Let's Examine Our Faith, Together

"Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, although he may die, yet he shall live" (John 11:25--emphasis added)).

"For God so greatly loved the world that He gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16--emphasis added).

I often hear people ask: Do you believe in Jesus? Do you think that question has lost its meaning? What are people asking when they pose that question? Is "belief" synonymous with "faith"? Or does it carry the meaning offered in this statement, "I know in my head that Jesus was the son of God", much like a person believes in a fact or a concept that has proven to be true with empirical evidence or observation? I believe that Jesus lived on this Earth 2,000 years ago; I believe that He was 33 years old when He died. Is this what the biblical definition of "belief" is? I pray that I never take my "belief" for granted, that I relegate it to some cliched question or response.

The Greek word, which is translated as faith, is pistis (noun) and believe, is translated from pistevo (verb). The word believe (Greek verb "pistevo"), according to Strong's Greek Dictionary, means: to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust, (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ.) believe, commit, (to trust), put in trust with.

So, in the above translations of the two verses in John, believe means "adheres to, trusts in, clings to, relies on." So, the more accurate question should be: Do I commit to, adhere to, trust in, rely on, cling to" Jesus Christ? I pray that in His grace and strength that I can answer a resounding, "YES!" Does my life reflect my "belief"?

In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul encourages us to "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?"

What is it then that I believe, that I commit to, that I trust in? Let me examine.

I believe . . .

in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior
in the Holy Trinity: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
they are One
that Christ's death cleansed me of my sins
THE only way to enter the Kingdom of God is through Christ
that the way to Heaven is narrow and few find it
in the infallibility of the Word of God
that His grace is sufficient
that God is in control and sovereign
that God's Will for my life is to be fashioned in the image of His Son
that Christ's blood justified me before a Holy God
that He sanctifies us--sets us apart--to be holy, as He is holy
that sanctification is a life time process
in one baptism but many fillings of the Spirit
that the world is lost and dying
that Christ has called me to be salt and light to that lost world
in the promises of God
that Christ's Name is above every name
in building others up with kindness, compassion, and love
in the unity of God's church
that my number one priority is to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind
that I must love as He loved
in the sanctity of marriage, one man and one wife, bound by His Love and Grace
in Christ's total forgiveness
that the law and works cannot save
that the law given to Moses pointed to our need for a savior
that my worship must be in spirit and truth
that His truth sets me free from the bondage of sin and free toward righteousness
that He will never leave me nor forsake me
that my identity is in Christ
that His return is near and that I need to be ready
that I must as Paul admonished run the race set before me
that I must honor God in all that I say, think and do
that faith with works is dead
that I must be a doer of the Word
that the Almighty created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th
that He created us in His own image: to reason, to love, to create
that sin entered the world because of man's rebellion
that the Father predetermined in Eternity past that His Son would drink the cup of suffering for us
that God's Will for my life is to live with purity
that His Will for me is to suffer as Christ suffered
that He has called me to think, act, and speak joyfully through trials of every kind
that trials build character, that suffering is God's method of pruning
that I must love vertically (God) before I can love horizontally (others)
in His wisdom
that when I confessed with my mouth that Jesus was Lord and believed in my heart that He rose again on the third day, he saved me
that my salvation is eternally secure
that Jesus's death reconciled us with God
that if God is for me, who can be against me.

Please join with me in this examination. Use the comment link below this post to share what you "believe", what you commit to, what you trust in, what you cling to.