SailorWriter
Member
I just want to my faith of God stronger than before. Thank you.
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Guest, Join Papa Zoom today for some uplifting biblical encouragement! --> Daily Verses
How to deal with doubt/weakness of faith as a Christian?
- Thread starter SailorWriter
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Jethro Bodine
Member
I have found that for faith to thrive you have to be actively involved with other devout believers whose lives revolve around the study and application of scripture. And I don't mean sitting silently with them in a church service, but rather a church meeting where all are involved.
Adding to what Jethro wrote, suppose you have a desire to be a great baseball player. Would you likely achieve your goal by being a couch potato? No, along with any natural ability you may have been given, it would require effort, dedication, training, study, and practice to build on that ability.
It is true that faith comes from God but does this mean that we don't have a role to play? The book of James speaks about works as they relate to our faith saying....
Chapter 1:
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Chapter 2:
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
The Scriptures were inspired by God Himself. Read and study the Scriptures. Meditate upon them. Carry them in your heart. Learn and grow in faith. And above all, "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV) Humble yourself and make God first and foremost in your life.
Romans 10:17 (NASB)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
How do we know to trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord unless we have heard the Good News that he is our Savior? Faith rests upon knowledge. And so, God has given to us His word, the Bible, that the apostle Paul wrote was "profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly equipped unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Your faith in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, must be grounded in the truths about God given to you in the Bible. That knowledge will deepen and expand your faith, it will guide and purify your faith. So, be in God's word, the Bible, often, studying it carefully and being nourished spiritually by it. (Psalms 1; Psalms 119:105; Matthew 4:4; 1 Peter 2:2)
The apostle Paul had some important things to say about the nature of faith. In one instance, he explained how his own faith worked to his protege, Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:12-14 (NASB)
12 ...for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
Paul confirmed in this verse the connection between what you know and in what you will trust. His thinking goes like this: Knowledge (about God)>conviction (settled confidence in the truth of what he knew about God)>action (he entrusted himself to God). This is how living by faith in God ought to work for everybody. The Christian's faith isn't blind, but rests directly on what the Bible reveals to the Christian about God, themselves and Reality itself. So, again, get a Bible and study it well!
Romans 12:2-3 (NASB)
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
The Christian "renews their mind" by soaking their mind in the truth and light of God's word, filling their mind with God's truth and keeping their mind fixed upon who God is and what He has said to them in His word, the Bible (Colossians 3:10). They are able to do this, in part, because God has given to every person the capacity for faith. There is no one who does not trust in something, no one who does not believe in, or have faith in, something or someone. You just can't get through life without faith, trust, and belief. For example, I trust my doctor, my barber, and my dentist; I have faith in my wife and her fidelity to me and to God; I believe the earth revolves around the Sun, and that out in space there are black holes big enough to swallow entire galaxies. The number of things in which I exercise some measure, and kind, of faith are many! But this is true for everyone.
God calls us to use the capacity to have faith in something, which He has given to us all, to trust in Him, in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Informed by the Truth of God's word, we exercise our faith toward God, toward Jesus Christ, toward the Holy Spirit, throughout every day, by an act of the will, standing unmoved upon what God has said is true about Himself, ourselves and all of Creation.
Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
tim-from-pa
Member
Four English words: The Word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Now, since John called Jesus Christ the Word, then replace "Word" with Jesus Christ. Let's put Jesus into that verse: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by Jesus Christ. As Jesus Christ is the express image of God the Father, likewise the written Word is that image of Christ. Read the Bible, then when you are done with it completely, start again, only the next time, study the context of each book, then after you are done with that, read it again and again and again..... You'll have stronger faith. Guaranteed!
Christ_empowered
Member
My advice would be prayer scripture and fellowship…
And try to focus on Jesus. Sounds obvious but it’s difficult I think somewhat more so in today’s society.
He saves us. He redeems and forgives us. He recreates us to conform unto His image..,
And this requires a measure of cooperation on our part but again…
My life is not my own. True of all believers. Easy to read feel good about maybe feel challenged..,
Not as easy in real time progress. Patience! I’m basically encouraging patience. We’re not doing things on our own timetable…
And try to focus on Jesus. Sounds obvious but it’s difficult I think somewhat more so in today’s society.
