Articles
True Faith
The way that you view your faith will be reflected in the way you live your life. Is your faith based on a set of fixed rules, days, and rituals that make you feel good about yourself, or is it based on a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Many people, including some Christians, view religion as a set of doctrinal do’s and don’ts that will make one feel pleasing to God. Go to church on Sunday morning, pray before eating, visit a sick relative or friend, and contribute some money to the local church.
Real faith views Christianity as more than just a religion, it is seen as the only means by which we can ever hope to be brought back into a right relationship with the God that created all things. God wants obedience (1 Samuel 15: 22). Obeying God’s word from the heart is better than any outward form of worship, service, or personal sacrifice. However, the simple truth is, if you obey God’s word from the heart, all of those things mentioned in paragraph 2 will not be a checklist of things to do, but will be a natural part of our Christian lives. Obeying God from the heart is the outward expression of our belief.
Our belief is that God has called us to a life directed by His word because His word has revealed the way to the paradise that we all so desperately seek when this life is over. The Bible teaches us that we are adopted children of God when we obey His command to believe, repent, and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Gal 3: 26-29, Gal 4: 3-7) As children of God, we recognize His role as our Father and abide in His house accordingly. Thus our faith develops into a relationship that submits, rather than a set of rules to be followed. God displayed His love as our creator by offering us a means to escape from the sin that leads to even worse consequences than the turmoil we face here on earth. Our love and service is a natural response to our faith in God that He will deliver us from such a place.
Christianity is not just something we do on Sundays and Wednesdays, it is a way of life that is seen in everything we do and say each and every day. It is a way of life that is cheerful, compassionate, and gentle in nature. It is a way of life that seeks the wisdom of God’s word to guide us through this life, and it is a way of life that sees beyond the here and now and looks to the hereafter.
