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Understanding True Belief in Christ
Key Scripture: "Now we can see that you know all things ... this makes us believe." - John 16:30-31.
The disciples of Christ make a very bold declaration of faith in John 16. They state their true belief in Christ. Yet, the Savior's response is quite sobering for us all to consider:
Do you now believe? Indeed, an hour is coming and has come when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." John 16:31-32 (CSB).
The Savior's response seems quite surprising. Did not the disciples finally make a declaration of faith in Him? Christ questions their assurance of faith in Him, knowing that their actions will soon contradict their very own words. This reveals a crucial moment and truth: intellectual agreement with Christ is not the same as unwavering, lived-out faith in Him.
Isaiah 29:13 shares this insight:
Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote (NASB1995).
And Ezekiel 33:31 shares this:
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.
The Savior himself, quoting Isaiah, in Matthew 15:8-9 shares this:
These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.
Oswald Chambers, in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, expounds upon this passage - titled: Do You Now Believe? Chambers highlights how there are Christians who merely profess faith yet function independently of Christ. They work for Him, however, their souls are not intimately connected to Him. They may appear to those around them as growing spiritually - yet they are merely moving forward based on their own wisdom. Their decisions lack divine inspiration.
When the disciples finally told Jesus that they believed he was the Son of God, Jesus replied with skepticism: “Do you now believe? … You will leave me all alone” (John 16:31–32). Many Christians leave Jesus alone as they go about their work. They’re motivated by their conscience or a sense of duty, but their souls aren’t in intimate contact with their Lord; they’re leaning on their own understanding. It isn’t a sin to work for God in this way, and there’s no punishment attached to it, but when we catch ourselves acting like this, when we realize we’ve grown distant from Jesus and produced confusion and sadness for ourselves, we come back to him with shame and contrition.
We need to learn to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus on a much deeper level, to get into the habit of steadily referring everything back to him. We make decisions based on common sense, then ask God to bless those decisions. He cannot. Common sense is not in God’s domain; it is severed from divine reality. Common sense tells us that duty and moral obligation should be our guides. “I must do this; conscience compels me,” we say, haughtily. A decision based on common sense can always be backed up by an argument like this. But when we do something purely out of obedience to the Lord, no commonsense argument is possible. That’s why obedience is so easy to ridicule.
If we don’t want to leave Jesus alone, we must be willing to be ridiculed for his sake. We aren’t told to walk in the light of conscience or of duty; we’re told to walk in the light as God is in the light (1 John 1:7).
Today's devotional challenges us today - and ought to convict many of us. Are we living out of deep trust in Jesus, or are we simply operating on religious obligation and human reasoning?
The Problem of Self-Reliant Faith
Leaning on Our Own Understanding
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding - Proverbs 3:5 (ESV).
It is quite natural for us, as Christians, to say we trust in God, however, we tend to default to our own understanding and reasoning. We map out plans, ask God to bless them after the fact, and then experience disappointment and frustration when our best laid plans fail. This type of faith places human intellect at the center rather than a dependence on the Spirit of God.
Chambers warns against this tendency. He explains that common sense, while valuable in practical life, is not a substitute for divine guidance. Many of us navigate decisions through logic, moral obligation, or even Christian duty rather than through a genuine intimacy with Jesus.
Imagine being called to step out to serve in ministry but weighs every logistical concern. They weigh finances, comfort, personal reputation. All prior to stepping out in obedience. However, another individual feels the same call upon their life and moves forward simply because they trust that Christ is leading them.
While it may seem the former is being responsive and responsible - the latter is what Christ wants in relation to genuine ministry and service. One operates from common sense and rationality while the other operates from divine reliance that God will open the door and provide the means necessary to accomplish the thing God has called them to do.
The Danger of Duty-Driven Christianity
Isaiah 55:8 tells us that the Lord's thoughts are not our own thoughts. Nor are His ways our ways. And Chambers points this out where many profess a faith in Christ, yet function under a duty-based Christianity. They are motivated by conscience, habit, or a sense of moral responsibility, yet these factors, though noble, are not the foundation of true spiritual life.
