For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
I have played a lot of sports and worked with a lot of kids in sports over the years and one thing I have figured out…..there is a great difference between those who believe they can play and those who trust in their skills. Let me explain! Some people believe they are good and can play the game, they practice, and they play but when push comes to shove and the rubber meets the road (game time) they cower and hide their talent or run from the spotlight revealing what they really believe about themselves. Others believe they are good, they practice and become so confident in their skill set that they thrive and never back down from the spotlight. You see, the one who is willing to trust in their skill set is the one who really believes they can play.
The same is true with many people and Jesus. They have a belief that Jesus is the son of God, the Lord, and the Savior; however they don’t believe in Him as Lord and Savior! They never really get past the intellectual “belief that” level. Jesus is saying “whoever believes in Him”. When Jesus says this it means “to place confidence in…. to trust on”. It is not credence but a reliance upon. It is the same difference between a person who believes a plane can fly and the one who boards the plane proving his belief in the ability of a plane to fly.
God desires that we “climb on board” in faith. We all need to go beyond merely believing that Jesus is the Son of God who died, rose, and reigns as Lord. We must take the further step of faith and trust “in him” for forgiveness as Savior, as well as trusting “in him” as Lord who is capable to lead our life. Jesus says these are the ones who shall not perish but have everlasting life. It is game time show the world your confidence “in him”.
In His Service,
Eric Barnes
