I believe it might rain, belief in Christ, saving faith.

Words are so inadequate. Take the word “love”.  Greek has four words we might translate as love. For us “love”  can cover anything from lust, to the unconditional empowering love with which God loves us.  The English word “believe” also has diverse meanings. I believe it might rain. It costs nothing to believe that, it is no big deal if I am wrong.  The meaning of belief (faith) in Christ in the verses quoted in the closing paragraph of the last post, is a very different kettle of fish. Theologians sometimes refer to the faith intended there, as “saving faith”.

If you read different translations of the Bible you will find that they do not seem to agree at times.  Usually this is because of translational difficulties. A particular Greek or Hebrew word may not  have an exact parallel in English. When this happens it is (again usually) best to understand both (all) the translated words. For example in John 1:12  we are told that to those who believe on His name  He gave “excousia” to become the Children of God.  Some versions translate this as 'authority', others as the 'right', to become Children of God.  We have both the right and the authority. If you are a believer, you  have the legal right,  before the bar of God,  to call yourself His child.  Other Scriptures tell that we have been adopted into His family, and that as a legal son or daughter we have all the rights and privileges that come with that standing. In particular we have an inheritance (I Peter 1:4).  On the other hand, we also have the authority that comes with our standing as sons and daughters. We have authority over daemons, and authority to heal the sick (Mark 16:17 and elsewhere - not that we have even begun to fully claim this).  We also have authority to speak on His behalf, to persuade others to be reconciled to God. We are His Ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:19.20).   The belief  in John 1:12, is talking about is saving faith.

Moving away from “I believe it might rain” to “I believe in free speech”.   We may give mental ascent to this  value, but fail to put it into practice in our lives. Increasingly the tyranny of Political correctness tests our commitment to that principle. To believe it in the Biblical sense would be not only to agree to the principle, but to put into  practice the saying of Evelyn Hall "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".

The faith (belief) mentioned in John 3:16, is saving faith, faith that saves. It gives us all the rights and privileges of an heir including access to His promises, abundant life in the here and now, and life forever in the hereafter. Such faith is not merely a belief that agrees with statements about God, that He exists, that He is just etc. The devils believe in this sense and tremble (James 2:19).  No,  saving faith is faith that puts all its eggs into the God basket, and lives life in agreement with that. Saving faith allows us entrance into the promises of God, into the fullness of life that is given to those who radically follow Him. We do not have to be perfect (in fact we never will be).  It is about an over all movement in the direction of God.  The repentance mentioned in last days post then,  is that turning from our own way and turning to His way, it is to surrender the reins of our life to God.

The story is told of Blondel, who many years ago walked a tightrope over Niagara falls.  He was quite a showman.  One time, he  put a sack of potatoes into a wheelbarrow and pushed that on the tightrope over the falls. Egging the crowd on he is said to have asked them “Do you believe that I can put a man in this wheelbarrow and take him over the falls?” The crowd enthusiastically agreed. “We believe, we believe”. A particularly enthusiastic little man on the front row was singled out by Blondel. “If you believe”, he told the man, “get into the wheelbarrow”. The little man disappeared into the crowd.   Saving faith, the faith  God requires of us if placed in Blondel, would have gotten into the wheelbarrow.  The amplified Bible translates belief in this sense as “believe in, trust in, clings to and relies on”.  This kind of belief is a belief that trusts Him with our lives, even when we do not understand. This faith obeys His commandments.  This faith is saving faith. “He who lives and (in the above sense) believes in me,  will never die (the eternal death)” (John 11:26 - the comments in brackets are mine).