GOSPEL TRACTS

Is Believing in God a Psychological Effect?

Now faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

The psychological phenomenon, “To Be Is to Believe,” is based on the fact of objective existence. For instance, when you hear that your relative left a large deposit for you, but the deposit does not actually exist, even if you go to the bank you would not have the money.

Assuming the money exists objectively and you believe this subjectively, when you go to the bank, you will possess and enjoy the money. On the contrary, if you do not believe it subjectively and you do not go to the bank to cash it, the money does not exist for you in reality. If you want to verify existence of this deposit, you must go to the bank and inquire.

So faith comes out of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name (John 1:12).

In the Bible, to believe is to receive, and to believe is to receive God upon hearing His word. Now that you have heard that God exists, are you willing to go to Him and actively inquire? Please pray with these words: “Jesus Christ, do You exist? Are You the real God? If You are, I am willing to receive You, and I am willing to know You.” If you ask God in this way, you will surely find out that He is real and that He exists objectively, and you will receive Him subjectively.

When I speak of receiving the Lord Jesus, you may say that you have never done this before. But if you call upon His name and believe into Him, it proves that you have already received Him. Having received Him, you have been given the authority to become a child of God. What is this authority? It is Christ Himself as your life. You “have received a spirit of sonship … The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:15m-16).