The theme of "belief" is central in John’s Gospel. John does not use the noun faith found often in the New Testament (for example, see Matthew 8:8–10; Mark 11:22; Acts 20:21; Romans 1:17; 3:27–31; 4:3–5; Hebrews 11:1–39; James 2:14–24; 1 Peter 1:5–7). John prefers the verb form believe ("trust" or "be faithful") to show that faith is not just a fixed belief, but is "alive" and requires action. In John’s Gospel, “believing” in Jesus is the mark of all true disciples.
In the Gospel of John, the verb translated as "believe" is often followed by the Greek preposition eis, which means "into." This combination is unique in ancient Greek usage. For John, belief or faith is not just a status, it is an investment in Jesus. Faith means accepting who Jesus is and who he claims to be.
Faith also involves a commitment to let his invitation to trust in him change how a person lives. Faith is the work God wants from us (John 6:29). We demonstrate faith by following Jesus' teachings, loving him, and obeying his commands (John 8:31; 15:1–17; see 1 John 5:10).
Passages for Further Study
Genesis 15:6; Isaiah 28:16; Mark 1:15; Mark 9:23–24; John 1:12–13; John 3:10–18; John 5:24; John 6:35–36; John 7:38; John 9:35–38; John 11:25–27; John 12:37; John 20:25–31; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:16; Romans 10:9–10; Hebrews 4:3