What does it mean to believe?

Warning: There is a good chance you will not like what you are getting ready to read. But I believe in my heart that if you read this post to the end and give honest and prayerful consideration to the words I have written, and the scriptures presented, it could very well save your soul.

What does it mean to believe? I think most people would see this as such a simple question to answer.  For me, it has been anything but simple. In 2020, I entered the darkest and most difficult season of my life. It also turned out to be the most beautiful season of my life. I now refer to it as my season of self-examination.  I began to ask myself some very difficult questions about my life and who I claimed to be. These questions led to more questions. Was my belief genuine? Was I really the man I thought I was? But ultimately, they all led back to that one question: What does it mean to believe? Wrestling with this question was the most difficult thing I have ever done spiritually, but God used this time of examination to produce a great revival in my heart. I have finally found the things my soul has been searching for all my life. For probably the first time in my Christian life, I am walking in a joy and peace and contentment that is tied to nothing of this world! I believe in my heart that if the church in America is ever to see revival, it will start with individual believers diving into His word, examining their hearts, and asking themselves the question: Do I really believe the things this Book says?

Those Scriptures We Don’t Hear Much About

“For God so loves the world that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) If there is one passage of scripture that nearly everyone in America – whether believer or non-believer – knows, it’s that one. But why is this verse so popular? There is no doubt that it is rich with theological truth. It declares the vast and endless love of God. It declares His grace. It declares His Son’s death on the cross…which is the essence of the entire Gospel message. But I think there is another reason so many tend to love that verse. It’s because it makes the whole thing sound so easy!  There are all these passages, like that one, that make this whole salvation thing seem so very simple. Just believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died for our sins, and we will be forgiven. Yes, that is most certainly the truth.  But the problem is this: that little word believe?  Have we defined it? How do we know what is genuine belief?  To answer that question, I believe we must look at some much more difficult passages of scripture. The ones we aren’t hearing preached very often from the pulpits in America. These are the ones we don’t like near as much.  But I can tell you from personal experience, they are medicine for the soul. Medicine can be bitter going down, but it heals in the end. Consider some of these passages with me…

Jesus said, “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.” (Matthew 7:13-14)  

7 verses later Jesus said these words, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven will enter. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23) I urge you not to get hung up on the prophecy, casting out of demons, and miracles. These people could just as easily have said, “we went to church every Sunday; we lived a good life; we did our quiet times each morning.” The point is this: many will stand before Him and think they were saved, only to find out they had been deceiving themselves.

In the Book of Luke someone asks Jesus the question, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”  And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24)   Really? Many will seek to enter but will not be able? Let’s let that sink in.

Do you know what the second most repeated phrase of Jesus was throughout the gospel accounts? It was “He who seeks to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Luke 9:24)

At another point, Jesus tells the crowds, “For which one of you when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it” (Luke 14:28) Jesus is telling the crowds that before they decide to follow Him, they should count the cost, because it isn’t cheap. Does that sound like the message preached in the average church in America today?  What about grace, and this whole thing being a free gift?

What about that rich young ruler who came to Jesus and specifically asked Him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life? What was His answer, “…go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me. (Mark 10:21).  That man went away grieving, knowing he would not be willing to do what Jesus commanded. But we know that if that same man were to come into most any church today, they would have him say a prayer, and tell him he’s good to go.

In the book of Revelation, He said to the church at Laodicea… “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15)

I’m not sure about you, but when I read these verses, I get the feeling this salvation thing may not be quite as easy as many think it is. We rarely hear about these passages anymore because they don’t fill churches like the other ones do.  But these were the words of God Himself as He walked the earth. They were the words of the Judge. And He gave them to us for a reason. So that while we still have time, we may examine our hearts. Judgment Day will be full of unspeakable sorrow and terror for all who are not His, but I would imagine that for those who thought they were His, only to realize they had deceived themselves; the horror of that moment will be like no other! It will be too late.

Furthermore, I believe in my heart it is quite possible that there may be more of those shocked and horrified people coming from the American “church” in our generation, than quite possibly any other time or place throughout history. The average American who professes Christianity makes one grave mistake – he looks around at the other professing Christians and, by comparison, thinks he is living a normal Christian life. I beg you, do not make this mistake! Do not compare your heart and your life, to a lukewarm generation, that will be spit out of the Lord’s mouth. I know these words I write are difficult. You might wonder if my goal is to scare people? If that’s what it takes to cause us to examine ourselves before it is too late, then absolutely!