He saves us. He redeems and forgives us. He recreates us to conform unto His image..,
And this requires a measure of cooperation on our part but again…
My life is not my own. True of all believers. Easy to read feel good about maybe feel challenged..,
Not as easy in real time progress. Patience! I’m basically encouraging patience. We’re not doing things on our own timetable…
Yes, it can be very difficult. For one, it goes against our own nature. We prefer to be our own gods rather than let God lead our lives.
The closer you draw into Christ and learn of Him the stronger your faith will become by applying His word to your life.
Dorothy Mae
Member
Faith in God grows by obeying Him. If it grew by learning scripture, theologians would have the most faith. They tend to have the least. It doesn’t grow by “experiencing his presence” either. There are “worship” leaders who became atheists after years of “experiencing His presence.” It comes by doing what Jesus taught us to do and seeing how that works out.
Dorothy Mae
Member
Jesus sent his disciples out to minister to others obeying his teaching. One doesn't get the impression just being with him brings maturity.
Christ_empowered
Member
That’s a valid point and one I see in action. People can spend their entire lives in church and still somehow not get The Gospel.
Dorothy Mae
Member
There are not a few testimonies of “worship” leaders steeped in “being in the Presence” who became atheists and say so. Why? Because that is not how one matures.
Dorothy Mae
Member
You want a scripture from a book written over 2000 years ago about events that are true today? But I can give you a scripture about those who will experience the real presence of God and what is required for that experience. But you will not like it. Modern Christians like the presence of God to be there when modern music is played and they get a feeling that is very pleasant. What is worse, this scripture tells you the kind of person God loves and it doesn't say "those who have accepted Jesus."
John 14:21 and 23
for me anyway, seeing that faith cometh by hearing the Word of God, therefore if we lack faith, then we must needs more abundantly hear the Word of God: by the way, hearing is much more than merely listening or reading; it is the submitting to and relying upon the Word of God all the day long.
Dorothy Mae
Member
Doing the word increases faith. As long as “relying on it” means obeying it, we’re good.
No, I wanted verses from Scripture that supported your assertion that "Faith in God grows by obeying Him" and that "It (faith) comes by doing what Jesus taught us to do and seeing how that works out." I can think of a couple of verses that somewhat support what you've said here. Can you?
Don't be too sure, Dorothy Mae. You don't know the character of my walk with God.
Uh huh. This isn't "the presence of God." Did I indicate it was in my posts to this thread?
Well, hang on there, Dorothy Mae. God loves the whole world and gave His only Son in redemption of it, loving the lost sinner when s/he was "dead in trespasses and sins." What you seem to be implying here, though, is that God does not love the lost. God's word does not agree:
1 John 4:9-10 (NASB)
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
John 3:16-17 (NASB)
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Romans 5:6-8 (NASB)
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I've got a big problem, too, with the idea that obedience=love. This isn't, I hope you know, what the verses you cited actually say.
John 14:21-24 (NASB)
21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
Love is the predicate to obedience. That is, it must exist before obedience, giving rise to it. There is natural overlap between these two things, but they are by no means synonymous or identical. The Pharisees made this abundantly clear, being professionally-obedient to the Law of God while having hearts far from God.
Matthew 15:7-9 (KJV)
7 You hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draws near unto me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Love is, at its core, desire. Not a feeling of affection, not semi-romantic sentimentality, not a warm fuzzy, but desire.
Psalm 143:6 (NASB)
6 I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.
Psalm 42:1-2 (NASB)
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalm 63:1 (NASB)
1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
This hunger, this thirst, this longing to know and walk with God is the heart of what God means when He speaks to us of love for Him in His word. Out of this deep desire for Him springs obedience to His commands. And when it is love that motivates our obedience, our obedience is joyful and enthusiastic, glorifying God and operating with a power that fear, or obligation, or self-righteousness, or empty tradition cannot produce.
In any event, I would be careful not to emphasize one aspect of faith-building over another. A believer's faith is completed by action (aka obedience), but it does not begin with action, but, rather, with knowledge. (2 Timothy 1:12; James 2:22)