In John 3:16, what does it mean to believe?

[NotWorthy]

Let’s take a look at John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

I have been told numerous times that this is proof that all you have to do is believe in Christ, and you will be secure in your salvation.

But, as in all other things, it’s all about the context. What does John mean when he says “believe”? For clarification, look at John 3:36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.

John 3:36 tells us that you either
a) believe in the Son, or
b) you disobey the Son.
So, by believing in the Son, you must also obey Him. What does this imply? That we must do what Jesus tells us: Love Him, as well as one another, clothe the poor, feed the hungry, repent, and be baptized, partake of His Body and Blood, etc.

Hence, works are an integral part of our faith.

Does this fit with what Non-Catholics teach?

Notworthy

 

[JaneFrances]

Hi Notworthy. . .

It seems to me that you have a very good understanding of the full message of the gospel.

To believe in Christ is to BELIEVE Him. We not only believe that he is the Savior, the Son of the Living God, but also, as Christians we believe what He says to us about obedience and love.

Anyone can pick and choose their favorite Scripture verse and create their own theology based on that one verse. And many have. However, true Christianity embraces the full message of Jesus Christ which always requires faith, obedience, charity and love (among a multitude of other things).

Again. . .to believe in Him is to believe Him!

 

[NotWorthy]

But many proof-texters will use this (John 3:16) to preach Sola Fidele(?), “Faith Alone”, as well as that old time favorite, “By Faith ALONE are we saved”.

So how is 3:36 reconciled with this?

Notworthy

 

[Ching_PBUH]

Where does it say, “If you feed, visit, cloth the least of these people, you are feeding, visiting, clothing Me” saith the Lord! I am not good at remembering verses and chapters, and gospels … heheh… but I do remember what the verse says!

This was preluded by verses of like meaning in the OT.

Thus DEED is very, very important too!

 

[Aaron_I]

Well, faith alone is a ridiculous concept. I used to think that all Protestants rejected the book of James like Luther did, so it kind of made sense. Now I realize that most of them do hold it as inspired, so it must be selective ignorance. James 2 is quite definitive about where to stand. Faith is completed by works.

As far as 3:16, I don’t know how the grammar goes in the original language, but the word might could be a bit of a disclaimer.

 

[Pug]

My understanding is that most of the Christian groups you probably have in mind think saving faith or genuine belief will cause works to come, I don’t know their lingo, but perhaps “flow forth” describes it. There is the line:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

I can’t really conceive that any bible alone folk would deny this verse. To be “backslidden” is a *problem *in their book. The precise complaint about buying one’s way into heaven (perhaps really an issue with the sacraments, not what you or I usually mean by works), some of it seems a phantom issue if you dialogue with them, the rest of it real. The OSAS folks, OTOH,…they are not the majority, AFAIK.

Note: You are looking for Mat25:31-46 the sheep and the goats, Ching.

 

[Della]

Pug:

My understanding is that most of the Christian groups you probably have in mind think saving faith or genuine belief will cause works to come, I don’t know their lingo, but perhaps “flow forth” describes it.

Yes, that is what they mean, which they think means that good works are extras not essentials since no good work saves us. To them all that matters is what saves us, and since they think good works have no part in salvation, they will not use the term “good works” but rather claim that a true Christian will just do them without regard to how it might affect his eternal destiny. And although we should do good works unconcious of our part in them, they do affect our salvation, because not doing what we ought to have done are sins of omission.

I can’t really conceive that any bible alone folk would deny this verse. To be “backslidden” is a *problem *in their book. The precise complaint about buying one’s way into heaven (perhaps really an issue with the sacraments, not what you or I usually mean by works), some of it seems a phantom issue if you dialogue with them, the rest of it real. The OSAS folks, OTOH,…they are not the majority, AFAIK.

Well, Sacraments aren’t “good works,” either. They are what God gives to us, not what we give to God. All we do is receive them, just as we receive the gift of salvation, without paying for it, by his grace. Faith and good works are only possible for human beings to have and to do through the grace of God. Just because someone does something that can be seen by others doesn’t mean they aren’t doing that think through the grace of God. No Catholic takes credit for doing good works, rather any merit that person may have gained is known only to God, who applies those merits as he sees fit.

 

[Kevan]

The evangelical (or Fundamentalist) understanding of “believe” may be clarified by looking at “believe” in John 5:24.He who hears my words and believes on him who sent me has everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.In the same way that the perishing were healed when they looked at Moses’ serpent in the wilderness, as Jesus said in John 3:15, we believe that we are saved when we look to Christ in genuine faith. We pass “from death to life.”

