Many people know about Jesus. They have heard His name, listened to sermons, and learned stories from the Bible. They may believe He lived, taught, and died on the cross. They may even agree that everything they hear about Him is true. But knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Knowing about Jesus is knowledge. Knowing Jesus is relationship.
I was reminded of this during a conversation with Carol as we talked about what salvation really means. We talked about how often people confuse knowledge with relationship. It helped to think about how God created us. We are made of body, soul, and spirit. The body is physical. The soul is the mind, where we think and reason. Many people believe in Jesus at this level. They say they believe because it makes sense. Their mind accepts the truth about Jesus, but belief that stays in the mind is still only knowledge.
At some point, a deeper realization must happen. A person comes to understand that knowing facts about Jesus is not enough, and that eternity with Him does not come through knowledge, effort, or good behavior. It comes only through salvation.
Salvation is when I ask the Holy Spirit into my life. It is the moment I stop standing outside and invite God to live within me. It is not just agreeing that Jesus is real. It is trusting Him, asking for forgiveness, and surrendering control of my life to Him. This is what Romans chapter ten describes when it says we are saved by believing in our heart and confessing Jesus as Lord. Salvation is not a thought. It is a response.
This is the moment a relationship with Jesus begins. At salvation, Jesus is no longer someone I know about. He becomes someone I know personally. Faith moves from the mind into the spirit. Knowledge becomes relationship.
From that moment forward, the relationship grows. Prayer becomes conversation. Scripture becomes personal. Life begins to change from the inside out, not because of rules, but because Jesus is now living within me.
A relationship with Jesus cannot be borrowed or learned secondhand. It begins with salvation and continues through daily walking with Him. Knowing about Jesus is information. Asking the Holy Spirit into my life is relationship.
In the end, the difference is simple. Before salvation, Jesus is someone I know about. After salvation, He is someone I live with. That is when belief becomes life—now and for eternity.