Secure in Faith

​Is it possible to almost believe in Jesus Christ?  I believe it is, but that leaves the question is almost good enough.  I’m thinking belief is very much like telling the truth.  The legal standard for truth is to speak truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.   Being mostly true is still a lie because it’s not the whole truth.  So, if not quite telling the whole truth is a lie, then it follows that not quite believing is actually unbelief.  Almost is not quite, therefore the same as never has.   

So, what does it mean to believe something?  My dictionary leads with this: “to accept as true, genuine or real.”  That pretty much covers it.  It is important we understand what it means to believe because believing is the only requirement Jesus Christ spoke of concerning the gift of everlasting life.  Jesus Christ always and only said the gift of everlasting life was a gift given to everyone who believes in Him.  Two verses that explain that are John 3:16 & 6:47. 

John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  In John 6:47 Jesus Christ was a bit more forceful in His claim.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”  Both of those verses use the present tense which clearly means the believer has everlasting life when they believe.  It is not something received later in life or after we die.  It is a present possession of those who believe.  Therefore, we must conclude that everlasting life is given the moment someone believes in Jesus Christ for everlasting life or deny Jesus Christ is speaking truthfully. 
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Another important verse in John’s Gospel to examine is John 4:10. “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”  Speaking to a Samaritan woman the Lord Jesus told her if she knew who He was she would have asked for living water (everlasting life) and He would have given it to her right then!  Since He called it everlasting life, we can trust that it lasts forever.  Forever means never ending so once given it cannot be lost or taken away.