This is an awesome article by one of my professors on what "belief" means in John (and the New Testament), and how the apostles used and understood that word. This article gets at what it means to have belief and saving faith in Jesus.
BELIEF
IN GOSPEL OF JOHN
John is the Gospel of belief. The word
"believe" (pisteuo) occurs 98 times in the Gospel and
essentially means "to trust."
Definition
of Belief
Several texts in John provide insight into what it
means to believe. Belief is seen to be the equivalent of "receiving"
Him (1:12), "obeying" the Son (Jn. 3:36), and "abiding" in
Christ (Jn. 15:1-10, 1 Jn. 4:15). Belief never refers to a mere intellectual
ascent to a proposition. Pisteuo always involves a personal response and
commitment. Believing in Christ means that we acknowledge Him as God's Son and
Messiah and trust His Person and work in securing our personal salvation.
Believing in Christ means that we rely upon Jesus alone to bring us safely
through life to heaven.
Progress
of Belief
