“Believe” means “Follow”

2 November 2025  John 6:37-40

The Solemnity of All Souls

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life...” John 6:40

The Devil believes that God exists. The Devil believes that Jesus exists. The Devil believes that Jesus can do everything He says He can do.

That’s where the faith of a lot of people stops, which means they don’t believe any more than the Devil does.

So, when Jesus says that “everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life” (John 6:40), He means more than mere intellectual assent. He means something more than simple acknowledgement that it is all true.

By “Believe” He means “Follow.”

The Devil never said, “Non credam” – I will not believe. The Devil said, “Non serviam” – I will not serve. He said this because he did not approve of God’s plan to include humans in heaven, and in all fairness, he had a point. The name “Satan” means accuser. Satan’s job was to be, as it were, the counsel for the prosecution, making the case why humans should not be saved. It is a compelling case. Humans are sinful, lazy, and prideful. St. Paul described our situation with painful accuracy: “I do not understand my own actions…. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me” (Romans 7:14, 19-20). To this the Devil says, “Exactly. Sin lives in them! So why should such ridiculously sloppy specimens be allowed anywhere near heaven?” When God made it clear that His intention was mercy, and inclusion of these “sloppy specimens,” that is when the Devil said, “Non serviam” – I will not serve.

The Devil believes in God. He believes in Jesus. He believes Jesus can do everything He says He can do.

It’s us the Devil doesn’t believe in.

The Devil doesn’t have a single good intention for us. The Devil wants us dead.

If our belief does not exceed what the Devil believes, then death is all that awaits us – and not just death at some undetermined point in the future (although that, too), but death now. Dead minds, dead ambitions, dead generosity, dead relationships. Dead everything.

That’s why, when Jesus says “Believe,” He means, “Follow.”

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus said. “He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). That was too much, even for many of the disciples who had been following Jesus around. They said, “This is too much for us,” and they left (cf. John 6:66 – note the numbers!). The Twelve, however, stayed. They agreed with Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

There really are words of eternal life. It is not enough, however, merely to “believe” them. Even the Devil does that. We also must follow.

Serviam. I will serve.