 

[Zooey]

In the Methodist tradition, I was taught that “believes” here means more than just intellectual assent to the fact that Jesus was a real person.
The illustration I remember was sitting on a chair: You put your weight on the chair, because you truly believe, & trust, that it will not collapse under you.
Now, a chair may let you down…(I have been in some shaky chairs in my day!). But, God never does let us down…Of course, there is always the very real possibility that we will let Him down…Which is why we don’t believe in OSAS.
Maybe a better illustration would be a bridge over a deep gorge, where you would be, literally “betting your life” that you wouldn’t fall through. That kind of faith is the living faith that you need to walk with Christ day by day…
Yes, it is a way of life, not just a moment of high excitement, nor an admission that there was such a person as Jesus Christ who lived on this earth 2000 years ago.
God bless.

 

[reen12]

Hello, Della

quote: Della

Well, Sacraments aren’t “good works,” either. They are what God gives to us, not what we give to God. All we do is receive them…

I think that the Church has not had “good PR” on this point.

In fact, when I was catechized, 50 years ago,
I definitely came away with the “message” :
“Do this, and you shall be saved…”[that is, receive
the sacraments] whether or not that is the actual
doctrine of the CC.

Two points:
-in terms of communication, the one doing the
communicating, “owns” the responsibility, for
clearly stating, that which is to be communicated.

-The sacraments might well be high-lighted as
obedience to the commands of Christ - which
is part of the 'lively faith" - spoken of by Protestants-
who hold that obedience does not constitute “works.”

“go baptize” = Baptism
“take and eat” = Mass as Eucharist
“repent and believe” = Reconciliation
“choose from among you” = Holy Orders
“receive the Holy Spirit” [imperative tense] = Confirmation
“what God has joined together” = Matrimony
“are there any sick among you? let them be
anointed” [Christ, speaking thru the authority of
an Apostle: = Sacrament of the Sick [Extreme Unction]

My assessment, for what it’s worth, is that the
actual theology of the sacraments, is somehow
lost in the teaching *about *the sacraments, and
their place, in the life of faith.

Best,

reen12

 

[Scotchamoe]

Talk about reviving an old flame…I mean thread (did I say that out loud?) Anyway…

What does it mean to believe? This is something that almost 80% of the Church misses… A sermon I prepared a while ago was on this very subject and I did some indepth research.

The Technical Stuff:
I’m not looking at the file (being lazy tonight & I don’t want to dig out the floppy) but I recall in the KJV the word believe / believes / believeth is used 165 times. Of those 165 times the Greek word "pisteuo" is the word that is translated into the word we read as “believes” 147 times. Got it so far? OK. (If not read that again slowly) “Pisteuo” is from the root word “pistis” or “pistos”.

The meaning of the word "pistis/pistos"is

“to have faith in, on, upon or with respect to a person or thing.”

Now, used in the the text it would make sense… “whosoever… has faith in, on, upon or with respect to… him shall not perish but have eternal life.” However “pistis/pistos” is not the word used in the original Greek text… the word “pisteuo” is.

The Greek word “pisteuo” (pist-yoo-oh) is defined…

commit to; put in trust with

Now, look at the text… “whosoever…commits to; is put in trust with… him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

To remind you, the Greek word “pisteuo” (commit to; put in trust with) is used 147 of the 165 times believe / believes / believeth
is identified in the NT alone. Don’t take my word for it, look it up yourself.

Of the remaining 18 times the variation of the word believe is used, 7 different Greek words are what is being translated from to get the English word to follow. (I confuse ya?)

Earlier I mentioned that 80% of the Church misses it… Christ tells us,

Matthew 7:13-14… “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Why do only few find it? Only those that commit to Jesus Christ are the ones who find it. What’s an example of commitment to Christ…

John 14:21… “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

2 verses later in **John 14:23…**Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

Simply put… If your committed, you prove it. If you’re not, you don’t care. That’s why most people have accepted Christ as their Savior, but not their Lord. They want the “fire insurance” not “the hassle”.

In Christ,
Scotchamoe

 

[sea_oat]

Zooey:

The illustration I remember was sitting on a chair: You put your weight on the chair, because you truly believe, & trust, that it will not collapse under you.
Now, a chair may let you down…(I have been in some shaky chairs in my day!). But, God never does let us down…

lol I was raised Baptist, and I remember hearing that same exact analogy.

 

[Tanith]

This is very interesting. Thank you. I am learning.