What Does It Mean To Believe In Jesus?

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” [John 6.28-29]

Wait just a minute! Didn't Jesus also say:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

In fact Jesus said both things. However, the context of the conversations reveals necessary clarity.

If we read on in John 6, it is clear the people were more interested in the works than the believing. They used Moses giving manna in the wilderness as the basis for demanding a miraculous "work" from Jesus. And, it is right here we see their failure to comprehend Truth - and consequently Jesus cleared it up for them (if they would actually hear it).

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. [John 6.32]

Everyone wants to see and do the works of Jesus! I mean, who wouldn't want that? But Jesus made it clear that the "works" were a Kingdom thing - a God thing. And, the only way to have a part of those "works" was (and still is) through faith in Jesus Christ - believing in Jesus.

Jesus made it clear that doing the works of God (works of the Kingdom - miracles) is an empowerment found only in believing in Jesus. We must realize that Jesus even said He only did what He sees the Father do - Jesus did not even take credit for His works! Look at what Jesus said prior to John 6.28-29:

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. [John 5.19]

Even though Jesus carried Divinity in His own heart, He declared, AS AN EXAMPLE TO US, the necessity of obedience to God!

So then, what does that mean to believe in Jesus?

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Go back to John 14.12! 

John 14.12 gives us the litmus test to determine if our faith in Christ is genuine: if we believe, then we will do the works Jesus did... But here is the key phrase: "...because I am going to be with the Father." 

Believing in Jesus then, means to accept, beyond human reason, that Jesus is God, that He came to earth to show us how to live (beyond reason - according to Kingdom principles), that we are incapable of pleasing God outside of faith in Jesus, that Jesus paid the penalty for our incapable sinfulness through His death and burial, and that Jesus overcame that death (our deserved death) and now sits at God's right hand ("...because I am going to be with the Father.") "making us good" before and with God.

Believing in Jesus means we acknowledge that there is no possibility of good in our lives apart from Him. 

Believing in Jesus means we can access all the authority in heaven and on earth - going straight to God, because He showed us how and made it possible. If Jesus did "nothing by Himself," (John 5.19)  then why would we ever think we could do anything independently from God?

"Doing the works" is not our goal. Our goal is "believing in Jesus." We know then we have effectively believed when the same kind of work Jesus showed us manifests through no original thoughts or deeds of our own.

I know this indicts most of us who call ourselves "believers." But it is time we quit all our religious pomp and circumstance and just get real with what Jesus said. What this means is that we must accurately assess the works of our lives to determine our obedience to faith (how well we are doing at believing). As it should, our genuine assessment will humble us and reveal our need to seek first the Kingdom of God ABOVE EVERYTING ELSE THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY RULED OUR LIVES, THOUGHTS, AND ACTIONS. It will cost us something. It will cost us EVERYTHING!

Believing in Jesus will necessarily require that ALL our worldly knowledge, science, medicine, politics, money, and social understanding yield to God. So, if God says walk on water, then we are to walk on water. If God says feed 5000 families with 5 loaves and 2 fish, then we do it. If God says go left instead of right, we just do it. 

Believing in Jesus means we are willing to "die" with Him so that we might "live" with Him.

It is worth noting here that the reason we do not see more widespread persecution of "believers" today (at least in western culture) is because there is nothing to be persecuted for! Remember, they despised Jesus because He had the audacity to perform miracles and do good - they will do the same to us only when our lives start to look like Jesus.

Father, I want to believe in Jesus! Help me quit idolatrously believing everything else that cannot save me and instead only believe Jesus gives me full access to You and all that is Yours.