The Precious Fruits of Faith

What would you trade in this world for the kingdom of God? Is there anything worth this gift we have been given? Is there anything in the creation more precious than the blood of Jesus that was shed so that we could have faith that leads to salvation and eternal life? Of course not. Even so, I wonder how much we really lay hold of “the faith” that came at such a high price.

I know I could use more appreciation for it. I don’t want a weak-willed faith. I want to hold it with an iron grip that would not dare allow this world to snatch it away—even in the slightest.

As someone who is prone to letting the world get her down, I appreciate that I can have faith at all. I look at the unbelief in the world and I think, wow. God is so good to me by allowing me to believe in Jesus at all. What an amazing gift!

I’m thankful, but I also want more from the faith. I want to know the one I’m believing in. I want to know what he stands for, what he wants from my life, and how I can grow towards doing things that are pleasing to God. I want to know how to get the most from my faith.

If I continue in this world, and all I did was make a “declaration of faith” then continue living as if this “free gift” made no impact on me, what do I have to show God for the sacrifice he made?

“Here God. Here’s that faith you suffered to give me. No, it didn’t cause me to grow in righteousness, but I believed in you. Wasn’t that what you wanted?”

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? This sounds like a statement made by a “wicked and slothful servant.” I will never claim to have it all together. I’ve learned that no matter how much I think the Lord is changing me, there is always room to grow.

I will never know anything as well as I should and I will never be good like God is good. However, I do know that I can move towards those things. I know that faith will bring about fruits that allow me to draw nearer to God and detach me from the bonds of this world.

What Does it Mean to Have Faith?

In essence, when we have faith in something, we are placing our confidence or trust in that thing we look to. As Christians, we place our faith in Jesus Christ, right? However, are we as trusting and confident in him as we could be? I know I have much room to grow in this, so I wonder, in what ways can I live a more “faith-filled” life?

Is living a faith-filled life about avoiding sin by our own ability, just to be later discouraged when we fail? Or should we have faith that Jesus will work the fruits of righteousness in us by HIS power?

Is living a faith-filled life about taking vengeance into our own hands when someone does us wrong? Or, should we have faith in the patience, mercy, and wisdom of God by allowing Him to deal with our enemies while we “trust in the Lord and do good?”

Are we living a faith-filled life when we put our trust and confidence in this wisdom of this world over the wisdom of God that most often flies in the face of what the world deems is best?

To truly live in the faith means that we trust in the Lord and “lean not on our own understanding.” Our own understanding tells us that we will always be bound to sin, but yet we also should not sin. Our own understanding is selfish, greedy, and concerned with growing in the kingdom of this world instead of the kingdom of God.

Lay Hold of The Faith and Find Freedom From This World!

When we truly believe in who Jesus is and trust in him, we are given an unshakable peace. I want to know that peace. I want to know what it’s like to smile in the face of adversity, to retain an inner joy that cannot be corrupted by this world, to show the same patience towards others that Jesus shows towards me.

I want to learn mercy, wise judgment, and how to set aside the cares and pleasures of this present kingdom for a kingdom that is far more valuable—and far more satisfying. Faith in Jesus provides these things.

Faith in Jesus is salvation from this present wicked world. It is forgiveness for sins. It is a power to have our natures changed into the righteousness of God. It is a precious promise of entering into a place of eternal peace. Faith is the greatest gift of all—one that we should continue to pursue so that we can live the “abundant life” Jesus died to provide for us.

This article was originally going to be entitled “The Fruits of Faith vs The Fruits of The Flesh,” but I decided to go in a slightly different direction. This is part of the article series, “Minuscule Faith Moves Mountains.”