Belief and Faith
Do you believe? Do you have faith? Do you know what these words mean in Greek and Hebrew? Do you know they have different meanings in the English language than they do in the Greek and Hebrew?
Using Strong's Concordance, an indispensable resource for anyone who desires to know and understand the Bible, look up the word "believeth" as found in John 3:16 (King James Version). Notice on the far right there is a number, 4100. Because John 3:16 is from the New Testament, turn to the Greek dictionary which is found in the rear of the concordance. Turn to the number 4100 to find what the word "believe" means in Greek. Here we find that "believe" comes from the Greek word pisteuo. It refers us to 4102, pistis, for a more complete explanation. We find that the word "believe" means to be faithful, have conviction, have faith, and to have fidelity. Then it refers us to 3982, peitho, for a full understanding and explanation. When we turn there, we find that the word "believe" means obey, yield and trust (King James Version Concordance).
In John 11:26, the words "lives and believes" are used in the same sentence by our Lord Jesus Christ. So now we know that the word believe means to obey, yield, trust, have faith in, have fidelity, and to live the godly life.
Now we look up the word "faith" in Strong’s Concordance, and find with amazement that the far right column tells us to go right back to 4102, pistis, in the Greek dictionary. That’s the same place we just came from after looking up the word believe. What is so shocking about this?
Turn to John 6:28-29. The people said to Jesus Christ, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" They were simply asking Jesus what works they could do that would be pleasing to God. Jesus replied by saying, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." This is a parable, as Jesus always spoke to the people and answered them by way of parables (Mark 4:33-34; Matt. 13:35). Jesus was saying to them, "This is the work of God, that you obey Me, keep My words, do them, and act on them" (John 8:51; 12:47-48; Matt. 7:24). Jesus made it very clear in Luke 8:21 that anyone who considers himself to be a follower of His, will hear the word of God and do it. It is only the person who becomes an effectual doer of the word who will be blessed in whatever he does (James 1:25). Those who do not do, or do not know what to do, are not saved, but remain deluded.
You must prove yourself a doer of the word (James 1:22). You must bear much fruit, which is good works, and thus prove to be Jesus Christ's disciple (Col. 1:10; John 15:8). That is what real belief and real faith are all about.