To become like Jesus, we’ve gotta do three things. We’ve got to do things the way Jesus did them, pray in the ways that Jesus prayed, and believe like Jesus believed. Today on “Practical Faith,” we’ll talk about believing like Jesus believed.
Believing IN Jesus is of utmost importance. Eternity literally hangs in the balance of it.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved.”
1 John 4:15 – “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in Him and he lives in God.”
And Acts 16:31 – “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”
Believing IN Jesus is of utmost importance. But it is just the starting point of a life of following Jesus.
I believe homemade chocolate chip cookies are delicious. And, am I right in this belief? Absolutely! But what if belief is where my journey with cookies ended... Sad times, right?
I believed sunrises were breath-taking sights to behold. I’m not always sure of it myself because I don’t like to get up before sunrise, but I knew many others who had seen sunrises before, and they all said they’re were beautiful, and I believed them! That belief was confirmed when I set my alarm, got up and ready while it was still dark, and went outside to witness the sunrise for myself!
To become like Jesus, we’ve got to believe like Jesus believed. And His faith in God was an active faith.
Let’s read Mark 1:35-39 together: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. For that is why I have come.” So He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.”
Belief IN Jesus is enough for salvation. The Bible is clear: if you believe IN Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of your soul – then you will be saved. And you can be assured of your salvation, because God’s Word is faithful and true.
But belief IN Jesus is just the beginning.
1 Corinthians 3:15 describes this belief-only salvation by using the analogy of a person being rescued from a fire, and it paints the picture like this: Imagine someone you loved was stuck in a burning building, and you were able to drag them out to safety. What condition would they be in?
Now, they’re saved. They’re no longer going to burn up in that house fire.
• But their clothes are singed.
• Their home is destroyed.
• Their possessions are gone.
• Yes, they are alive, but now they need clothing;
• they need food, shelter, safety;
• they need a toothbrush, and some contact lens solution,
• and some socks, and a phone charging cable –
I mean, they’re saved – but now they need everything else required for life!
Jesus calls His followers not only to believe IN Him for salvation – which He freely and joyfully grants to all those who do so – but He also calls us to believe LIKE Him. Believing IN Jesus saves us. Believing LIKE Jesus enables us to have a full life of walking in communion with God.
To do this, Jesus prayed at inconvenient times, and He asked God about His identity, and about the purposes God had for Him in His life. And after Jesus said, “Amen” from these prayers, He acted on whatever directives God gave Him to do.
Jesus believed the words of the Father enough to act upon them. In order to become like Jesus, we’ve got to believe like Jesus believed.
Don’t just believe that cookies are delicious, bake some and eat them! Don’t just believe that sunrises are beautiful, get up early one morning, and observe one for yourself! And don’t just believe in Jesus for salvation, believe LIKE Him for a full life of active faith in God.
