What does the term “believe in Jesus” really mean?


Believe in Jesus

The Bible tells us, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:13). But what does the term “believe in Jesus” really mean?

After a person repentantly confesses his sins and asks God to wash them away and give him a new heart, he needs to believe that Jesus will do just that because He has promised, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Once the sinner believes this, the gift of new life become his. Jesus healed the people of their diseases only when they had faith in His power. He helped them in the things which they could see, thus inspiring them with trust in Him for the things they could not see and thus encouraging them to believe in His power to forgive sins. Jesus said to the man sick with palsy: “That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house” (Matthew 9:6).

Another illustration of how faith works is shown in the story of the paralytic at Bethesda (John 5:1-15). The man could not use his limbs for thirty-eight years yet Jesus told him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” The sick man could have said, “Lord, if You would first make me whole, I will obey Your word.” Instead, he believed Christ’s word and willed to walk, then God gave him the power to walk.

In like manner, we cannot atone for our past sins; we cannot change our heart and make it holy. But God promised to do all this through Christ. So, do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, “I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.” Jesus says, “Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them” (Mark 11:24).

There is a condition to this promise–that we pray according to the will of God. But we know that it is the will of God to cleanse us from sin and to enable us to live a holy life. So, we can ask for these blessings and believe that we receive them, and thank God that we have received them (Matthew 7:7).

Through this simple act of believing God, the Holy Spirit gives new life to the heart. Strength and grace are provided through Christ. No one is so sinful that they cannot find strength, purity, and righteousness in Jesus, who died for them (John 1:12). The Lord is waiting to cleanse us from our polluted hearts and give us a clean pure heart.

God says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn yourselves, and live” (Ezekiel 18:32). The Lord declares by His prophet, “I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). God loves His children (John 3:16), so we can trust Him fully without any hesitation that He will fulfill His Word to forgive and transform our hearts to reflect His character.

In His service,
BibleAsk Team

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