“Of Belief” Bible Class Writing Assignment

Belief is the core of faith.  Read the following quotes.  Choose several quotes that help you explain your understanding of belief. Write an essay titled  “Of Belief” which examines your understanding of belief. 


John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."


Romans 9:33 As it is written:
  "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
     and a rock that makes them fall,
  and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."


John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—


John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."


Mark 9:23 " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."


John 6:47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.


1 Peter 2:6 For in Scripture it says:
  "See, I lay a stone in Zion,
     a chosen and precious cornerstone,
  and the one who trusts in him
     will never be put to shame."


Acts 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."


John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.


John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.


John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."


2 Chronicles 20:20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."


Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
      "and my servant whom I have chosen,
      so that you may know and believe me
      and understand that I am he.
      Before me no god was formed,
      nor will there be one after me.


1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.


Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.
Saint Augustine 


Two Student Essays

Of Belief
P.
10/14/10



      John 20:29 says , “Jesus saith unto him (Thomas) because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed;  blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.”  This is a powerful statement. Jesus understands it is easy to have faith in something you have seen, but not as easy if you have not seen.  
      Back when Jesus was alive many people had faith because they saw him  with their own eyes.  We do not have this luxury today.  We see miracles Jesus may have done, but we dismiss these as coincidences.  Still people believe in Jesus without seeing him. It may take a miracle in their lives, but they believe. That must make Jesus so happy. Jesus says, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”  If you want to be truly blessed, do just that.  Every little thing that is good, know and believe that is him at work.  It thrills Jesus when you ask him for something and believe in him just as much as if  he had stood in front of you and promised to help you.  
      Jesus will shower blessings on those who believe in him without him having to prove himself with more blessings than those he had to.  So don’t make Jesus have to prove himself to you.  Jesus has proven himself so many times over the years that there is not even a number to count all the times.
      So just believe in Jesus.  You may never see him in your lifetime, but believing is what true faith is.  If you do believe in him, he will shower you with blessings.  



Of Belief
C.
10/14/10

      The definition of belief is any cognitive content held as true.  The Bible defines belief as hope for things which are not seen but are true and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation.  To have faith is to have confidence in someone or something.  Jesus said that all things are possible for those who believe.  By faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God.  A lack of faith leads to despair which comes because of iniquity.  The world today is a minefield;  we are constantly assaulted with words and images that challenge our belief. People tend to lose sight of where to begin.  People get caught up in all the struggles and distractions.
      Of modern day - people clutter their lives with pointless things, become more distracted, and lose faith.  They forget that there is a better way for us.  To be set free, they forget that there is more to life than just staying alive.  They crave to fill a void that can only be filled with the Holy Spirit.  So without faith they basically wander without consistency , consuming everything , all without producing sustenance never starving but never quite satisfied.