Who to Believe In

In a world filled with competing voices, opinions, and teachings, an important question remains: who should we believe in? The bible repeatedly calls us to place our faith and trust in God. Yet Scripture also directs us to believe in Jesus Christ—not merely as a teacher or prophet, but as the One sent from God and worthy of the same faith and trust. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him has eternal life. As we compare what the Bible says about faith and trust in Jesus, and God, we see a remarkable unity in their identity, authority, works, and promises. The question is not simply whether we believe in God, but whether we believe what God Himself has revealed about His Son.

Jesus: ‍ ‍But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
(Matt 18:6)

God: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

Jesus: Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
(John 6:29)

God:‍ ‍Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My words and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
(John 5:24)

Jesus: ‍ ‍For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”  (John 6:40)  

God:‍ ‍“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God;
(John 14:1)

Jesus:‍ ‍Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
(John 6:47-48, 51)

God: Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.
(Acts 16:34)

Jesus: Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
(John 11:25-26)

God: For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.
(Rom. 4:3-6).

Jesus:Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.
(John 14:1)

God: And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
(Heb. 11:6)

Jesus: Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
(Acts 13:38-39)

God: Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
(James 2:17-19) 

Jesus: They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
(Acts 16:31)

God: You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
(James 2:23-24)

Jesus: And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
(Rom. 3:22-23)

Holy Spirit: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Rom. 15:13)

Jesus: But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ   Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
(1 Tim. 1:16)

God:  And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
(1 Thess. 2:13)‍ ‍ Jesus: I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  (1 John 5:13)

The ancient manuscripts make it clear that our faith is not to rest on human wisdom, traditions, or the opinions of others. We are called to believe in Jesus Christ, whom, God has revealed to us through His Word. Jesus repeatedly invited people to believe in Him, promising eternal life to those who do. Jesus possesses divine authority, performs the same works of God, bears divine names and titles. He receives the honor that Scripture directs toward God, and that He also receives from God.