John’s gospel account certainly emphasizes belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The reason the book was written was to produce belief, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). The most well-known verse in all the Bible is found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Aside from this we find verses such as John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him,” and John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” The list of verses in John that emphasize belief goes on and on.
Is this belief that the book of John emphasizes faith alone? Is it a simple intellectual acknowledgment of who Jesus is or is it more? John 8 gives an answer from Jesus as to what true saving faith is. Notice John 8:30 says, “As he spake these words, many believed on him”. Jesus’ teaching caused some to believe. The next two verses read, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” Jesus instructed those who believed to continue in His word that they may be set free. Mere belief or faith only would not set them free.
More evidence for this conclusion appears in the following discussion between Jesus and these Jews who believed on Him. Jesus pointed out that they sought to kill Him because His word had no place in them (verse 37). Jesus then says, “Ye do the deeds of your father” (John 8:41). Who was their father? Jesus makes it plain in verse 44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” From this it must be concluded that these Jews believed in the sense that they acknowledged who Jesus was, but Jesus’ word found no place in them and their deeds were of the devil. Thus, it is possible to have some sort of belief but not be saved. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19). A dead faith is not saving faith (James 2:20).
John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Notice mere belief does not make one a son of God, but it gives one the right to become a son of God. One can exercise this power by obedience to Christ’s words. The other verses in the book of John that link belief to salvation must therefore use the word believe as a synecdoche, a part that stands for the whole process of obedience. Faith only certainly is not meant (James 2:24), but faith that involves obedience to Christ’s commands must be the faith upon which the book of John places such importance.
