What Do Believers Gain? The Indwelling Difference of Faith

"What does God give to believers that non-believers do not receive?" This question, posed repeatedly by skeptics, strikes at the heart of what it means to have faith. I understand the impulse behind the question. If there is a God, surely we should expect to see some concrete difference, something observable and verifiable, between those who believe and those who do not. But this question, for all its surface-level clarity, hides a deeper misunderstanding about the nature of God, of faith, and of what it means to receive.

What Believers Receive: God Himself

Before we speak of effects, we must speak of essence. The Christian does not believe in God as a mere idea, nor as a psychological tool, nor even as an external benefactor dispensing perks. The Christian believes in the Personal, Living God who is not only present in the world, but indwells the heart of the believer. So to ask, “What do I get by believing in God?” is much like asking, “What do I get by believing my best friend is a real person?” If you walked through life thinking your spouse, your parents, or your closest friend were figments of your imagination, no real relationship could form—no love could be received, no joy shared, no trust built. The same is true with God. So what do we gain? God Himself.

Let me answer the question more directly now. What do believers receive that others do not?

The Holy Spirit

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

— Ephesians 1:13–14 (NIV)

Spiritual Discernment

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

— 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (NIV)

Knowledge of Truth

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

— John 8:31-32 (NIV)

Freedom from Sin

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

— Romans 8:1–2 (NIV)

Peace

Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

— Romans 5:1 (NIV)

True Love

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

— 1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

Freedom from Fear

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

— 1 John 4:18 (NIV)

Eternal Life

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

— John 3:16 (NIV)

These are not merely feelings. These are not placebo effects. They are realities in the life of the believer—graces mediated through the person of Christ and received by faith.

The Skeptic’s Objection: Where Is the Measurable Difference?

Still, a skeptic might say, "This is poetic, but not persuasive. If God is real, then where is the data? Where is the evidence that belief in this God changes people in a measurable way?" It’s a valid question. And it’s one I’ve asked myself.

What if I told you such evidence does exist—and in abundance? In fact, it has been rigorously studied across decades of empirical research.

Empirical Evidence: The Tangible Impact of Faith

According to a vast body of literature compiled in the Handbook of Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Health, spirituality and religiousness (S/R) offer profound protective effects across mental, emotional, behavioral, and even physical domains.

Less Depression

Religious belief has a well-established protective effect against depression. A systematic review of 178 high-quality studies found that 67% showed an inverse relationship between spirituality/religion (S/R) and depression, while only 7% showed a positive association. A meta-analysis involving 98,975 individuals confirmed this trend. One longitudinal study found that individuals who reported high S/R importance had just one-tenth the risk of experiencing a depressive episode over a ten-year period. Another large-scale study involving 48,984 women demonstrated that frequent religious attendance decreased the incidence of depression by about 30% over a 12-year follow-up period.

Lower Suicide Rates

Regular religious service attendance is strongly associated with lower suicide risk. In a cohort of 89,708 women followed over 14 years, weekly religious attendance predicted seven times lower suicide deaths compared to those who never attended. Among older adults, Catholic affiliation was linked to a 40% lower suicide risk in men and 33% in women compared to Protestants. By contrast, individuals with no religious affiliation faced a 96% higher suicide risk in men and a 2.63-fold increase in women. Similar patterns were observed among cancer patients and those with comorbid mental disorders, showing the protective effects of religious identity even amidst significant adversity.

Decreased Anxiety

Faith in a benevolent God correlates with substantially lower anxiety symptoms, including worry, paranoia, social apprehension, obsessions, and compulsions. A national survey of 1,426 adults found that positive beliefs about God predicted between 4.1% and 9.4% of the variance in anxiety-related concerns. Clinical studies also found that reductions in mistrust toward God over a short two-week period were associated with significant decreases in stress and worry. The emotional bond between believer and God serves as a buffer against psychological distress, especially in times of hardship.

Addiction Recovery

Spirituality plays a critical role in addiction recovery. The 12-step model, originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), emphasizes a “spiritual awakening” and dependence on a Higher Power. This model is supported by robust clinical evidence showing that participation in 12-step programs improves both short-term and long-term recovery outcomes, especially for individuals with co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Beyond alcohol, religious individuals are generally less likely to abuse other substances, including illicit drugs and gambling, and more likely to complete recovery programs successfully.

Healthy Behaviors

Religious involvement is associated with a wide range of positive health behaviors. Religious people are more likely to exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet, abstain from drug use, and report lower engagement in risky sexual behaviors. These behaviors are often reinforced by the values and support systems found within religious communities. Regular exercise, for instance, is known to significantly lower the risk of depression and is often encouraged as part of holistic well-being in many congregations. Additionally, moral teachings and communal accountability contribute to lower rates of alcohol consumption, smoking, and sexual promiscuity among the religiously observant.

Higher Quality Family Life

Studies have shown that greater religious attendance or commitment is associated with a higher likelihood of marriage, less extramarital infidelity, lower rates of domestic violence, greater marital satisfaction, and a significantly lower risk of divorce. With respect to parenting, religious mothers and fathers—whether married or single—report greater satisfaction and less stress. Higher religious involvement is linked to a greater likelihood of becoming a parent, healthier pregnancy behaviors (including reduced alcohol and drug use), and more nurturing parenting practices. It also predicts reduced use of corporal punishment, lower risk of child physical abuse, and more time spent engaging positively with children.

Effects on Chronic Pain and Illness

Spirituality and religious coping strategies are also effective tools in managing chronic pain and illness. Individuals with strong religious beliefs report higher levels of meaning and purpose, greater self-efficacy, and more use of adaptive coping techniques like prayer and meditation. These mechanisms are associated with increased pain acceptance, higher overall happiness, and reduced guilt and worry. For example, a study involving migraine patients in Iran found that those who supplemented standard treatment with prayer experienced significantly lower pain scores than those who received only medical treatment. Religious faith often enhances social support and promotes physiological relaxation responses, contributing to a holistic sense of healing and resilience.

These outcomes are not magic—they’re the fruit of a transformed life. If you receive the One who made life, you will live it differently. That difference will show up in how you think, how you suffer, how you love, and how you endure.

The Spiritual Reality Behind the Empirical Results

Now, the skeptic will again point out: "But belief in any god can yield similar results." And yes, belief—any belief—can shape behavior. But Christianity never claimed that feelings alone prove God. Christianity claims that those who truly receive Christ are indwelt by God. The data is not the cause of faith—it is a consequence of it. That measurable good comes from the immeasurable gift of God. And God Himself is the true gift, whether or not there is empirical data to back it.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

— John 18:36 (NIV)

Conclusion: Faith Is More Than Fruitful—It Is True

I do not believe in Christ because of data. I believe because He is alive, and I have encountered Him. But I’m not surprised when the data confirms what I already know to be true: God changes everything.

To the one who asks, "What does God give that others don’t get?" I say again: He gives Himself. And if that doesn’t seem like enough—look again at what follows when He is received.

Peace. Healing. Clarity. Freedom. Truth. Love. And most of all, eternal life.

Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

— John 6:35–36 (NIV)