists and co would just invade it.

Neymar1095:
Believing in something that doesn't exist

I so much love this meme..

Esepayan:
Religion is a scam
Only believe in urself

if u believe dat u exist then u also should believe in the author of ur existence

Jesus is nothing more than a Messenger of God. Jesus can't not do anything on his own accord or will(John 5:30). Jesus does not even know the last hour (Matthew 24:36)
Jesus himself clarify his difference from the only true God (John 17:3). Even the disciples know Jesus was just a man and was appointed by God (Act 2:22).
Stop calling a Servant the Master. Jesus Christ never called himself your Lord and Savior. The only saviour is God. Isaiah 43:10-11.
STOP THIS BLASPHEMY PLEASE, THAT IS BETTER FOR YOU.

1.........It means to believe that he died for your sins on the cross.
2.........Confess your sins to him and ask him to cleanse you from them with his blood.
3..........Obey his commandments.
4......... Have complete trust in him ie faith .

That is all, go and sin no more.

one question, i will like to ask is
1-why does no one practice christainity in jerusalem
2-why jews never believed injesus and your bible claim that they are God chosen
3- explain how jesus died for the sin of mankind while we still have fornicators, homosexaul, trannies and bisexual today

What an eye opener!
Thanks to the author and to the sharer

enilove:
1.........It means to believe that he died for your sins on the cross.
2.........Confess your sins to him and ask him to cleanse you from them with his blood.
3..........Obey his commandments.
4......... Have complete trust in him ie faith .

That is all, go and sin no more.

In addition, reciprocate his love and love your fellow man

karkel:
yes Jesus Christ first came for the lost souls, to remeed man from clothes of the devil, If u follow the scripture you will get to know that Christ was against those religious leaders,the scribs,pharrisses ad religious head.so Christ came to repair that bridge that was damage as a result of man sin,so Christ is no t a religion

I don't believe in the scripture bro

wow, great. happy sunday everyone