Have You Been Loved By Christians? Part 3: Faith

What do you think of when considering Christian faith? Faith means that we believe in Jesus, the Son of God who sacrificed himself for the remission of our sins so that we can be saved from sin and death. It means we trust in the Lord and believe that He is causing all things to work together for our spiritual well-being. Faith in Jesus also means that we believe in what he taught and commanded – and what was his greatest commandment? That we love one another, right?

When we have faith in Jesus, our faith is shown in how we love others.

Faith In Jesus Provides Patience With Others

When we believe that Jesus has the ability to change the natures of those who seek him earnestly, we approach those who struggle with sin differently than those who do not believe this fundamental, but often forgotten, aspect of the gospel. We hold faith in their victory rather than their defeat, meaning we believe for their sake that Jesus will free them from the sins they struggle with instead of labeling them based on these things.

Faith in Jesus Means We Do Good to All

When we have full faith in Jesus, we do not act in ways that are aligned with self-preservation or a sense of our own need for justice. For example, Jesus said, “pray for them that spitefully use you and persecute you.” We are to “trust in the Lord and do good” to everyone, regardless of circumstance, allowing the Lord to deal with their hearts if they will not hear us when we gently try to correct them. Faith also means that we know that all things are coming together for our good, and often the best way to learn patience and love is by dealing with difficult people without taking vengeance into our own hands. When we have faith in these things, we are better able to love others, including those who we might otherwise have difficulty loving as we should.

When you are treated poorly by people of “the faith,” it brings into question what they put their faith in.

Do they put their faith in their own righteousness and judgment or that of God? Do they put their faith in their own sense of justice or allow God to be their avenger? Do they believe Jesus will actually perform the promises he made and free those in bonds to sin?

When people of “the faith” show more hate, bitterness, anger and fear, impatience, selfishness, harshness, and poor control over their words or other actions, then we might question how “alive” their faith is when the fruit they show is dead. Faith given of God will lead to the fruits of life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance.

That being said, all of us have room for growth in these areas, and as our faith grows, we will all show better love towards others. Those who treat you poorly might be lacking in faith, so the best thing to do is to pray for them. Faith is a gift given by God, and only He can help them reach a better understanding that will allow them to show better love towards others.

Have You Been Loved By Christians in Judgment, Mercy, and Faith? Final Thoughts

Whether we are Christians or not, all of us have shown a lacking in judgment, mercy, and faith at points in our lives, so just because someone isn’t the best example of the love of Jesus now does not mean they will never be. We have to remember to search our own hearts first and ask the Lord to strengthen us in these things before we go around judging others, so that we can retain proper judgment, mercy and faith towards all people ourselves – whether they are of the faith or not and whether they are good examples of Christ or not.

The point of these articles is to offer support to those who find it difficult to continue in the faith because of harsh treatment by Christians, and to encourage all of us to be better examples of the love of Jesus Christ. I also want to encourage everyone to remember that we have all fallen short, and we all need to seek Jesus in order to keep the hatefulness in this world from taking root and causing us to become as those who lack judgment, mercy, and faith – because without the grace of Jesus Christ, none of us can learn these things as we should.

This article is the final in the series, “Have You Been Loved By Christians?”

Have You Been Loved by Christians? Part 1: Judgment

Have You Been Loved By Christians? Part 2: Mercy

Related Articles:

Only God Can Open Eyes and Ears

Faith is a Gift of Life from God

Faith VS Fear and the Duality of God