The Obedience of Faith:

The Parable of the Two Pilots

Two men boarded a plane for a cross-country flight.

The first man, Jack, sat comfortably in his seat, fully convinced he would arrive safely. Before takeoff, he leaned over to the second man, David, and said, “I have complete faith in this plane. I believe it will get me to my destination.”

David nodded but asked, “Did you check if the pilot knows how to fly?”

Jack scoffed. “That’s unnecessary. I believe in this airline. I trust that this plane can fly. That’s enough.”

A moment later, an announcement came over the speakers. The voice of the pilot boomed: “Welcome aboard. Just so you know, I’ve never actually flown before. But don’t worry—I believe in this plane just as much as you do!”

Jack’s face turned pale.

David unbuckled his seatbelt and rushed toward the exit, saying, “Faith in the plane means nothing if the one in control doesn’t actually know how to fly it.”

The Lesson

Many Christians today are like Jack. They believe in Jesus, but they never obey Him, never check who is actually in control of their life, and never follow the instructions that ensure they arrive safely.

But Jesus didn’t just ask for passengers—He asked for followers.

That’s why John 3:36 has been mistranslated in modern Bibles—because true faith isn’t just belief; it’s obedience to the One who actually knows the way to eternal life.

Today's Teaching

For centuries, the church has debated the relationship between faith and obedience, but few realize that a subtle yet crucial mistranslation in the King James Version (KJV) has helped cement a doctrine that divorces belief from action. In John 3:36, the Geneva Bible (GNV)—the English translation that predates the KJV—makes a clear distinction: those who do not obey the Son shall not see life. However, when the KJV was commissioned by King James in 1611, it altered this verse, replacing “obey” with “believe,” effectively shifting the meaning of salvation itself.

This seemingly small change has been amplified in modern translations, reinforcing a theological position that suggests faith requires no evidence beyond verbal confession. But is that really what scripture teaches?

John 3:36 in Different Translations:

• Geneva Bible (GNV 1599): “He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life: and he that obeyeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

• King James Version (KJV 1611): “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

• Modern Translations (NIV, ESV, NASB): “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; but whoever does not believe in the Son shall not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

The difference is massive. The Geneva Bible preserves the original Greek meaning, stating that those who do not obey the Son will not see life. The KJV, however, changes the word to “believe not,” making it appear as though the issue is one of mental assent rather than submission and obedience. The Geneva Bible’s translation aligns with the broader biblical narrative, which repeatedly emphasizes that true faith is demonstrated through obedience.

The Greek Word That Changes Everything

The original Greek word in question is ἀπειθέω (apeitheō), which means “to disobey, to refuse compliance, to rebel.” It does not mean “to not believe” in the sense of doubt or intellectual uncertainty. Instead, it describes someone who knows what is right but refuses to do it—a deliberate rejection of Christ’s authority.

By translating apeitheō as “believe not,” the KJV (and subsequent modern translations) shift the focus away from obedience and reduce faith to a mere intellectual acknowledgment of Jesus rather than an active submission to Him as Lord.

Faith Without Works is Dead: The Contradiction Within the KJV

This alteration of John 3:36 creates a contradiction with other passages that emphasize obedience as the evidence of true faith. James 2:17-18 states: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

If salvation is solely based on believing in Jesus, then why does James explicitly say that faith without works is dead? The church has attempted to separate faith from action, creating an artificial divide that does not exist in Scripture.

Faith is the Invitation—Obedience is the Evidence

For many, the Sinner’s Prayer has been taught as the moment of salvation, the instant a person is “saved.” But what is really happening at that moment? That prayer is not the final step—it is the invitation for the Holy Spirit to begin a work in a person’s life. True faith does not end at confession; it begins there.

Jesus does not call people to simply say a prayer—He calls them to follow Him. To die to themselves. To be transformed. True faith, real repentance, and obedience are all part of the same inseparable process.

Defining Works: What Are They?

Many will ask, “If we are not saved by works, but works are required, then what exactly are works?”

The answer is found in scripture. Works are not man-made acts of righteousness, but the visible evidence of God working through a person’s life. Paul clarifies this in Ephesians 2:8-10:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

True faith does not boast in self-righteousness, but it naturally produces obedience, fruit, and transformation.

Are We Saved by Grace Alone?

The modern church often teaches that salvation is by grace alone, just as they teach faith alone. But is this actually what scripture says?

Paul says in Titus 2:11-12: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

Grace is not just God’s favor—it is His supernatural power that teaches and enables us to walk in obedience.

The Thief on the Cross: The Quintessential Worker in the Vineyard

Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers in Matthew 20 tells us that some laborers worked all day, while others were hired at the final hour—yet all were given the same reward. The thief is a perfect fulfillment of this parable:

• He confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9).

• He acknowledged his own sin and repented.

• He publicly defended Jesus against false accusations (his rebuke of the other thief).

• He endured suffering to the end.

His faith was proven by his works—even in the final moments of his life, his obedience bore fruit.

 

Other Known Changes That Distort Biblical Truth

John 3:36 is not the only place where translations have subtly shifted doctrine.

Matthew 7:14

• KJV: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

• Modern Translations: “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The word “strait” means restricted, difficult, requiring effort and discipline. But modern versions simply call it “small,” removing the emphasis on the struggle of discipleship.

Acts 8:37

• KJV: “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

• Modern Translations: (This verse is completely omitted in most modern Bibles.)

Removing this verse eliminates the necessity of confessing Christ before baptism, subtly weakening the biblical pattern of salvation.

Why This Matters: The Church’s Altered Gospel

The modern church has reduced salvation to an altar call metric system, boasting of how many people were “saved” based on how many hands were raised or how many repeated a prayer. This is not biblical salvation. If belief alone was enough, then Jesus would never have said in Matthew 7:21: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Paul warns in Romans 2:13: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

The Bible is consistent: Faith must be accompanied by obedience. The true message of John 3:36, as preserved in the Geneva Bible and the Greek, is that those who refuse to obey Christ will not see life. Yet the KJV and modern translations have erased this warning, replacing it with an incomplete gospel that leaves millions thinking they are saved when, biblically speaking, they are not.

Obedience is the Evidence of True Faith

John 14:15 sums up the matter perfectly: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Obedience is not legalism. It is love. It is faith in action. The early church understood this. The apostles preached it. The martyrs died for it. But modern translations have slowly chipped away at this truth, creating a watered-down faith that bears no resemblance to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

On Judgment Day, it won’t be those who merely believed that will enter the Kingdom, but those who obeyed the King.

Final Thought: The Call to a Living Faith

The modern church has reduced salvation to a formula of words instead of a transformation of life. But scripture is clear:

• Faith is the root.

• Repentance is the turning.

• Obedience is the fruit.

• Grace is the power behind it all.

If we claim to believe in Christ, then we must follow Him. Not in word alone, but in deed, in truth, and in endurance to the end.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)