Believe On Purpose

John 6:29

²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent.

I’ve been so impressed lately with the word believe and what that means for you and I as believers in Jesus Christ. Everyone in the world believes in something or someone. Many believe in their own abilities and powers enabling them to succeed in life. Some believe in various religious views that actually can hold them in bondage or teach opposite of God’s love. Others don’t believe anything and end up wandering through life endeavoring to find meaning from doing something.

The Greek word for believe in this verse is πιστεύω, pisteuō, which means ‘believe, commit to, trust, or to put truth with (Strong’s Greek and Hebrew Dictionary). Now according to the dictionary meaning of believe it is explained thusly: to accept as real, to credit with veracity; to have firm faith; to have faith, confidence, or trust; to have confidence in the truth of something (thefreedictionary.com).

Believe is more than just intellectual assent to a view or concept. It goes beyond that yet knowing a fact to believe must begin with knowledge. You can’t believe what you don’t know. And, you don’t know what you don’t know.

Jesus came to do the work of God so people would know that God loved them, and so they would believe God’s redemptive work, and put their trust in Him. Charles Spurgeon says that faith is made of those three elements. When you hear the word of God’s love, that He’s not mad at you, that He’s forgiven all your sins, and has wonderful blessings for you, that’s your point of believing. You activate that knowledge when you put your trust in it, commit to the truth, and believe God’s good news of His love and grace.

You can trust what the Word says about Jesus. You can trust that He is good, that He loves you unconditionally, that you’re approved, and that nothing can separate you from His love except your rejection of His love and life.

Open your heart to the knowledge in the Word of the finished work of Jesus for you. His New Covenant provisions come through believing. You’re just one step away, so take that next step. Believe on purpose.