UNDERSTANDING WHAT “BELIEF” PRODUCES

So, what does it mean to believe? As usual, the answer is in the Word…if we choose to see it!  It is clear from the passages above, and from the Book of James, there is a belief that saves, and there is a belief that does not save. James said, Faith without works is dead! And “…even the demons believe…”. (James 2:17,19) Jesus echoes this sentiment when He says, “you will know them by their fruits!” (Matthew 7:16) True belief produces corresponding fruit (evidence). Notice that I didn’t just say fruit. I said corresponding fruit. An apple tree does not produce oranges, right? No, it produces apples. It doesn’t just produce fruit. It produces a fruit that corresponds to the kind of tree it is. In the same manner, belief must produce corresponding fruit to the truth which it says it believes.

Here is an example: Let’s say a man is walking by the railroad one day and sees a little girl playing on the railroad tracks about a hundred yards away.  As he’s walking, he hears a loud whistle in the distance. He can’t see the train, but he knows the sound. He says to himself, I believe a train is coming. The man casually changes course in the direction of the little girl so that he can warn her, yet he seems to be distracted by his phone. He is now heading towards the girl, but he makes no adjustment of speed, because then he wouldn’t be able to continue typing his text message. He is not filled with terror or fright. He does not yell or scream. He does not cast aside his phone and belongings and run toward her frantically. My question is this: Does he really believe a train is coming? Have his actions produced corresponding evidence? The answer is unequivocally, NO!  Either his belief in that train coming is not genuine, or his heart has grown very cold. Either way, according to the Word of God, this man has a serious problem. 

THE THINGS WE CLAIM TO “BELIEVE”

I want to share with you a few areas of my life that I examined deeply during that difficult season I mentioned earlier. I present these questions to you – for the sake of emphasis – in hopes that they may penetrate your heart as deep as they did mine. But please know, these are the questions I asked myself!  My intent is not to judge you. I don’t know your heart. I had trouble enough figuring out my own heart. All I can tell you is, as I reflected on these questions in consideration of the difficult passages above, I found myself very concerned. You might even say, I was scared!

Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? All professing Christians would answer with a resounding, YES. But do they really? Stop for a moment and consider what you’re affirming. You’re saying that within that Book, on those pages, are the Words of the Living God. The One who created all things by the mere words of His mouth.  The One who dwells in unapproachable light. The One who has had no beginning and will have no end. The One whose courtroom you are headed to.  The one who holds your eternity in His hand.  Are you saying that you believe that Book contains His inerrant and inspired words, given to you? Is that what you’re saying you believe?  Then I would ask you another question: Is there corresponding fruit from that belief? Have you dedicated your life to what is within those pages? Or does it collect dust on the nightstand? Where are you within that spectrum? I believe that when an individual makes the bold proclamation that he believes that Book is the Word of God, there are implications to that statement. We have become numb to the very meaning of the words that come out of our mouth. We should consider our words carefully before we say we believe something. For me, as I asked myself this question, I had deep concerns. Was it possible that throughout my Christian walk, I was giving just enough of myself to His Word so that I could check off a box, ease my conscience, and get back to the distractions of this world? Did I really believe it was the Word of God?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life and that everyone who does not know Him will perish?  Do you also believe the Gospel message is the only answer that will set every person free and give them eternal life? Once again, nearly all professing Christians would answer these questions with a resounding, YES! I will assume you would as well.  But do you really? You must consider the implications of what you’re claiming to believe. You are saying that every single person who does not know Him will be tormented for all of eternity. You’re acknowledging that they will literally be thrown into a lake of fire forever, and no matter how long they have been in that lake of fire, they will always have more time ahead of them than what is behind them. They will have no ability to numb the excruciating pain with any type of substance like drugs or alcohol. They will have no distraction. They will have no sleep, where they can slip into another state of consciousness to escape for a period of time. They will always be fully present in an endless realm of horror and torment, forever! You’re saying that every single day you pass by people who will die and go to this place. You likely have friends and family, that you claim to love, that may also be going to this dreadful place.

But thank goodness, there is hope! Because you are also saying that you have the cure!  You have the one and only message that will set them free. You’re saying that you carry within you the words that could give them eternal life, and free them from that horrific fate. You’re saying you have the message that will make them a child of the Living God and give them access to an eternity of bliss, goodness, and beauty that no words could ever articulate.

