Millions of people profess a belief in Jesus Christ, but is their belief consistent with the biblical description of believing in Jesus? Can your faith in Christ be a counterfeit version of the real thing?

Or, on the other hand, do you think faith in Jesus Christ is a meaningless, sentimental platitude? Do you consider belief in Christ the territory of religious fanatics who are out of touch with the practical needs, issues and realities of everyday life?

The true Jesus of Nazareth thundered this warning to those who did not believe: “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:23-24).

Surely the question of faith in Jesus Christ is no light matter reserved for only the religiously sentimental. Ignorance can cost you your eternal life.

The question that becomes immediately relevant is this: What does it truly mean to believe in the real Jesus Christ of the Bible? As we will see, belief in Christ means believing and trusting Him and doing what He says.