How to Believe in Jesus

How do I find faith in Jesus?

Start by acknowledging that everyone has sinned. It can sometimes be hard to admit that you're a sinner—after all, you probably try to be a good person most of the time. However, we've all violated God’s will at some point, like telling a lie, being envious, or taking something that wasn't ours. The Bible says that sin keeps you separated from God, so admitting that you've sinned is the first step toward believing in Jesus.

Trust that Jesus is God's son and that He died for us. Since sin keeps us separated from God, we can't reach Him on our own. The Bible says that's why God sent Jesus to us—He was sinless, so He was able to act as a sacrifice, or a payment, for our wrongdoings. That way, we're able to enjoy a life with God, both here on Earth and after our spirits go to heaven. That doesn't mean Jesus was never tempted to sin like we are—in fact, He was tempted, and still remained pure. The Bible describes this temptation in Luke 4:1-13, when Satan comes to Jesus and tempts Him with food while He's starving, offers Him power over all mankind, and encourages Him to test God's power by throwing Himself off of the top of the temple. He used the Bible to defend against this temptation, and this is how everyone can.

What does it mean to have faith in Jesus?

Having faith in Jesus means trusting that He saved you. There's an analogy in the church that says, "Belief is trusting that a chair will hold you up, but faith is actually sitting in the chair." When it comes to Jesus, just believing that He was the Son of God isn't enough—to have faith and be saved in Him, you have to act accordingly. It's normal to have some questions about your faith—after all, there's not really anything that you can physically touch or feel to let you know that you've been saved. Just be honest with yourself and God about whether you trust what the Bible says about Jesus, and whether you've turned over your life to Him. You don't have to suddenly become perfect because you believe in Jesus, so don't worry that your faith is in question because you sinned. However, when you have a relationship with Jesus, you might find that you have a heavy heart after you sin—that's the Holy Spirit working in your life.

What if I've tried to believe in Jesus but I can't?

Try praying that God will give you faith. Some Biblical scholars believe that faith isn't something we can create on our own—it's a gift from God. If you want to have faith in Jesus but you can't seem to manage it, try a prayer like, "Dear God, please help me have certainty that Jesus is Your Son so I can have the peace of knowing I'll spend eternity in heaven." Don't worry if your faith doesn't look like someone else's—faith is really individual, and if you have too many expectations about what the experience will be like, it might be hard to recognize the faith that you do have. Sometimes, faith just means living according to God's word even if you don't have the same emotional experience as someone else.

Explore your faith. Faith doesn't have to be blind, so feel free to dig deeper if your faith is held back by serious questions about God—like "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" or "Can a loving God really send people to hell for following the wrong religion?" Believers have wrestled with these concepts for years, and you don't have to ignore these questions in order to have faith. You might also spend time studying Scripture or talking to religious scholars about their thoughts on these issues.

Ask Jesus to release any sin that's holding you back. If you feel that God is calling you to give up a sin that you enjoy, it can be hard to turn your life over to Jesus. However, many Christians find that a life in God is more deeply fulfilling than anything as temporary as sin, so pray that God will help you overcome that temptation to have a relationship with Him. You might still struggle with that particular sin—just keep praying that God will help you to overcome it.

Why is faith in Jesus important?

The Bible says it's the only way to get to heaven. Although Jesus came to Earth to save everyone, that doesn't mean everyone will automatically go to heaven. In fact, Jesus was really clear on that—in John 14:6, He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. Your spirit died when humanity sinned in the garden, and you need a new, pure spirit to be with God in heaven."

What makes Christianity different from other religions?

Christianity is the only faith where the sacrifice was made for us. It can sometimes be hard to know what to believe when there are so many different belief systems in the world. However, there's something that sets Christianity apart. Other religions and faiths generally require you to pay for your sin on your own. In Christianity, Jesus already paid that price, and all you have to do is get the new, pure spirit Jesus bought by trusting him. For instance, some religions require you to perform more good acts than bad in order to be with God in the afterlife, while some ask for some type of punishment or sacrifice to atone for sin.

Can you believe in Jesus but not religion?

That's up for debate, but a lot of people do feel this way. While the Bible encourages us to be part of a church in order to strengthen our faith, it can sometimes be hard to find a place that you feel fits your beliefs. Just know that you should pick your church by whether they are actually preaching the gospel and whether the Holy Spirit leads you to them. Don’t be too critical based on your beliefs, as the Bible says iron sharpens iron, and you can help your church by letting them know if they are preaching unbiblical things. They might even warn you if you believe unbiblical things, so be careful if they don’t fit your beliefs, their beliefs might not be the problem. If you really can’t find a church, you can still be Christian (without the added perks of fellowship, however). If you aren't part of a church, try to find a group of fellow Christian’s. You can even meet online if it's hard to meet up in person. That way you can still have fellowship. The early church was just groups of people meeting up in a host home, after all. If you do join a church, remember that no community is going to be perfect. However, it can be really powerful to be part of a group where you're all trying to become as close to Christ as possible, and you can even help other Christians in their journey!