“…they knew with certainty (in truth) and they believed that you sent me.” (Jn 17.8)
There is a relationship between belief and knowing. They are interconnected. Belief in God always carries a level of knowledge of God. However, knowledge about God doesn’t always carry a level of belief.
Any self-revelation of God, any way God makes himself known, leads to a level of knowledge about him. This is what it means for God to reveal, manifest, uncover, make himself known. The more God reveals of himself, the more opportunity we have to encounter him. The more we experience of God, the more we know him.
One can have an intellectual awareness of facts about God, but this alone falls short of belief. Belief, on the other hand, can only come from hearing the Word of God (Rom 10.17); which leads us to God himself. Jesus points people to the Father (Jn 14.6) and the Father draws people to himself (Jn 6.44) and any who come to him will be welcomed (Jn 6.37).
But let’s be careful not to put limits on how hearing the Word of God may take place. God speaks in a lot of ways and sometimes he uses English (or whatever language you speak). Some have come to belief through the good news of the Kingdom being spoken in one conversation or over a long period of time [hearing]. Some have come to believe by observing [seeing] the lives of those who already believe and being motivated to enquire about their reasons for such a life. I have met many people who came to belief in God through the supernatural demonstrations of God [action] in a variety of ways (miracles, healings, words of knowledge, dreams, etc.).
Although belief carries a level of knowledge, it does not mean that one who believes has a full or complete knowledge. I’m not aware of anyone who would think this way – but sometimes that is the impression given by many church-goers. Belief, by its nature, requires a soft and humble heart so there is no room for arrogance or vain self-importance.
Again, it comes back to WHO we believe rather than WHAT we believe. If we concentrate on the ‘what’, we will get caught in the trap of insisting on ‘right’ behaviour; or trying to give the ‘Christian’ response; or only associating with those who have ‘correct’ doctrine. But concentrating on WHO we believe leads us into an ever-deepening, ever-expanding, ever-increasing relationship with the ONE who is LOVE – which enhances our process of becoming like Him.
In that relationship, it matters very little if our belief doesn’t bring immediate, comprehensive knowledge about spiritual things; because through Him we receive a peace that goes beyond our ability to understand. In that relationship, we learn not to view life from a perspective of fear; but from the reality of our new nature as children of God, seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. In that relationship, we learn the strength of articulating to Him, with integrity, the challenges of life; recognising that we are being renewed into the likeness and character of Jesus. And, importantly, through that relationship, we are in a family with fellow-believers who strengthen and encourage one another until we all become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The disciples believed and entered a process of KNOWING that, though it may have been mustard-seed-small, it was considered a certainty by Jesus. Like the disciples, we learn that we don’t need an explanation to the minutia of all our questions – we learn to trust him as children trust a good Father. Our belief deepens and broadens as we learn to assimilate the nature of WHO we believe through every area of our lives. Further encounters with Him, lead us into deeper understanding of ourselves and life itself.
God has been revealed through the life of Jesus. Belief in WHO He is, is the foundation on which we build our understanding of His character and His kingdom becoming manifest in our lives. Belief leads us into a knowledge that can only be made clear through Him. This perspective shapes our understanding of our world, our culture and our circumstances. We do not believe because we understand; we understand because we believe.