Don Stewart :: Does It Matter What We Believe about God?

Does it really matter what a person believes about God? Isn't it sufficient to believe in something? According to the Bible, it is important what we believe. In the New Testament, it is always the object of faith - Jesus Christ - and not faith itself, that is stressed. As far as the Bible is concerned, correct belief is crucial. The New Testament teaches that right belief consists of several things.

1. Faith Must Be In The God Of Scripture

First, faith must be in God, but not just any god. Faith must be placed only in the God of the Bible. Faith in any other object is insufficient.

2. Faith Must Be In His Son

Second, faith must be placed in God's Son, Jesus Christ. It is impossible to have a relationship with the true God apart from the person of Jesus. The Bible says:

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name (John 1:12).

In another place it states.

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also (1 John 2:23).

According to the Bible, anyone who claims to know God, and yet does not believe in Jesus, does not know God. You have to have both the Father and the Son.

3. Faith Is More Than Mental Assent

Furthermore, faith in Jesus is more than merely acknowledging intellectually that He existed or that He is the Lord. James wrote about this type of ineffective faith. He compared it to the belief of demons.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble (James 2:19).

The demons know who Jesus is - God the Son, the Savior of the world. But merely knowing these and other facts about Jesus does not do them any good - they have no relationship with Him. Biblical faith consists of trusting Jesus as Savior - not simply acknowledging Him with the intellect.

Summary

It does matter what a person believes. The Bible says that faith must be placed in God. But not any God will do. Faith must be placed in God's Son - Jesus Christ - or else there is no forgiveness. Furthermore faith is more than mere mental assent - the demons know Jesus' identity. To receive Christ as Savior a person must place their trust in him. Only then can a person receive forgiveness.