Are these the words you’re saying you believe? If so, is there corresponding fruit? Are you shouting and screaming this message with every bit of your life? Have you laid down the frivolous distractions of this age to warn people, and give them this cure you say you have? Does your heart weep for these lost people? As I pondered these questions, and examined my own heart, I didn’t like what I saw. There seemed to be a vast disconnect between the implications of what I was claiming to believe, and the evidence in my heart and life. I felt like that man passing by the railroad with the train coming towards the little girl. I wonder what excuse that man will give Him on Judgement Day? Surely none will suffice.

Do you believe you have lost your life for His sake? If there was one scripture that pierced my heart more than any other, it was this one: “He who seeks to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Luke 9:24) Is this your story? Have you lost your life in this world for His sake? I can’t answer that question for you. Only you can. But I beg you to be honest with yourself. 

As I contemplated this question, I became deeply troubled once again. I thought about the saints in the 11^th chapter of Hebrews that laid down their lives. I opened Foxes Book of Martyrs and began to read page after page after page of the thousands of Christians throughout all generations of history who have literally given their lives for this message. Men like William Tyndale, who was burned at the stake so he could get the Bible translated into English for us to be able to read today. I thought of my friends, Jeff and Stephanie Bys, who laid down their lives here in America, and moved their entire family to Kenya, to start an orphanage and spread the Gospel. I thought of the countless other missionaries like them who have sacrificed everything for His sake.

And then I thought of me. Had I laid down my life for Him? Was I on a narrow path that few others had found? Or was I on the same path that pretty much everyone else was on? When I was truly honest with myself, I found a man who was giving just enough of his life to Christ to ease his own conscience, so that all the while, he could go on pursuing the “American Dream.” I found a man whose thoughts were consumed with his next business goal, his ambitions, and his image. I found a man seeking to make his life in this world as comfortable as possible. I found a man stacking money in his investment and retirement accounts, so that one day he could look at the numbers and find satisfaction and security as he gazed at them.  I found a man who was trying to have this life, and that one! But unfortunately, that was never an option He gave. Did I think I was special? Did I really think that my Savior, and all these other saints after Him, have given their lives for Him and this Gospel, and I just get to kick back and enjoy the American Dream? What if I had it all wrong?

The evidence in my heart indicated a problem as well.  As I looked back over the last twenty years of my self-professed “walk with God,” the very fruits that He promised had always eluded me. The Bible says His believers have “joy unspeakable” (1Peter 1:8), and “peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:6). They have true contentment. I was not experiencing these things. My joy, peace, and contentment were always rising and falling based on the amount of money in my bank account, the number of pending homes my real estate brokerage had on the books, the amount of body fat I saw in the mirror, and how far out my next vacation was. I was overwhelmed and anxious. The American Dream was choking the very life out of me. It was crushing me. My light was not shining! I considered again those words Jesus said. I can’t have this world and that one. I cannot serve two masters. Had I truly lost my life for His sake?

CONCLUSION

These were just a few of the questions I wrestled with as I contemplated whether I was truly the person I thought I was, and if I truly believed the things I said I did. My hope is that you’re able to read this and have no conviction at all. My hope is that you know your belief is genuine, and you see corresponding fruit in your life. But if that is not the case, and you are like I was, and you have concerns, I urge you to make those concerns the focus of your entire life. Examine yourself now before it is too late. This examination may be one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done. It certainly was for me. You will have to ask yourself some excruciatingly difficult questions. You will have to challenge everything you see within our culture, including the church. And in the end, you will have to lay down your life and take up your cross. I know firsthand that the medicine is bitter. But if you are willing to swallow it, you will be healed. You will have a revival within your heart. You will find what you have been searching for all your life!

I know that many who read this will disagree with much of what I have said, and I’m ok with that. I see a train coming. I find myself deeply concerned as I look out over the landscape of professing believers in America today. I fear that so many may hear those dreaded words, “Away from me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23).

Lastly, it would be easy for some to read this and immediately think that I am advocating for some sort of “works based” salvation.  Absolutely not! I am talking about our hearts! I’m talking about why our hearts don’t yearn for the Word of God. I am talking about why our hearts don’t cause us to weep for the lost.  Why do our hearts not desire to lay down our entire lives for Him? After all, is there any other genuine and proper response to the things we say we believe.      For more on my self-examination – check out this post