What does it mean to believe?

---

Romans 10:9 above tells us that we must confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord. This means to admit or state that Jesus is the King or Master of your life.  By declaring that Jesus is your Lord, you are choosing to come under the authority and influence of His life, teachings, and commandments. You acknowledge that He is the Son of God and you are not ashamed to confess your belief in Him nor are you ashamed to follow Him. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel [good news] of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes." - Romans 1:16

Romans 10:9 goes on to say that we must believe in our hearts that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. To believe in your heart means that you have no doubt. Truly, it means that you have complete and utter trust and confidence in who Jesus is and that He did rise from the dead for the forgiveness of your sins and to grant you eternal life.  "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?'” - John 11:25-26 

The Scriptures from the Bible tell us that "you believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!"

- James 2:19 

Wait!! The demons believe?! But we know that the demons are not saved! So that means that there is a difference between believing and having a saving faith. As a matter of fact, the demons even knew that Jesus was the Son of God. So what is the difference? Obedience!!  The demons believe and know who Jesus is, yet they still choose to reject Him and live in rebellion to the one true God. James 2:20 tells us that "faith without works is dead."   How we live reveals what we believe and determines whether the faith we profess to have is an authentic faith. Jesus tells us that if "we love Him, we will obey Him". -  John 14:15  The unwillingness to live a life pleasing to God reveals that we don't love Him. To confess belief without obedience is worthless and a faith that cannot save. This is an empty confession that produces an unchanged life and a rejection of the gift of salvation granted to us by Jesus' death and resurrection. "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 10:33 

Do you remember what it means to call Jesus your Lord?  You are choosing to come under the authority and influence of His life, teachings, and commandments.                                                        

As we expand on the understanding of Jesus as our Lord and what it actually means to have a saving faith, there is another aspect of God that may help you grasp the concept of His immense love for you. In Matthew 10:33 above, Jesus refers to God as His Father in heaven.  Jesus consistently pointed us to the Father in His ministry, not wanting us to miss the great lengths that the Father was willing to go to gather us back to Him.  Jesus reminded His followers that they all belonged to God’s family and that, above anyone else, God is the one who deserves their honor and obedience.  “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and He is in heaven.” - Matthew 23:9 The prophet Malachi tells us, “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?" - Malachi 2:10 

What must we do to have the privilege of calling God our Father? We must believe in Jesus, His very own Son, whom He sent. Then we will be children of God, co-heirs with Christ. The Apostle John tells us, "to all who received Him [Jesus], He gave the right to become children of God..." - John 1:12  John also goes on to tell us, "see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" - 1 John 3:1

Remember how "in Adam" we were slaves to sin and death, but when we are "in Christ" we have been given the Holy Spirit and granted the gift of salvation. The Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir." - Galatians 4:6-7 The Holy Spirit living in us gives us the power to live a life pleasing to God and is evidence that we are children of God. As children of God, we will inherit eternal life!

If you will return to Him, God will receive you as a Father waiting for His lost child to return home. We see this pictured in the story of the Prodigal Son. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” - Luke 15:20 So your Father in Heaven also waits for you to return and to welcome you home!

If you truly believe who Jesus is and what He did for you, it should create in you an overwhelming sense of gratitude, humility, and love for Him and the Father.  A Holy God sending His only begotten Son who left heaven to come in the likeness of men, "humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" just for us. (see Philippians 2:7-8) Why? Because God loved us and it was necessary to save us.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16  The love of Christ should drive a response in us so great that we cannot help but in turn desire to lay down our lives for Him. "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."  - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

In the book of Hebrews, it tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." - Hebrews 11:1-6  As you seek to restore a relationship with your Father in Heaven, there must be repentance. A feeling of godly sorrow should be building in your heart for the life that you have lived apart from God, and this should be followed by a deep resolve to change and follow Jesus. Forgiveness and salvation are a result of your faith and repentance. This ultimately equates to a restored relationship with the God who loves you. If you have confessed with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and believe in your heart that He rose from the dead, then your next step is to repent.  "So repent [change your old way of thinking] and return to God, so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..." - Acts 3:19