Believe Him, Or Not

First Published May 11, 2012 John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. **** **** This verse is widely recited, referenced, and revered for its concise and encompassing content. There are entire books devoted to this one verse penned by the apostle John quoting Christ Jesus. But, today’s focus is on the word “believes.” The word is translated from the Greek “pisteuo,” (πιστεύω) (pist-yoo’-o) which means to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in. The translation is the present indicative active form. This means that the action is ongoing. The belief referred to in John 3:16 is continuous and never ending. It’s hard to think in those terms, but in the Greek language this is an important issue. John’s use of the present indicative active tense implies trust and commitment. So, if we believe in Him, we trust that God’s plan is perfect and we commit ourselves to reflect His will in our lives. This truly goes beyond an intellectual understanding and acceptance of believing in Jesus. Our belief must be evident in our actions in the life we lead. If our believing in Christ is sporadic or wanes in intensity let’s make a change. Let’s purpose to focus on a continuous Christian walk and pray that today marks a new life of “pisteuo”-ing Him! Copyright 2012, Karen Vaughn