BULLSEYE!
ACCURATE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE!
“WHAT DOES IT MEAN ‘TO BELIEVE’?”

QUESTION: What is the Bible’s definition of “believe”?

ANSWER: It is not the world’s definition. It means to be FULLY 100% PERSUADED. It is not a feeling. It is based on fact. “I believe if I jump out of that window 100 story building I will kill myself.”

EXPLANATION:
As the English language degenerates like it has over the last 100 years, words lose their meanings.

For example “I could kill for a drink of water.”

Does that person really mean that? Well I suppose they might if they were a terrorist or a gangland killer without a conscience, stuck in the middle of fifty degree desert, without any water for three days, and they had just seen a bunch of migrants trying to cross the border from Mexico into the United States of America, and they were drinking from bottles of mineral water.

Of how about something more common like “I’ll give you a million dollars if you’re right.”

Or a parent with “I believe you’re the world’s brightest ten year old”.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BELIEVING
The Bible’s definition and the world’s common use.
Now did Abraham really believe God that he would be the father of many nations, or was he doing a snow job on the LORD? Was he just playing along with God? You know “Wink! Wink! Sure God I’m with you!” as he turned to his buddies and said on the side “Yeh right! Here I am 100 years old with zero reproductive juices left in me, and Sarah’s womb as crispy dead as the bones of a 700 year Egyptian pharaoh in a pyramid? Yeh! Good one God!”

I mean did he ‘trooly, rooolly, really-really-really cross his heart and hope to die’ believe? I mean was he absolutely 100% genuinely convinced about what God had said? I mean did he rush out and bet his house and retirement superannuation with the local bookie? I mean would he have jumped on the back of Blondin, the first man to cross the Niagara Falls on the high-wire and say “Let’s go Blondy ol’ boy! Giddy-up! We’re off!”

Or was it like “I believe it’s going to rain today” or “I believe you’re a giant drongo”. Dear Reader, this is Australian idiom (and please Dear Reader, ABM is not into foolish jesting) for a “no-hoper”, “moron”, “dill” or “fool”. This term has been taken from Drongo the race horse of the 1920’s that never won a race out of 37 starts. Also can be used in a variety of settings such as “What a drongo – he burnt his meal black in the microwave!” and “You’d have to be a drongo for leaving your keys at home!” Also meaning a dope, a stupid person, a slow-witted person, that is, someone who consistently performs acts of stupidity. You know, a name for someone who says to his mates after a few beers “I believe I got a scheme that will make me the richest man in the world by the week-end!” To which they reply “Goodo Johno! We believe you will!”. Yeh sure, what a drongo.

Mmmm! Now let me think …. Mmmm! I suspect it would be similar to the former. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3). Abraham’s believing was the real deal, the 100%, whole hearted, bottom of the heart, stake my life on it ‘believe’! Every fibre of his body, heart, soul and mind were all rowing in the same direction when he believed God. Yet it was physically impossible! Yet Abraham laughed (Gen 17:17)! But it was more out of a “How can this be possible?” laugh. It’s like someone coming to your front door and saying “You have just been chosen as the next Prime Minister of Australia and you will be moving into Kirribilli House this afternoon and the Lodge in Canberra the day after next!”. You’d be entitled to some sort of quizzical mirth, wouldn’t you?

BUT ABRAHAM DIDN’T STAGGER
You know, go wobbly at the knees. “He staggered not at the promise of God through UNBELIEF; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being FULLY PERSUADED that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Rom 4:20-21). Abraham knew, that he knew, that he knew, that he knew that God could and would perform the impossible. That God was the God who “…calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Rom 4:17).

ABRAHAM BELIEVED – HE WAS FULLY PERSUADED

And there, Dear Readers, is the definition of “believe” – to be fully persuaded … which is the opposite of unbelief. See that?

FULLY? WHAT’S ‘FULLY’ MEAN?
Study the word ‘fully’ in the Bible. The scriptures are Num7:1;14:24; Ruth 2:11; 1Kings 11:6; Ecc 8:11; Nahum 1:10; Acts 2:1; Rom 4:21; 14:5; 15:19; 2Tim 3:10; 4:17; Rev 14:18. Got the picture?

Study the word “persuaded” in the Bible. The scriptures are 2Chron 18:2; Prov 25:15; Matt 27:20; Luke 16:31; 20:6; Acts 13:43;14:19;18:4;19:26;21:14; 26:26; Rom 4:21; 8:38; 14:5; 14:14;15:14; 2Tim 1:5; 1:12; Heb 6:9; 11:13.

 Dear Reader Do you now have the Bible definition of what it means “to believe”?

 Let’s finish:
And there’s the Pastor who says “Come out the front and ask Jesus into your life.”

A man slouches out to the front and the Pastor says “Do you believe in Jesus?”
He mumbles “Yeh! I believe! May as well! Tried everything else.”
“Congregation, give this man a hand. He’s believed! He’s now a Christian!”

YEH RIGHT!

Dear Reader, please read on …

**** ***

Harley Hitchcock

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

“CONTACT US”