Believe God, or Believe in God?

I have just spent the weekend at the 2026 Challenge Youth Conference in Pigeon Forge, TN. Those of you who were there as I was heard David Shannon suggest the idea that I have borrowed for the title of this blog. I start by giving credit to David Shannon for offering the concept we will be discussing. Do we believe in God? Do we believe God? These are two different concepts.

One can consent to the idea that there is a God, and even that the one true God is the God of the Bible, and still not be in a good place spiritually. A case in point is found in James 2:19 which tells us that “the devils believe and tremble.” So devils have belief to the extent that it causes them to tremble, but we must admit that devils are not in a saved relationship with God.

The Bible is replete with examples of people who believed in God, but did not believe God. We should compare ourselves to their examples. The first such person did not wait long to make her appearance in the world that God created. Shortly after creating man, God created woman and gave her to Adam, who later named her “Eve.” We know Eve believed in God. She had spoken with Him. She was able to tell the evil serpent that God had commanded them not to eat of the fruit with which he tempted her. She told the serpent that God had told them they would die if they ate of that fruit. Satan told her they would not die.

God said they would die. Satan said they would not die. Eve believed what Satan said, meaning she did not believe what God said. Eve believed in God, but Eve did not believe God. Adam and Eve did die, inasmuch as death means a separation, and they were separated from God and cast out of the garden at that point.

Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron, and by birth were priests of God. They had without doubt been instructed in the ways of God by their father. In Leviticus 10 we find them busy with sacrifices at the altar. We are not told exactly what instructions God had given to them regarding the sacrifice they were about to offer but in Leviticus 10:1-2, we are told, “ [they] offered strange fire before Jehovah which he had not commanded them. And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.” Nadab and Abihu believed in God, but they did not believe God regarding the fire to be used on the altar.

In 1 Kings 13 we read the story of the young “man of God” who went from Judah to Bethel where king Jereboam was offering a false sacrifice on a false altar. The young “man of God” cried out against Jereboam, and those worshipping falsely. He turned to leave by a different route than the one by which he came, and refused to eat or drink in this place saying in 1 Kings 13:9, “so it was charged me by God saying, ‘Thou shall eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that thou camest.” But an old prophet found him as he was returning, and told the young “man of God” that God told him to have the young prophet come home with him and have dinner. The young “man of God” did accept the old prophet’s invitation. The result was that after he left the old man’s house, a lion killed him on the way at God’s direction. The young “man of God” believed in God, but he did not believe God.

The “rich young ruler” is an example found in Mark 10:17-31. That he believed in Jesus is demonstrated in verse 17 in which he runs to Jesus, kneels and asks, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” He obviously believed in Jesus. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments and he affirms that he has from his youth. He appears to be a serious follower. But then Jesus tells him to sell his goods and give to the poor. In verse 22, “His countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions.” He believed in Jesus, but when Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor, he didn’t believe Jesus. He was not willing to follow. He was not willing to give up his possessions.

In every instance given, we see that believing in God is insufficient. It is necessary to believe God. Even though she believed in God, Eve was cast out of the garden because she didn’t believe God. Nadab and Abihu were priests who believed in God, but because they didn’t believe God they were destroyed. The young man of God believed in God to the extent he risked his life prophesying for God, but he was killed by a lion because he did not believe God. The rich young ruler demonstrated his belief in Jesus as surely as he followed that by demonstrating that he did not believe Jesus.

There are those who believe that all people will be saved. Some will proclaim it, others won’t say it, but show through their lives and other things they say that they do believe it. They believe in God. But they don’t believe God when he says in Rev. 8:8, “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstones: which is the second death.” All people will not be saved. You believe in God. Do you believe God?

Some say those who will be saved are those who repeat, or say, a sinner’s prayer. The Bible is our only source for the word of God. It is the only place in which we find, from Him, what His will is that people should do in order to be saved. There is no place in the Bible where we are told that a person becomes a child of God by saying a prayer. The closest thing to this in the Bible is in Acts 8:22 where Peter tells Simon to repent and pray that God would forgive him. But Simon was a person who had already been saved and become a child of God. In Acts 8:13 we are told that Simon believed and was baptized, and continued with Philip. A prayer is not what brought Simon into a saved relationship with Jesus. If you believe in God, then do you also believe what God says, and what He doesn’t say?

And while we are considering Simon, let’s take some time to consider the idea that once a person is saved, they cannot fall from that condition. This is sometimes stated as “once saved always saved.” The Bible plainly tells us that Simon was a baptized believer who later needed to pray to God to be forgiven of sin. His attitude had gotten him into an unsaved condition after he had been saved before. Furthermore, Hebrews6:4-6 states, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.” There is an internet site that gives this verse and says this is a difficult passage to understand but that it certainly does not mean that a person can lose their faith or fall from a saved relationship with God. Then they continue for several paragraphs of convoluted and tortured reasoning trying to prove their statement. Just read the verse. It is clear as it can be. The question is, so you believe in God. Do you believe God? God’s word says you can fall away.

Some people read only John 3:16 and determine that all you have to do is believe. There are other verses that connect salvation to belief. I believe everyone of them, but I believe the whole Bible. Some people only believe the verses that call for belief. They do not believe Acts 22:16, that baptism washes away your sins, or Acts 2:38 that baptism is for the remission of your sins, or perhaps they believe that you can enter heaven carrying the burden of your sins, something the Bible teaches against (see Rev. 8:8 above.) 1 Peter 3:21 compares the water of baptism to the water of the flood and explicitly says that ‘baptism doth also now save us.” That is what Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit said. Point blank. If you believe in God, the question is then do you believe God?

We can’t let conjecture and wishful thinking determine our beliefs. God has spoken in His word. It is there that we must go to find what He has said. We must accept it all, not just the part that appeals to us. It brings us God’s plan of salvation from cover to cover. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says,”Not everyone that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven.” Believing in God is of no value if we don’t believe God.