In Part 1, we looked at one of the eight verses in the NT where pisteuō is translated as either commit or entrust.
The word pisteuō is used 246 times in the NT. It is translated as believe 238 times, including ninety-nine times in John’s Gospel.
We saw in Part 1 that John 2:24 does not mean that the new believers of John 2:23 had substandard faith. They believed in His name and were born again (John 1:12-13; 20:30-31). There is nothing wrong with believing in Jesus because His signs convince you that He is trustworthy.
But what about the other seven places where pisteuō is translated as commit or entrust?
I’m going to list those verses here. I want you to look at them and draw some conclusions before you read what I say about them. Here are the seven:
Luke 16:11, “who will commit to you true riches?”
Rom 3:2, “to them [the Jews] were committed the oracles of God.”
1 Cor 9:17, “I have been entrusted with a stewardship.”
Gal 2:7, “the gospel to the uncircumcised had been committed to me.”
1 Thess 2:4, “we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel…”
1 Tim 1:11, “the glorious gospel which was committed to my trust.”
Titus 1:3, “God…committed to me [the message of eternal life].”
Did you read those over and think about them? If not, do so now. This is important.
Here are some critical interpretive questions:
- Who is the subject in these seven verses? That is, who is doing the committing/entrusting?
- How many of these verses tell us the condition of everlasting life?
- How often in the NT do we read that the one who commits himself to Christ is born again?
Here are the answers.
- God is the subject in all seven of these verses. The Lord Jesus is the subject of the eighth and final one (John 2:24).
- None of these verses discusses the condition of everlasting life.
- We never read in the NT, whether using pisteuō or any other word, that committing oneself to Christ is a condition of everlasting life.
I have been encouraged by this study. Have you? If so, share it with others.
