Trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ is at the very heart of the Christian faith. To fully trust in Christ requires believing certain key truths about who He is, what He came to do, and how we are to respond. Here is an overview of some of the main aspects involved in trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Believing Jesus is the Son of God
First and foremost, trusting in Christ means believing that He is the Son of God. Multiple times throughout the Gospels, Jesus equates believing in Him with believing in God the Father who sent Him (John 5:23-24, 8:19, 10:30, 14:1). Jesus claimed equality with God, declaring “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) and “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The apostles testified to Christ’s divine identity, with John calling Him “the only God” (John 1:18) and Thomas declaring “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Trusting in Christ means accepting His claims to be the divine Son of God.
Believing in His Sinless Life
In order to be the perfect sacrifice for sins, Jesus had to live a sinless life. Though fully human, multiple verses declare that Christ was without sin (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5). He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and fulfilled the Old Testament law completely (Matthew 5:17, Romans 5:19). When tempted, He used Scripture to rebuke Satan rather than giving in to sin (Matthew 4:1-11). Trusting in Christ means believing that He alone obeyed God’s laws perfectly on our behalf.
Believing in His Atoning Death
The heart of the gospel is that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins. Though innocent, He willingly went to the cross to secure forgiveness and redemption for all who believe (Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 15:3). His sacrificial death turned away the wrath of God and satisfied the demands of justice against sin (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2). He died as a ransom and propitiation for many (Matthew 20:28). Trusting in Christ means relying fully on His sacrificial death as the sole basis by which our sins are atoned for.
Believing in His Resurrection
After dying for sins, Jesus was bodily raised back to life on the third day, conquering the power of death and proving His claims to divinity (John 2:19-21). The resurrection affirmed Christ’s authority and validated the sufficiency of His atoning work (Romans 4:25, Acts 17:31). Had Jesus only died, His sacrifice would have been meaningless. But He powerfully demonstrated His victory over sin and death by rising again. Trusting in Christ means believing He is the risen Lord.
Believing Our Righteousness Comes Through Faith in Him
A key implication of trusting in Christ is recognizing that His righteousness is credited to us by faith, not our own works. Our best efforts at obeying God’s law will always fall short due to sin. But when we repent and believe, Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to us (Romans 4:5-6, Philippians 3:9). Like Abraham, our right standing before God comes through faith alone, not works (Romans 4:1-3). Trusting in Christ means resting fully in His righteousness rather than our own.
Believing He Grants Eternal Life
Faith in Christ is the only way to receive eternal life. Jesus declared “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). He promised that those who believe in Him will have eternal life and be raised up on the last day (John 6:40, 44). No one comes to the Father except through the Son (John 14:6). Faith in Christ saves us from the coming wrath and guarantees eternal life (John 3:16-18, 36). Trusting in Him means relying on His promise of salvation.
Following Him as Lord
Part of trusting Christ involves submitting to Him as Lord over our lives. We do not just receive Christ as Savior but also bow before Him as our King, joyfully surrendering our lives to follow His commands (Luke 6:46, John 12:26). This requires repentance from sin and obedience to His Word empowered by the Spirit (Mark 1:14-15, Luke 13:3, John 14:15-17). Trusting in Christ’s work means confessing Him as our sovereign Lord and living accordingly.
Loving and Obeying His Commands
True faith produces loving obedience to Christ’s commands. Jesus told His disciples “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The apostle John wrote that by obeying God’s commands, we know that we truly know Christ (1 John 2:3-6). Paul also declared that faith expresses itself through love leading to obedience (Galatians 5:6, Romans 1:5). Trusting in Christ transforms our hearts to joyfully obey Him, not legalistically but out of love.
Remaining in Relationship with Him
Trusting in Christ means developing an ongoing relationship with Him as a branch connected to the vine (John 15:1-11). It is not a one-time event but a lifelong process of growth and fellowship through His Word, prayer, and the Spirit. We are to abide in Christ continually, drawing strength from Him to become more like Him. Staying rooted in Christ demonstrates the sincerity of our trust in Him. Our lives should evidence a vibrant, dependent relationship with Jesus.
Trusting in His Return and Final Victory
Part of faith in Christ involves longing for His promised return to fully establish His Kingdom. At His second coming, Christ will complete His victory over sin and death and restore all things (Revelation 21:5, Romans 8:19-21). As we wait patiently in the present age, we can trust that God’s purposes through Christ will be perfectly fulfilled. Our hope rests securely in Christ’s ultimate triumph in the future.
In summary, trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ encompasses relying fully on His sinless life, atoning death, resurrection, righteousness, promise of salvation, lordship, and eventual return. It transforms us into faithful disciples who love, obey, and serve Him as our reigning King and dependable Savior. Trusting in Christ means staking everything on who He is and what He accomplished for our redemption.
