Do You Believe?
Many believe the undeniable facts about Jesus. He was a Jewish man who lived long ago. He was a powerful teacher who altered the entire course of history. He also made a lot of enemies who eventually killed him. What is a faith like this worth? Not much! It’s no more than believing that Christopher Columbus discovered America. Historical faith is only facts, and at best, a bottom rung piece of the whole faith.
Many believed Jesus was the Jews' Messiah. Is that faith worth much? Yes! The woman of Samaria called her village, "Come. See a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ? " They listened to Jesus and concluded: "We know that this is indeed the Christ." Jesus as Christ the Messiah is a critical concept. A major plank in faith's platform, yet only partial. It is missing essential elements of a full faith. Simply believing Jesus is the Messiah, will not number you among the believers.
Many believe Jesus' doctrine is a part of faith. True doctrine is essential. No one is a disciple who doesn’t accept Jesus’ teaching. "They shall all be taught by God." Yet, many have true doctrine without other vital aspects of faith. They may be deficient in all other aspects of faith. They are hardly believers, even though they teach accurately the doctrine of Christ. Doctrinal faith is not the whole of faith.
Many believe in the Son of God. The blind man Jesus healed said, "Lord, I believe!" The "Son of God" type of faith is closely connected to "Messiah” faith, but it is a distinct facet of faith, a vital facet. Jews freely debated "Is Jesus the Messiah?" but were angered by any assertion that "Jesus is the Son of God." Faith in the Son of God asserts Jesus' deity. He is more than mere man. He is God. Jews demanded, "Who are you?" Was He Jesus of Nazareth? Yes. Was He the Messiah? Yes. But much more. After an involved discussion, Jesus finally said to them: "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Therefore, proclaiming that he was God. They understood but didn’t believe that Jesus was God. Is this an important aspect of faith? It is essential! Ask Jesus! He said to those Jews, "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
However, there is another level of faith, a much higher and more demanding level. Accept the historical man Jesus of Nazareth… accept that Jesus is Messiah… even accept that Jesus is God and yet many may not believe in Him as Lord. Faith in Jesus as Lord means accepting Him as Master. It means agreeing to do whatever He says and committing to follow Him even when you neither understand nor agree. Faith in Jesus as Lord is absolute surrender to Him. We can sit in the pew, sing songs about Jesus, believe who He is and still not submit to Him in everything He says. "Self" has not been evicted as the ruler and accepted Jesus as Lord. How important is this faith? No one is a disciple of Jesus without it!
Finally, many believe in Jesus’ promises. Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know he will.” Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life…. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Her faith was full. "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." The roots of hope are deeply set in faith. Hope is the extension of present faith. Jesus is faithful. We trust Him to be so. We expect Him to always be so. Such faith sustains us in crisis, in persecution, and in death. Faith without hope "as an anchor of the soul" (Heb.6:19) is likely to fail.
Do you believe? -- really believe? -- fully believe?
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