One may say:
"I must do this because it is the right thing to do."
"I have a moral responsibility to act in this way."
"I am obligated to fulfill this duty."
No wonder many Christians experience burnout and lose their passion - and even in some cases, lose their faith in Christ all together.
Granted, the statements are not inherently wrong, they miss the heart of what Christ truly desires - intimacy, trust, and surrender. Going back to the Samaritan woman at the well - Christ says reveals who He is and the characteristics of who are true worshippers:
“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.” (John 4:19-26, CSB).
It is not merely enough for us to profess our faith in who He is. It is for us to live out our faith because it is He who lives within us. As the Apostle Paul declared:
"I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing." (Galatians 2:20, CSB)
True, genuine, Christian lives a life that is crucified unto Christ. Far too many do not comprehend this simple truth.
Walking in the Light of Christ, Not Human Wisdom
Obedience Over Logic
We are to walk in the light, as He is in the light." 1 John 1:7 (ESV).
Authentic true faith requires our willingness and commitment to follow Christ. Even when it defies human reasoning. Jesus called Peter to come toward Him (Matthew 14:28-31). Peter exercised genuine faith in Christ and stepped out and began walking toward the Savior. An impossible task for any human being. Yet, as long as Peter kept his focus on Christ, he was able to do the impossible. However, the moment his eyes shifted to the storm - human reasoning overtook faith - Peter sank.
And this is the true challenge of faithful obedience: it will often appear unreasonable, even foolish to those around us - even other people who claim to believe in Christ. Chambers reminds us that when we walk in the Spirit, our choices will not always be justifiable by common-sense arguments. Obedience to Christ is not based on what makes sense. True and genuine faithful obedience is based on what Christ has said.
Paul, the Apostle, echoes this sentiment:
For we walk by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV).
Personal and Spiritual Takeaways
How do we apply these truths practically?
1. Assess Your Faith: Is it Intellectual or Relational?
Ask yourself: Do I simply believe in Jesus, or do I actively trust Him with every aspect of my life?
Faith must move beyond an intellectual argument to a deep, personal reliance on Christ.
2. Evaluate Your Motivations: Duty vs. Devotion
Are you serving Christ out of obligation or out of intimacy?
Chambers warns each of us that duty without relationship leads to spiritual dryness. Seek Jesus first, and everything else will flow naturally (Matthew 6:33).
3. Embrace Divine Logic Over Common Sense
When God calls you to something, don't filter it through human reasoning first.
Be willing to take steps of faith even when they don't make logical sense.
4. Stay Connected to Christ daily
Instead of making decisions and then seeking God's blessing, reverse the order: seek God first, then move forward.
Develop daily habits of prayer, Scripture meditation, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Jesus’ question—"Do you now believe?"—is one we must answer honestly.
Do we truly trust Him, or do we only claim faith while living self-reliantly? Do we function on duty and logic, or do we live in intimacy with Christ, moving as He leads?
Chambers’ insight is a powerful challenge:
“We are not told to walk in the light of conscience or of duty; we are told to walk in the light as God is in the light.”
As you reflect on this message, take action:
✅ Examine your faith. Are you truly dependent on Christ, or are you operating on religious autopilot?
✅ Prioritize relationship over responsibility. Let your obedience flow from intimacy, not just duty.
✅ Step out in faith. The world may not understand, but trust that God’s ways are higher than yours (Isaiah 55:9).
A Prayer for Deeper Faith
"Lord Jesus, I don’t want to simply believe in You intellectually—I want to walk in deep, intimate trust. Help me to surrender my own reasoning, my sense of duty, and my reliance on common sense. Teach me to follow You, even when it doesn’t make sense to the world. Let my life reflect a faith that is alive, vibrant, and dependent on Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
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