What Does It Mean to Believe?

So, what does it mean to believe?

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16 CSB)

I sat at a table in the lunchroom at work with a coworker. We were talking about having a relationship with God. “I believe in God,” he said.
His eyebrows arched in surprise and shock when I replied, “That isn’t good enough.”
“What do you mean?” he said in surprise.
I said, “Even the devil believes in God. That doesn’t give him salvation.”

 Even the Devils Believe

Can a person believe in the existence of God and go to hell when they die? Can a person believe everything the Bible says is true and still go to hell? James tells us in his letter the devils also believe and tremble. They can’t be saved and go to heaven. (see: James 2:19)

Therefore, believing isn’t enough. What it really depends on is what you mean when you say believe. The devils believe there is one God. They believe what God says is true. They believe God created hell for them and they tremble, for they know they are going there.

In this same way, a person can believe in the existence of God and believe everything the Bible says is true, and yet die and go to hell.

What does it mean to believe?

The True Meaning of Believe in the Bible

The word ‘believe’ means to trust, rely on, and have confidence in. This isn’t just mental assent but has by corresponding action. When you hold a heartfelt belief in Jesus as Lord, as described in Romans 10:9&10, then there will be a corresponding life change action. There can’t be Bible belief without corresponding action.

Proverbs 3:5 represents biblical believing in action. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” This is what it means to truly believe.

For it to be biblical, our actions must always back our belief. This happens if we really place our reliance upon, our trust in, and our confidence in the Lord and His Word.

Believe Illustrated

Suppose you are out hiking, and you come across a rope bridge that crosses a deep canyon. You look at this bridge carefully and believe it will hold you. You may even see other people crossing the bridge, so you know it will hold your weight. But so far, your “belief” in this bridge is all in your head. When do you really believe the bridge will hold you? You only really believe it when you commit your life to the bridge and walk across.

The Challenge

Take everything you believe about God and the Bible and test it. Test to see if your belief is in your head or are you putting your complete trust, reliance, and confidence in what you believe? Ask yourself, “Am I committing my life to what I believe?”

If you want to know more about the meaning of ‘believe, I deal with it in more depth in my article here–> Believe: What Secret Does It Hold For You Today?

Prayer

Father, just as the father in Luke 9:24 cried out, I also cry out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Show me any unbelief that I may have. Holy Spirit, teach me and guide me into even greater faith with corresponding actions. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Additional Scriptures:

Mark 9:23; Genesis 18:14; Luke 1:37; Matthew 19:26