What did Jesus mean when he said, "Whosoever believes in me will be saved"?

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What did Jesus mean when he said , “Whosoever believes in me will be saved”?

On some occasions Jesus said that whoever believed in him would be saved. For example,

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. He that believeth on him is not

condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already,

because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten

Son of God. (John 3:16,18)

The phrases “believe in”, “believe on”, and “believe in the name of” as used here are somewhat puzzling, baffling. What do these phrases entail? What do they mean? What did Jesus mean by “believing in him”? Simply believing in his existence? Believing that he was God? The apostle James tells us that “even the devils believe, and tremble.” James 2:19. I am sure the devils of hell not only believe in his existence but also that he is the son of God. So we know its meaning must include more than that.

The word “believe” can have a range of meanings and consequently its usage can be somewhat ambiguous. A person can say he believes in, let us say, honesty. He says he believes in honesty because he believes everyone should be honest. Yet by his words, actions, and behavior we discover that he is definitely not honest. He may believe in the rightness of honesty but he definitely does not practice honesty. On the other hand, another person may indeed exhibit honesty in words, actions, and behavior. He really is an honest person and he exhibits his belief in honesty in his personal habits. This person believes in honesty, also — in a more real sense. He believes in it enough to practice it.

So how was Jesus using the word “believe”?

In many passages Jesus emphasized the importance of practice:

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life. He

that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live.

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

(John 11:25,26)

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the

will of my Father which is in heaven.

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,

and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and

they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them

out of My hand.

See New Testament scriptures on the importance of obedience to God

So what is the criteria for going to heaven? Is it not that belief that includes practice? Perhaps the key to the entire question lies in the saying: “He does not believe who does not live as he believes.”

July 2019