What is your attitude toward faith? You can say you have faith in God, but you should not consider this to be your key to eternal life with Him. The only way to have true faith in God is by establishing a relationship with Him that is genuine and intimate. How can anyone have faith in someone else if they have never had any real and personal encounter with each other.
Faith in God isn’t Found Through Intellect
We must first realize that faith in God is not something you can acquire just by applying your intellect to understanding Him. You can’t reason your way to God. You also cannot simply transfer and apply the faith you have in your current religion to Him. There is only one way you can learn to know, trust, and have faith in God—and that is by prayer.
Human Reason is Not Based on God
You can’t take a calculator and add up all the factors that make faith possible, because this will not provide a proper example of the kind you need to have in Christ. You can’t turn to human reason either, because your reasoning is not based on God. “The faith” we are speaking about here refers to Christ redeeming you by shedding His blood on the cross for you, and then God’s Spirit coming to live inside of you. It also involves believing that God is love, and that He will take care of you if you faithfully continue to have confidence in Him.
But be careful not to prejudge what having a life of faith means if you are not living such a life yourself. You may discuss this concept with people having different opinions, but your faith in God will still demand that you obey Him, no matter what it may cost you.
Faith is Based on God Himself
So you need to base your faith solely and firmly on God Himself. Then you will be able to also know God’s Son, Jesus, by your faith in Him as your Savior and Lord, who becomes your life, your peace, and everything to you. God’s main aim and purpose is to take this whole concept and make it real in our lives.
Don’t Prejudge What is a Life of Faith
But be careful not to prejudge what having a life of faith means if you are not living such a life yourself. You may discuss this concept with people having different opinions, but your faith in God will still demand that you obey Him, no matter what it may cost you. If you consider yourself faithful to Him, this will be consistently be your attitude. This is what makes it possible for you to know, enjoy, and claim Jesus as your own. And the more you know and enjoy Him, the more you will long to see Him face to face.
After Being Declared Innocent Then We Have Peace With God
The Apostle Paul said “…I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). He also tells us that, once we have been “…justified by faith, [then] we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).
Once you have this, then you need to “…continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [not] be moved away from the hope of the gospel [the good news about Jesus Christ], which [you] have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven…”(Colossians 1:23). Then you will know for certain that God is pleased with you.
“For the [Bible] saith, whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed…[and that] whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:11, 13, 17
An Opportunity to Enter a Life of Faith in God
If you have never before entered into a life of faith in God, read the following. Then apply what it says to yourself personally right now:
“…The word is [near] thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the [Bible] saith, whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed…[and that] whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:8-13, 17).
If you just confessed and believed in Jesus like this passage says, then you have just been “saved”! You have now become part of “…all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), who is “…the end of [our] faith [which is] the salvation of [our] souls” (1 Peter 1:9). It is “…by [God’s] grace [that you] are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8).
If you have just made that confession and accepted Christ into your heart, congratulations! We would like to be able to rejoice with you. Please visit our Contact Page and let us know of what Jesus has done for you.
[Additional image credits: Featured image (when applicable) by Hermann Steurer from Pixabay; Opening image by Kevin Bluer on Unsplash]
