Success Without Belief? Why Some Succeed Without Believing in Jesus

Many people today believe in God. You hear it everywhere, people saying they believe in a higher power or a creator, but when it comes to Jesus Christ, things get complicated. You might know people who read the Bible, live by its principles, and seem successful, but they don’t believe in Jesus. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, so let’s dive into why some people struggle to accept Jesus as God’s son even though they believe in God or use the Bible’s wisdom in their lives.

1. Why Believe in God but Not in Jesus?

This is a big question. A lot of people are open to the idea of God—an all-powerful being who created the universe and everything in it. That makes sense to many because it answers those big questions like "Where did we come from?" and "Why are we here?" But when it comes to Jesus, some people think, "Isn’t he just a Jewish boy, a carpenter, or a good teacher?"

The Bible tells us in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. So if you believe in God, you can’t really separate Him from Jesus. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). The trouble is, some people see Jesus as just another man with special abilities, not as the Son of God. They feel comfortable believing in a distant God but struggle with the idea that God came to earth as Jesus.

2. Picking and Choosing What to Believe From the Bible

One interesting thing is that many successful people in the world apply principles from the Bible, even if they don’t believe in Jesus. The Bible says things like, "You reap what you sow" (Galatians 6:7) and "Give and it will be given to you" (Luke 6:38). These are universal truths that work for everyone, whether they believe in Jesus or not.

Now, this is where things get tricky. Some people take these principles and run with them. They give to charity, they work hard, they treat people fairly, and guess what? It works! They become successful. But they stop short of believing in Jesus. It’s almost like they pick the parts of the Bible that they like and leave out the rest.

Think about some successful people who’ve based their lives on biblical principles but don’t identify as Christians. People like Oprah Winfrey have spoken about how the Bible’s teachings guide them, even though they don’t follow Christianity in a traditional sense. Tony Robbins, a well-known life coach, often talks about how giving (which is a biblical principle) is key to success, but he doesn’t openly profess belief in Jesus Christ. Even entrepreneurs like Ray Dalio have drawn wisdom from Proverbs in the Bible to guide their business decisions without identifying as Christians.

These people recognize that the Bible contains valuable life lessons, but they haven’t taken that leap of faith to believe that Jesus is the way to God.

3. Jesus Is the Only Way to God

This brings me to something crucial. Yes, the Bible is full of wisdom, and you can take lessons from it and apply them to your life. But the Bible doesn’t just stop at good advice. It tells us that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Jesus himself said in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Many people find this hard to accept because it seems too exclusive. They think, "Why can’t I just believe in God and live a good life?" But Jesus isn’t just another good teacher or a man with some special abilities. He is God in the flesh. The Bible says that God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27), and that’s why we’re called "gods" in a sense—because we reflect Him. Psalm 82:6 says, "I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’" But here’s the key: we are not God. There is only one true God, and that’s why we must submit to Him.

Jesus is the visible image of God. He is the bridge that connects us to the Father. You can’t separate God from Jesus because they are one. If you want to truly know who God is, you need to look at Jesus. He’s the one who came to earth, lived like us, and showed us what God is really like.

4. We Are "gods" but We Are Not God

When the Bible says we are created in God’s image, it means we are like reflections of Him. We have the ability to think, create, love, and make choices. But this doesn’t mean we have the same power or authority as God. There is only one true God, and that’s why we must submit to Him.

Psalm 82:6 calls us "gods," but in the sense that we are children of the Most High, not equal to God. Other religions or belief systems might tell you that you can become like a god, or that you don’t need to rely on a higher power, but that’s not what the Bible teaches. We submit to God because He is the creator, and we are His creation. We might reflect His image, but we aren’t on the same level. That’s why, even though we’re created in God’s image, we need Jesus to connect us with God the Father.

5. Applying Biblical Principles Without Believing in Jesus

So why do so many successful people take the wisdom of the Bible but stop short of believing in Jesus? It’s simple: the Bible’s wisdom works. You don’t have to be a Christian for principles like "You reap what you sow" to work for you. People like Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, and Ray Dalio have all applied the Bible’s teachings in their lives and seen success. But here’s the catch: applying the Bible’s principles will help you succeed in life, but only believing in Jesus will bring you eternal life.

The Bible is clear: Jesus is the only way to God. You can take its wisdom and apply it, but without Jesus, you’re missing the heart of the message. It’s like having a treasure map and stopping before you reach the treasure. Jesus is that treasure. He’s the one who connects us to God and brings meaning to everything we do.

If you’d like to explore this more, I’ve created a free download with five Bible verses that can help you remember these truths:

BELOW ARE SOME FREE BIBLE VERSES FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD ( these will be added soon )