What Does "Believe in Jesus" Mean?

 


What Does "Believe in Jesus" Mean?

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


On the surface, this verse sounds incredibly simple: whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. But dig a little deeper, and the word "believe" starts to feel vague. What does it actually mean to believe?

 

Three Kinds of "Believers"

Some people believe certain facts about Jesus but have not chosen to follow Him. I have friends who genuinely believe that Jesus was a real, historical person; that he was more than human because he performed miracles; and that he died on a cross, was buried, and rose from the dead. And yet these same friends will openly tell you they are not Christians. They follow a different religion, they admit they aren't following Jesus, and if you handed them a religious survey, they wouldn't check the "Christian" box. Do they "believe in Jesus"?

Some people check the intellectual and religious boxes but show little evidence of a transformed life. Others I know believe Jesus was real, that he died for our sins, and that he rose from the dead. They identify as Christians, but admittedly are not practicing Christians. Yet they haven't hit the markers we usually associate with genuine faith — being active in a church, reading and applying God's word, sensing some call to God's mission. They're good people, and I'm not trying to pick on anyone. But unless you asked them directly, you'd probably never guess they were believers just by watching how they live. Do they "believe in Jesus"?

Some people believe, identify as Christians, and actively live it out — and still struggle. This last group believes Jesus was real, died for our sins, and rose again. They call themselves Christians. And they live it out with real commitment: they're part of a church, they share their faith, they live on mission, they walk with God. But even here, things are messy. I'll be honest and pick on myself for a moment: I've been a Christian for eighteen years, and I still wrestle with habitual sin. My walk with God is hit-or-miss. I don't always represent Jesus well. Honestly, I could name people who may never set foot in a church because of how I've treated them. It's uncomfortable to admit, but if I'm a genuine believer, shouldn't I be further along by now?

So here's the real question underneath all of this: my friends, my family, even I myself claim to "believe in Jesus" — but have any of us believed enough to inherit eternal life? "Believe" turns out to be a surprisingly vague word. Am I even a believer?

Three Historic Meanings of Belief

For roughly 800 years, Christian thinkers have distinguished between three different senses of the word "believe." [1] One of the clearest modern explanations of this comes from theologian Matthew Bates.[2] The three are:

  • Knowledge — intellectual agreement
  • Assent — confession of loyalty
  • Trust — total allegiance

1. Knowledge: Intellectual Agreement

I believe in Jesus. He was a real person who walked this Earth. There’s plenty of evidence for that. I also believe in Joseph Smith, and Muhammad, and Buddha too. These were all real, historical people who had great influence over their followers and, in turn, the entire world. But that’s obviously not what John meant when he wrote “whoever believes in him [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

To have eternal life, a person must believe the basic facts of the gospel: that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, proving he has the power to raise us as well.

That said, believing in Jesus doesn't require fully understanding every detail of the gospel. I believe that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man — I don't fully understand it, but I believe it. I believe that God has credited Jesus's righteousness to me — again, I don't fully grasp the mechanics of it, but I believe it's true.

Still, intellectual belief alone isn't enough. Simply understanding the facts, simply agreeing that they're true, isn't the kind of belief Jesus is describing in John 3:16. Which brings us to the second kind of belief.

 

2. Assent: Confession of Loyalty

Remember those friends and family members I mentioned earlier — the ones who believe Jesus was a real, historical person, that he was crucified and rose from the dead, and that he claimed to be "the way, the truth, and the life" and the only way to the Father? They believe all of that mentally, intellectually, cognitively. But if you asked them, "Have you devoted your life to following Jesus? Have you changed your life to obey Scripture? Do you call yourself a Christian?" — they'd say no to all three.

The belief John 3:16 is pointing to is a confession of loyalty. It's not just believing something is true in my head — it's accepting it in my heart. I believe it and I accept it. Jesus isn't just the Savior; he's my Savior. He isn't just the Lord; he's my Lord.

But even this isn't the full picture. Jesus himself said this level of belief isn't enough. He told a story about people who, after death, would stand before him and say, "Lord, we did missions work for you, we preached for you!" And Jesus would respond, "I never knew you." (Matthew 7:23) They would not enter heaven.

That's a sobering thought, honestly — because that could be me. I've preached. I've done missions work. Will I one day stand before Jesus and hear those words? It's a frightening thing to consider, but I'd rather face the truth than settle for something that just feels good.

Which brings us to the third and deepest kind of belief.

 

3. Trust: Total Allegiance

According to Thomas Aquinas, later echoed by Martin Luther and many others, the kind of "belief" John is describing in this passage is total allegiance. It's a trust that produces obedience to God, full devotion, and a life wholly given over to him.

Here's an illustration that captures the difference between head-knowledge and real trust. Once my kids asked me, "Dad, are tarantulas safe?" Yes, I tell them. "Do you want to hold one?" Hard no. Or my daughter will ask, "Dad, do granddaddy long-legs bite?" No, honey, I've never heard of anyone being bitten by one. "Can you pick one up?" Nope.

I believe those things in my head. But when it comes down to it, I don't trust spiders enough to act on that belief.

… the obedience that comes from faith… — Romans 16:26

Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word… — Acts 18:5 (NET)


So what does it actually mean to "believe in Jesus"?

Here's the best way I can put it:
  • It's not just knowing in my head that Jesus is a Lord.
  • It's not just nodding along that Jesus is the Lord.
  • It's giving Jesus my full allegiance; He is my Lord.

This Doesn't Mean Perfection

I want to be clear about one thing: this kind of belief does not mean I've arrived, or that I'm perfect. If you're a genuine believer, you will still mess up. You'll still sin — probably every day. You'll still have doubts about what you believe.

Matthew Bates has a helpful phrase for this: it's an "imperfect allegiance," but it's still a fully devoted faith.

 

A Question Worth Asking

So here's what all of us should sit with for a moment: Am I a fully devoted follower of Jesus? It doesn't matter how long you've identified as a Christian or how many years you've attended church. The question worth asking is simpler and harder than that:

Have I given my full allegiance to Jesus?


[1] “Now the act of believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the Divine truth at the command of the will moved by the grace of God” Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne, n.d.), SumaTheologica, II, Q2, A9.

[2] Matthew Bates, Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017), 92–99 For “trust,” Bates actually uses the term “embodied fidelity”. But I like his wording of allegiance better.