Christ's Doctrine of Faith: A Study of "Believing" in John's Gospel (John 1:12)

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The second time that the idea of "believing" occurs in John's Gospel is chapter 1 verse 12. It reads: "But as many as received him [Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (KJV). So, let's learn about the Biblical meaning of faith from this text! Because, since the Bible is God's Word (2 Timothy 3:15-17), the Bible's meaning of faith is GOD's meaning of faith. And, if we know GOD's meaning of faith, we will know, with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, whether we believe in Christ (and therefore belong to Christ) or not. So, for this text, we'll go point by point to see what we can glean about faith here!

First, believing Christ means receiving Christ. If you believe in Christ, you receive Him and possess Him.

Second, faith is believing in Christ's "Name." Given how "receiving Him" and "believing on His Name" are used as synonyms, we may legitimately conclude that "Him" and "His Name" are also synonyms. Christ's Name is His Person. Christ's Name is everything He reveals Himself to be (see Exodus 3:13-15). So, believing in Christ's Name is trusting Him to be what and who He says He is!

Third, Christ, through faith in Him, grants believers the power (that is, authority [1]) to become children of God. Do you believe in Christ? Do you trust Him? Then, you are a son or daughter of God the Father!

Fourth, faith is a mark of being born again by God (John 1:13). Later, in John 3:3-5, the Lord tells us that, unless we are born of the Spirit (who is God-Acts 5:3-4), we cannot see and enter the Kingdom of God. Therefore, if we believe in Christ, we are born of God, and, because we are born again, we will see and enter the Kingdom of God!

Fifth, this faith is an ongoing faith. In other words, it's not just believing in Christ one time but keeping your faith in Christ. The verb "believe" in "believe on his name" is in the present participle, which "expresses continuous or repeated action." [2]

These are just some points about the Biblical meaning of saving faith that we can draw from this text (as well as other texts that bear on some things in John 1:12). May God bless them all to our hearts, both my own and my readers, so that we may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and, believing, have life in His Name (John 20:30-31; Acts 16:30-31)!

[1] https://biblehub.com/greek/1849.htm.

[2] "Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights into God's Word" (KJV). Pg. 1588.