𝐈 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐃

The difference between fearing the Gospel may be true and believing the Gospel is true is the difference between darkness and light.

A man may tremble beneath the thought of judgment. He may fear hell. He may fear eternity. He may fear that Christ truly is Lord. Yet fear alone is not faith.

For many live caught in a cycle that never dies.

They love sin for a season.
Then comes conviction.
Then reform.
Then collapse.
Then another attempt.
Then another retreat into darkness.

𝐖𝐡𝐲?

Because they are not convinced.

They fear the Gospel may be true, but they have never been seized by the certainty that it is true.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫.

But it is true nonetheless.

Many imagine they believe in Jesus Christ because they think Christianity is probably correct. They confuse intellectual acknowledgment with living faith. Yet thinking something may be true and being inwardly convinced of its reality are not the same thing.

A man may think the bridge will hold him.

But true belief is revealed when he places his full weight upon it.

So too with Christ.

You cannot truly believe without first thinking it true.

But a man may think it true for years while never truly believing at all.

Many have persuaded themselves that they have tested every promise of God. They speak as though they have forsaken all things for Christ and poured themselves out in pursuit of Him. Yet they remain strangers to the new birth.

They cannot look back and say:

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞—𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞.”

So they regress.

Slowly.
Painfully.
Almost imperceptibly.

They sink deeper into discouragement, deeper into confusion, deeper into inward darkness, while continuing to insist they believe the Gospel.

Yet their lives testify against them.

They remain uncertain whether they will continue following the LORD.

They remain divided within themselves.

One part reaching toward Christ while another still clings to rebellion.

And pride—terrible pride—whispers to them:

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞.”

So they make peace with uncertainty while continuing in sin.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

For the man who truly sees Christ as He is does not speak of following Him as though it were merely one path among many. He may stumble. He may weep. He may fight through weakness and trembling. But inwardly he knows:

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐠𝐨?
𝐇𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 6:68)

And here is the proposition I place before every wavering soul:

𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝—𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲—𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝.

Now hear this carefully.

How do we know whether the Spirit of God truly dwells within us?

Is it because we prophesy?
Because we speak boldly?
Because we work wonders or experience supernatural things?

𝐍𝐨.

Is it because we hate immorality?
Because we grieve over corruption?
Because we love goodness, defend sound doctrine, and stand against the decay of the age?

These things may indeed accompany the work of God.

But men, even in the flesh, may experience many of these things.

Religious men experience these things.
Deceived men experience these things.
Those who merely believe in Jesus intellectually experience these things.

And yet those who truly possess the Holy Spirit experience them also.

So what then is the difference?

The deepest answer I can give is this:

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬.

Not merely as theory.
Not merely as doctrine.
Not merely as emotional excitement.

𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬.

And if it has never happened, somewhere beneath all the noise and self-justification, he knows that too.

And if the Spirit of God still abides within him, he knows that also.

For the indwelling of God is not merely a concept to be studied.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥.

And what then is this believing of which Scripture speaks so continually?

For the Word of God does not speak sparingly concerning belief:

“𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝.” (Acts 16:31)

“𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 3:14–15)

“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.” (John 3:16)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐞𝐝.” (John 3:18)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 3:36)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬… 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 5:24)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭.” (John 6:35)

“𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 6:40)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.” (John 6:47)

“𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.” (John 7:38)

“𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.” (John 11:25)

“𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐞.” (John 11:26)

“𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.” (John 12:46)

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭… 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬.” (Romans 1:16)

“𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝.” (1 John 5:1)

“𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.” (1 John 5:10)

Notice how belief is spoken of as something living.
Something transformative.
Something that passes a man from death into life.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

It is analogous to seeing.

To hearing.

To knowing.

The Samaritans said:

“𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞… 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭.” (John 4:42)

Peter said:

“𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝.” (John 6:69)

Do you see it?

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐝.

Not mere suspicion.
Not fearful possibility.
Not reluctant religious acknowledgment.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲.

Yet Scripture also warns us with terrifying sobriety that there exists a kind of belief that does not endure.

“𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞… 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.” (Luke 8:13)

There are those who appear persuaded for a season.
Those who rejoice temporarily beneath conviction.
Those who walk near truth while remaining strangers to the life of God.

Judas himself walked beside Christ and yet remained in unbelief from the beginning.

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞.” (John 6:64)

And why do many remain in this condition?

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞.

Scripture says:

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝… 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞.” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4)

And again:

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.” (2 Thessalonians 2:12)

This is why many cannot come fully into the light.

Not because evidence is lacking.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝.

And yet the invitation of Christ still stands:

“𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.” (John 12:36)

This is why the soul in whom God truly dwells cannot remain content merely speaking about Christ while never inwardly knowing Him.

For when the Spirit of God truly opens the eyes of a man, Christ ceases to be a distant religious figure and becomes life itself.

The man no longer merely argues that the Gospel may be true.

𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬.

𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬.

And because he knows, he comes.

And because he comes, he drinks.

And because he drinks, 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 begin flowing from within. (John 7:38)

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