If one Believes in God, does he not have to know Him? Just as when you
fell in love with your mate, you fell in love with the person you were
getting to know. As your relationship was growing so were your beliefs in
that person. You eventually understand that you cannot spend your life
without that person, and you become Husband and Wife. A marriage is the
perfect example of how our relationship and beliefs should be with God.
So what does it
mean when you say "I Believe", and how does your
life express those beliefs? Also what does God say in the BIBLE, about
how and what we are supposed to be in our belief of Him? Let's start
with the dictionary meaning of Believe (Belief):
Believe
1.
to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability
of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in
doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act
purposefully.
2. to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive
assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
Belief
1.confidence in the
truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to
rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief.
2. confidence; faith; trust: a child's belief in his parents.
3. a religious tenet or tenets; religious creed or faith: the
Christian belief.
It
seems that both meanings are almost the same and the words faith and
truth have to do a lot with believing. Now let's take a look at the
Greek meaning from the Vine's Expository Dictionary:
Belief, Believe - Gk (pisteuo)
"to believe," also "to be persuaded of," and hence, "to place
confidence in, to trust," signifies, in this sense of the word,
reliance upon, not mere credence. It is most frequent in the
writings of the Apostle John, especially the Gospel. He does not use
the noun (see below). For the Lord's first use of the verb, see
John_1:50. Of the writers of the Gospels, Matthew uses the verb ten
times, Mark ten, Luke nine, John ninety-nine. In Acts_5:14 the
present participle of the verb is translated "believers." See
COMMIT, INTRUST, TRUST.
Now let's take a
glimpse at what the BIBLE says: Romans 10:17
(KJV = King James Version)
So faith cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
(ASV = American Standard) So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by
the word of Christ.
It
would seem that the words belief and faith are interchangeable. I wanted to get a clear meaning of
what it should mean when someone say's "I Believe". Now how many ways
have people expressed the way they believe and what they believe. For
example:
I believe in God and his love,
that should be enough!
I believe that if you are a good person your acts
will get you into heaven and close to God.
I believe that I can worship God in my own way,
therefore I don't have to read the Bible or go to church.
I believe that if I do good things, and help
people that I will go to Heaven.
Can these
statements hold water, and more important does God agree with the
statements above?
Let's also look at:
Sect's or religious groups that believe
in their God, and everybody that does not agree with their
beliefs should be exterminated.
People like Jim Jones that preach love
and separation, and he had all his followers drink poisoned
drinks.
People believing that the earth is the
power of all being, and if we worship the earth it will
sustain us.
Prosperity preachers, and their
followers that teach that God wants everybody to be rich,
and if you are poor its because you are not worthy. Does
this truly sound like GOD?
Romans 10:(14) How
then shall they call on Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher? (15) And how shall they preach
unless they are sent? As it is written:
“ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel
of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
John 10:(22) Now it was
the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
(23) And Jesus walked in the
temple, in Solomon’s porch. (24) Then the Jews surrounded
Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If
You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (25) Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not
believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear
witness of Me. (26) But you do
not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to
you. (27) My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
(28) And I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone
snatch them out of My hand. (29)
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;
and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
(30) I and My Father are one.”
To truly BELIEVE in someone you must first know
that person. Just as in the analogy of a marriage, you
would not marry a person you do not know, cannot believe or trust.
Total faith is put in that person because of the
relationship you build. This could not have been accomplished
without spending time, studying, and developing knowledge of
that person. Love becomes a factor, during the building of a
relationship.
The same applies to God & Jesus Christ. In order to
know God, you must first know his son Jesus Christ. How do
you get to know who they are, well the only way is through
the word "The Bible". As it states in 2Tim 2:15 - Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
You must accept Jesus as your
Lord & Savior, for the only way to the Father is through the
son. He is also your intercessor to the Father, when you
pray. Yes, you must communicate with God through prayer.
Just as in a marriage, communication is essential to
understand your spouse. As you study God's word, go to Him
in prayer. With a regime of prayer, and studying the Bible,
your knowledge will lead you to a more fulfilling
relationship with Jesus and the Father. Then you start to
love them more and more, and your life becomes more
enriched. Finally you realize that without Jesus and the
Father in your life, it is truly meaningless. Now you truly
can say that you Believe that Jesus died on the cross for
you, because the Father loved us, and did not want anybody
to perish; (1John 4:9 In this the love of God was
manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
(10) In
this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.).
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life.
Imagine God Loved and Believed in you so much that He
gave His only son to take on your sins. The Father wants to
have a relationship with all that will accept Him. It is
your free will, to determine if you want a relationship with
Him. Are you willing to allow God's will in your life, or
are you satisfied with your own will ruling your life? God
has been working in our lives for a long time, the problem
is people do not want to acknowledge this fact.
How can the statements above be true if you do not know God?
Most of the people that make statements like the ones above
haven't yet Acknowledged God in their lives.
Understand that if you truly believe in Jesus and God,
and you are building a relationship with them, then
ACT upon the love that they have shown you. Then can
you truly say you BELIEVE...
A=
Acknowledge
C=
Commit
T=
Thank God
Let's add an S to this for Submit. Just
as one submits to his or her mate.
We were made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), as such we
are to reflect HIM. How can this be done when you do not
know Him or have any knowledge of Him. We must continue to
build the relationship we have with our mates in order to
reflect the love in that relationship. The same applies to
our relationship with God.
Then when people say "Look how that Christian
ACTS", using
the acronym above (ACTS) people can truly know that you
believe, trust, Love, and reflect GOD. For we are
Ambassadors of Christ (Eph 6:20)
I can truly say with all my heart "I BELIEVE"!!!
Can You?????
