Hello
Words change their meaning over time in any language. The English word “believe” used to have a much stronger meaning than it does today. It used to mean “be committed to” or “trust”. Now it simply means you think something exists or is true. Occasionally we still hear “believe” being used in its older, more forceful, sense. You might hear a politician say “Believe in America”. The politician isn’t asking their hearers to believe that America exists. They are talking about having a deep commitment to, and trust in, their nation.
The writings that make up our New Testament were first written, nearly 2000 years ago, in an ancient form of Greek. Today, “trust” is probably the most accurate translation of the Greek word that is usually translated “believe” or “have faith” in our modern English Bibles. In the following verses, most of which are very well known, I have translated the word as “trust” instead of “believe”.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God. Trust also in me.” (John 14:1)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who trusts him will not perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever trusts me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).
Using “trust” rather than “believe” takes the action out of the head and puts it into the heart, which is where our heavenly Father loves to interact with his children. Also, and this is very important, “trust” shows that we humans are never the means by which something good happens. Our loving Father is the means by which good things happen. We trust. We obey. But our loving Father does the work.
“Belief” in Jesus means not just believing that he lives, or that he rose from the dead, or that he is the Son of God. It means trusting him.
Jesus didn’t teach his followers to “believe” in the way we understand that word today. Jesus made it clear that being his disciple isn’t about what you believe. It’s about what you do. And what Jesus wants his followers to do is very simple. He wants us to love; and he wants us to trust him. (See the articles “What does Jesus want his followers to do?” and “What did Jesus say about obeying God?”. Links below.)
May our loving Father bless us, keep us safe and teach us to trust him.
Peter O
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“What does Jesus want his followers to do?”
“What did Jesus say about obeying God?”
“What did Jesus say about being saved?”
“Taking my feet off the ground. Learning to trust our heavenly Father.”
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I am currently studying the gospel of John- you have made it clear regarding Jesus and his authority supported by scripture. I am just finishing the story of Jesus raising Lazarus. He prays to the Father before raising Lazarus. He also says “ I and the Father are one” in John 10:38. He performed many miracles witnessed by many people which reasonable people recognized are possible only by God. How can the actions of Jesus be performed by anyone but God. As you know the Jewish religious authorities claimed Jesus committed blasphemy but offer no explanation regarding how Jesus could perform these miracles as a mere human. It doesn’t seem useful to get hung up on the “Trinity” but does seem very dangerous to ignore what Jesus has clearly said and what scripture documents he did. Is it not useful to consider the doctrine of the trinity to understand the mystery of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit? If Jesus said I and the Father are one does it now follow that Jesus is also God? John says in the beginning was the Word, Gen 1:28 “let us make mankind in our image”. Trusting Jesus includes trusting all He said, all He did and all that is written about Him in scripture does it not? I am raising these questions only for the potential benefit of those reading your work- thanks for your teaching and enlightenment.
I have really appreciated most of what I have seen in a very brief perusal of your site. Thank you for putting the challenge out there to trust in and follow the Messiah. I was dismayed, tho, when I saw that you are preaching the trinity. I encourage you to be very careful. We’ve been programmed, as “christians” (I use lower case c intentionally as most are following what people taught about Messiah– maybe – – , not actually what he taught. Not actually following him closely but philosophizing about him ?). Yeshua never said he was YHVH.
Hello Daria
Thanks for your comments. I don’t preach the trinity. Could you let me know what I said that makes you think I did? Sounds like I might need to do some editing.
Thanks again.
Peter O