Our Lord is actually the first one to use the term “believer,” although derogatorily, in that He refers to the opposite, i.e., “unbelievers,” Luke 12:46.  Therefore, you might want to take a serious look at what the opposite of “unbeliever” is in order to discover more fully what a “true” believer is.

 

We find the first occurrence of what a believer is in Scripture in Acts 5:14:  “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.”

Equivalent phrases, inclusive with they (he, she) that believe (see 1Ti. 4:12 as an example) occur frequently as a regular description of those who professed their “faith in Christ,” and attached themselves to the Christian Church.  The one essential condition of admission into the Christian community was that men should believe (believe what?) in Jesus Christ (see Acts 16:31 as an example).

 

The actual experiences of the men thus denoted varied with all the possible degrees and modifications of “FAITH,” without which it would be impossible to be considered a “believer.”  Thus, we come full circle in that a “believer” is “one who professes faith in Christ,” and all of the aspects of what that “faith” in Christ is and denotes:  Faith that Jesus rose from the dead (1Co. 15:4 & 17); Faith that He died for (or because of) your sins (1Co. 15:3); Faith that He is the only way to the Father (Heaven) (John 14:6; Acts 4:12); etcetera.

 

Any other explanations will only bring us back to this point of understanding of what a “believer” is:  “One who professes faith in Christ.”  See:  Luke 8:50; John 1:12; 6:29; 7:39; 9:35-36; 11:48; 17:20; Acts 16:31; 19:4; Romans 4:24; Philippians 1:29; First Timothy 16; First John 3:23; 5:13.

 

Therefore, the best explanation of what and who a “believer” is would be, “One who acknowledges that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead.”

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