Devotion (The Trumpeter):
Believing is not salvation, you believe to be saved

Romans 13:11KJV
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

There is a misunderstanding that has led to certain wrong teachings in some circles of the church. It is important that Christians understand that there is a difference between believing and salvation even though they are linked. These are two separate events.
Believing is on man’s side whilst salvation is an act of the Holy Spirit.

Salvation is a vital act of the Holy Spirit and not abstract. Salvation is an event that involves the power of the Holy Spirit. Your believing gives God the legal right to bring you salvation which is wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Can there be a situation when someone has believed and yet not saved? Yes! It is possible. You may have believed but till the Holy Ghost comes to execute the down payment of the salvation, you havent been saved.
Now, when Christians assume everyone that believes as being saved it is not totally wrong. It is because we believe in the faithfulness of God that He will always fulfil His part.

Sometimes, when the believing is wrong it can delay salvation. Such a case occurred with the Ephesian Church. Paul met some of them who had believed but yet to receive the Holy Spirit. The context showed that they had believed wrongly

It matters what you believe.
“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost…. Acts 19:2KJV”

Salvation is in power not in words, this is why signs are to follow the saved one.

Romans 13:11KJV
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Jesus said,
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;……..Mark 16:16- 17KJV”

You believe to be saved. Salvation involves all that was or has been bought for you in Christ. And even though the whole package of salvation is presently yours what you received when you got born again was the downpayment.

Till you understand this, there are certain Scriptures in the Bible that you will wrestle at

For instance, Paul is talking to the Christians in Rome but says
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”
So is Paul saying that they were not saved when they believed at first? No! they received a down payment when they believed, he is rather talking about an aspect of the salvation package which is yet to be vital in their life. He is talking about when they get to receive the heavenly body at the return of Jesus and all the other things that will come with that.

You have to understand the difference between believing and salvation or you will be following a Gospel of words but the Kingdom of God is not in words but in Power. Salvation is about power

Paul says,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek…….Romans 1:16KJV”

Believing is not salvation, you believe to be saved.

God bless you!