Grace in Focus — Does John 5:45-47 Teach There Is a Difference Between Trusting and Believing?

Date: February 10, 2026
Hosts: Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates
Theme: Examining whether John 5:45-47 teaches a substantive difference between “believing” and “trusting,” with implications for Free Grace Theology and common misunderstandings about the basis of salvation.

Episode Overview

In this concise, listener-focused episode, Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates tackle the frequently asked question: Is there a difference between trusting and believing, particularly as described in John 5:45-47? They address common misconceptions in gospel presentations—especially the claim that belief alone in Jesus is insufficient for eternal life and must be supplemented by “trust” or some additional personal action. The discussion clarifies the biblical language used in the passage and its theological implications, especially within the Free Grace framework.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Listener’s Question and the Textual Background

• Question (from HB): Is there a difference between "trusting" and "believing" in John 5:45-47? Why do some translations use 'trust' in v.45 and 'believe' in v.46-47? (01:07)
• Bob reads John 5:45-47 (NKJV), highlighting that v.45 uses "trust" (in Moses), while v.46-47 uses "believe" (regarding Moses’ writings and Jesus).

2. Common Objections to Free Grace Theology

• Bob and Ken note that critics of Free Grace Theology argue that belief alone (e.g., John 3:16) is insufficient for eternal life—one must “trust,” “make it personal,” or otherwise supplement simple belief. (02:42–03:35)
  • Quote (“C”, Ken Yates, 03:35):
    “Doesn’t it drive you nuts when people say believing in Jesus is not enough? ... To say that believing is not enough is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s to reject what he says. People do this. I know they mean well.”

3. Textual and Linguistic Differences

• Ken (“C”, 04:24–04:54):
  • Explains that “trust” (John 5:45) is a different Greek word from “believe” (John 5:46-47).
  • “Trust” comes from the Greek elpis (noun: hope, verb: hope in), while “believe” is pisteuō (to believe).
  • The passage should be understood as: “Moses, in whom you have set your hope,” not “trust” in the modern sense.
  • Quote (Ken, 04:51):
    “There’s a Greek word, elpis...and it means hope. And this word should be translated Moses, in whom you have set your hope.”
• Exploration of “Hope” in NT: Sometimes means “wishful thinking” (uncertain), other times “certainty with unsure timing.” But in John 5, “hope” refers to hoping in the Law for kingdom entrance, not belief in Messiah for eternal life. (04:54–06:35)

4. Theological Implications

• Ken and Bob explain that the Jews in John 5:45 “hoped” in Moses and the law (their works) for salvation; but Jesus calls them to believe what Moses wrote about him—the Messiah and the provision of life through faith.
  • Ken (06:00):
    “What basically the Lord is saying is they're hoping [in] the Torah...but within that is a lot of discussion of Messiah. Jesus said, Moses wrote about me...but [the hearers] are not convinced that he's the one.”

5. Illustrative Analogy—The Lifeboat Story

• Bob recounts a typical but problematic evangelistic analogy: Three men on a sinking ship with lifeboats—
  • One doesn’t believe or trust, and drowns.
  • The second believes the lifeboat can save him, but doesn’t “trust” (doesn’t get in), so dies.
  • The third both believes and trusts (gets in the lifeboat), and lives.
  • Critics claim salvation requires both belief and “getting in the boat” (an extra step).
• Bob’s critique (08:30–09:28):
  • “Drives me crazy. I don’t know what that means. ...They don’t explain what [‘trust’] means.”
  • Shows this “trust” requirement adds confusion.

6. Clarity about Belief in John’s Gospel

• Ken (11:08):
  • “In the gospel of John, 100 times it says believe. Why do we have to add this trust?”
  • Emphasizes using biblical language to avoid confusing the gospel message.

7. Summary Answer

• Bob and Ken’s conclusion (11:31–12:39):
  • There is a linguistic difference in John 5:45-47 between “hoping in the law” (trust/hope) and “believing” in Jesus.
  • The passage does not teach a theological distinction requiring something beyond belief for eternal life.
  • Bob (11:31):
    “The bottom line for this question is, is there a difference between trusting in someone and believing in them? In [this passage], we could say yes, but it’s not talking about eternal life.”
  • Ken (12:39):
    “When you preach the gospel of eternal life, use the word believe. That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what the Gospel [of John] does.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ken Yates (03:35): “Doesn’t it drive you nuts when people say believing in Jesus is not enough? ... To say that believing is not enough is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s to reject what he says.”
• Ken Yates (04:51): “There’s a Greek word, elpis...it means hope. And this word should be translated Moses, in whom you have set your hope.”
• Bob Wilkin (08:30): “Drives me crazy. I don’t know what that means...They don’t explain what [‘trust’] means.”
• Ken Yates (11:08): “In the gospel of John, 100 times it says believe. Why do we have to add this trust?”
• Bob Wilkin (12:39): “When you preach the gospel of eternal life, use the word believe. That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what the Gospel [of John] does.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:07 — Listener's question and reading of John 5:45-47.
• 02:42 — Objection: “believing isn’t enough”—critique of common evangelical language.
• 03:35 — Frustration with adding requirements to belief.
• 04:24 — Greek textual insight: “trust” vs. “believe.”
• 06:00 — Moses writes of Messiah: the true object of faith.
• 08:30 — Lifeboat analogy and its problems.
• 11:08 — The clear biblical focus on “believe” in the Gospel of John.
• 11:31–12:39 — Direct answer: difference is linguistic/contextual, not theological regarding salvation.

Final Takeaway

The distinction in John 5:45-47 is about “where people set their hope” (the law vs. the person of Christ), not a doctrinal separation between “trust” and “believe” as it pertains to eternal life. The consistent message in John—and of Jesus—is simple: 'Believe.' Adding extra requirements like “trust” muddies the clear gospel promise.

“Use biblical language to teach biblical truths.” (11:24)

For more resources and deep dives into Free Grace Theology, visit faithalone.org.