Three Aspects of Believing
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
11:08 AM
Augustine of Hippo (354-430) points to 3 aspects of believing.
1. To believe that God exists (Credere Deum)
2. To believe God (Credere Deo)
3. To believe in God (Credere in Deum)
Credere (Latin) means to believe and is the root of words like creed, credit, and credential. (1) The Apostle's Creed uses the phrase "Credo in Deum" in its opening line, "I believe in God the Father." Likewise, the Nicene Creed, which was written in Greek, uses a phrase of equal meaning - "We believe in one God, the Father..."
Credere Deum
The belief that God exists is exemplified in scripture.
James 2:19 (NIV) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Even demons example this belief that God exists, for they believe in the one God. This kind of belief is not to be confused with a trust and faith in a relationship with God.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
This belief that God exists, is the early step, building block of pleasing God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that God exists and that he is worth the search.  
At one point in time, every believer struggled with the question of Credere Deum - "Does God exist?"  It is a worthy question and a search that is rewarded in deeper faith.
It is one thing to believe in the existence of God; it is a deeper journey to trust God.
Credere Deo
A great example of trusting God might be Abram's early encounter.
Genesis 15:6 (NIV) Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
More than believing he had heard voice and that God must exist, Abram trusted and obeyed the words of this God.
John 14:1 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
Jesus is clearly talking about belief as in a level of trust. It is hard to trust when facing trouble, but there is a Credere Deo level of belief that operates even in the valley of the shadow of death.
What starts as a belief that God exists, progresses to a stage where God can be trusted. 
Credere in Deum
This kind of faith encompasses the previous 2 stages, but progresses into a state of "personal commitment" and "complete entrusting of oneself to God." The original words mean "to believe into God." (2) 
This level of belief goes beyond mental ascent, and verbal confession. This belief is lived out in action.
Romans 14:1 (NIV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Those who entrust themselves to God have trusted God enough to lay down upon an altar as though they were Isaac. They are willing to let God's will be done even though it costs them.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV)  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
The Apostle Paul had entrusted his life to Christ to such a degree that he now lived by faith in the one who gave himself on the cross. He no longer just trusts God, but his life is ENTRUSTED... as in He completely belongs to God.
Do we still see these 3 types of belief? A growing healthy community of faith should be seeing these 3 progressions over and over.
The person who walks into our church seeking.
The friend who asks about why you believe God exists.
These are people who are trying to operate in Credere Deum.
The person who prays for the first time, repents, baptized, or comes forward to profess their decision.
The one who obeys what God's word tells them to do.
These are those that exemplify Credere Deo.
And finally those who sacrifice for the mission of Christ.
Be it the missionary in a far away land, or the high schooler who takes a stand for faith even if it could cost him some "cool points."
These are the ones who are Credere in Deum.
(1)  [link] to an external site.
(2) Cherry, Natalya, "Believing Into Christ: Restoring the Relational Sense of Belief as Constitutive of the Christian Faith" (2018). Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations. 3. Accessed October 11, 2023
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