I Wonder if I am a Believer.
It's very important for people to know whether they are believers or not. Many people think that they are believers because they believe that God exists. The belief that God exists does not make a person a believer. The Bible says that the demons believe that God exists (James 2:19), but believing that God exists does not make the demons believers.
Many people have knowledge about God and feel as though that makes them a believer. They know that God created the world. They know that Jesus died for sin and rose from the dead. They know that there's a heaven and a hell. But knowledge about something does not make a person a believer.
Many people think they are believers because they are a member of a church. They attend worship occasionally and understand what's going on and so they feel that they are a believer. But attending the church does not make one a believer.
Many people think about their own existence and think about God and think about the meaning of life. Because of that they identify themselves as spiritual. But that still does not make them a believer. Just because a person thinks about baseball or even watches a baseball game, that does not make them a baseball player.
So what is a Believer?
A believer is a person who has “saving faith”. That is, has a trust of the heart in Jesus as their Savior. Realizing their need, they trust that Jesus died and rose to save them from sin and death. A believer trusts that Jesus, through His death and resurrection, gives forgiveness and eternal life. A believer relies upon what Christ accomplished at the cross and the empty tomb to give them salvation. What makes someone a believer is not living a sinless life (impossible), or never struggling against sinful desires attitudes and behaviors (all believers do). What makes a believer is a reliance of the heart, a trust, a confidence in the Savior, Jesus.
Of course one has to believe that God exists before they can trust in Him. Of course you have to have some measure of knowledge of Jesus before you can trust in Him. For many reasons, going to church is a very important response to what Jesus has done, and thinking spiritually is an aspect that opens the heart to faith. But none of these things are saving faith.
Here is a prayer that some new believers pray that helps capture what saving faith is:
"Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe You are the Son of God and the Savior. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you into my life and heart to be my Leader and my Forgiver. I want to serve you always. Amen."
If you are able to pray this prayer in all sincerity, you have faith in the living God. If you are praying a prayer like this for the first time in your life, please speak with a pastor or fellow Christian about your faith, so that your faith may be properly supported.
How Much Faith Do I need to be Saved?
Some years ago my father was swimming at an ocean beach on Long Island. He was safe on a sandbar when a wave knocked him into deeper waters. Although he is a swimmer, because of his age, the subsequent waves wore him out. He was trying to swim back to the sandbar but couldn't get there. Although there were others around him, he had no strength to call out for help. Finally, with all hope gone, he began to sink. Precisely at that moment a lifeguard grabbed him and brought him to shore. How much faith did my father need to be saved? Not much. Just a little faith which prevented him from fighting the lifeguard was all that he needed. A little faith in a strong lifeguard is what is needed to save a person.
So also for eternal salvation. A little faith in the strong God who died and rose for you is all that's needed to save. We can fight and resist the Savior, but a little trust in Him will bring the wonderful gift of salvation. Saving faith is something that you have or you don't have. It can't be measured. You're either drowning or you are saved. There is no gray. Once Mother Theresa was asked, "Are you the woman with the big faith?" She replied, "No, I'm the woman with the small faith in a big God."
A Life Without Faith?
The Bible says (Hebrews 11:6) “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Why is faith necessary to please God?
By faith, the Christian trusts that God is and has created all.
By faith, the Christian trusts God gave His only Son to forgive sins.
By faith, the Christian trusts Jesus rose and opens heaven.
By faith, the Christian reads and follows God’s Word, the Bible.
By faith, the Christian worships and prays.
By faith, the Christian gives of His time, talent and treasure.
By faith, the Christian has compassion for those in need.
By faith, the Christian dies with the sure hope of eternal life.
Faith is as vital to the soul as air is to the body. A life without faith is a life, and an eternity, without God.
Can I Be A Believer Even Though I Struggle With Faith?
The truth is that all believers struggle with aspects of the faith and the Bible. Even John the Baptist expressed doubt about Jesus (see Luke 7:20), and so did Jesus’ own disciple, Thomas (John 20:24-29). This prayer recorded in scripture could be yours too: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b). Believers will always have questions, and these are welcomed by God. Many times satisfactory answers or progress toward understanding can be found through prayer, scripture reading and study, and/or by speaking with a trusted Pastor or teacher of God’s Word.
How Can I Grow In Faith?
Your faith relationship with the Lord is meant to grow. You grow in trusting God just as you grow in trusting another person. You listen to them, spend time together, do things together, and faith and trust can grow. So as we listen to God's word, as we put it into practice and see that it is reliable, as we go through trials and troubles and see God's presence with us, as we worship the Lord, as we are connected with God's people, our faith in Him will grow.
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