Believe? What is real salvation belief?

For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV

Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλὰ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

Direct word for word translation:

Thus for loved God the world, that the Son, the only begotten, He gave, so that everyone believing in Him not should perish, but should have life eternal.

The Greek word here for believing is pisteuó / pis-tyoo’-o meaning believe, put in trust with. This word is from the Greek word pistis (translated faith in English); to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ) — believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

It is obviously more than an intellectual ascent of recognition. It requires a legal “agreement” (a complete significant persuasion by God) between the believer and the Giver, thus ‘faith’ is given / implanted. The context of how the word is used indicates whether the ‘belief’ is ‘self-serving’ (without sacred meaning – just a recognition of existence), or the ‘believing’ that leads to / proceeds from God’s implantation of faith.

How can I know the difference?

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! James 2:19

Here the Greek word again is the same – but the context obviously does not include faith. Real divine faith implanted pisteuó is a real surrender of one’s complete life. Demons are NOT surrendering to Christ as their “Lord”, although they DO recognize Him and His authority.

How do I know that faith-implanted belief is a surrendered life to Christ?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

The Greek word ‘witnesses’ here is μάρτυς / martus / MAR-toos from which we get our English word ‘martyr’. The “witness” testifies to the Truth to the very point of their life, whether it be by their life or death. The Gospel is displayed / told through the life and death of His saints. This ‘testimony’ is what changes people, families, towns, cities, and the world beyond. Real ‘believers’ are different! They seem to be operating on different principles and power. Which of course they are … they are ‘operating’ through the direction, instruction, and power of the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit.

Could it be that real believers are actually terminally committed to Christ? So much so that they want to display that belief and faith through the public act of water baptism, that signifies their own ‘death’ and the life they now live is the life of Christ risen within them? So that EVERYONE will now know to Whom they now completely belong. They desire the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help in ALL of their life, and thus seek His ‘baptism’ / refreshing. (See Acts 19:1-6)

Do you “believe” in Him that you immediately surrender your will to Him? Are you willing to give your complete life to Him and all that entails? That this Jesus IS the life that you now live, and that HE owns EVERYTHING you have and are? That each day you breathe here… from this day on this earth is HIS!

Father … YOU are LOVE eternal! Jesus… YOU are my salvation and MASTER! Holy Spirit…YOU empower me to follow Jesus with EVERY step I take!

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21