“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent’” (John 6:29, NASB). “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:68, ESV). “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, ESV).

This is a continuation of the last lesson on loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. God’s work is that we believe in Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith. God’s gift of salvation is a grace gift, which means it’s undeserved. We don’t, and we can’t, earn our salvation. Doing good works, trying to prove we’re good people and love God and others, doesn’t earn our salvation. It has to start with belief.

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Jesus’ existence, even His death and resurrection, are historical facts. They are provable, if you care to accept the evidence for them. Just knowing He was an historical figure and that He died and rose again isn’t belief. It’s just knowing facts. Even believing that Jesus was God’s son isn’t that much more. The devil and his demons all know that fact. So, what is belief for a believer?

What sets us apart? We believe everything He says about Himself and about us. We obey His commands because we believe He meant what He said! Peter said to Jesus that He had the words of eternal life. Believers seek to know the words of Christ and to live by them, because they believe they are life to them. Hearing them isn’t life. People heard Jesus and walked away. It’s taking them into your life to produce His life in you that brings life. It’s the Spirit interacting with God’s Word in your life, in your thoughts, in your actions that demonstrate belief; that you are a believer.

God’s Word is spirit and life. We read the commands of Christ and they are life to us. The flesh giving up stuff does nothing. The flesh is no help at all. Trying to do for God, or give up things for God, is nothing. Paul says that denying yourself may appear useful but does absolutely nothing against the indulgence of the flesh that we want to avoid, as we seek to die to self and live to Christ.

Our striving doesn’t prove anything. It’s the Spirit that gives life. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for God to pour the love of Christ in your heart by the Holy Spirit, and let His love transform your heart so that your life is transformed on the outside, and you will know that you are a believer in your heart.