How does God look at our faith?

God looks into our heart

"... Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve" (Revelation 3:23).

But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart' (Isaiah 16:7).

God demands a holy, reverential heart

Because God is Holy and He expects all those who believe in Him to be holy.

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Holiness is also a working of God in our lives. He only wants our cooperation and willingness to obey Him to make us one like His Son Jesus Christ.

"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters" (Romans 8:29).

Genuine faith involves obedience to the commandments God given in His Holy Bible. First and foremost are the Ten Commandments.

What are the Ten Commandments?

During the time of Jesus, He summarized them as follows:

• Love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself, and Love your enemies as yourself.
• Love your neighbor as yourself, and
• Love your enemies
  

  "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27-28).

Where the Law failed

Jesus knew that it is impossible for anyone to fulfill these commandments. So He has sent to us the Holy Spirit to help us obey all of God's commandments.

"For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:3-8).

Holy Spirit

So the Holy Spirit whom God gave us at the time when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior will be our helper to will and to do what He commanded us to do, which includes loving even our enemies.

"for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13).

We should not worship men or even Angels

Bible says, in Revelation 22:8-9,

"I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.

But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

When Apostle John bowed down to worship the Angel, he stopped John from worshiping him and he also refused John's worship. Again in Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26 says,

As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."

Peter did not allow or accept Cornelius' worship.

Only God is worthy of our worship. But as a sign of respect we could bow low to one another. That is fine. Finally, dear friends, we could place our faith in such a loving and trustworthy God, Jesus.

Jesus is trustworthy of our worship.

He is the Son of God who rose from the dead and lives forever. He is able to fulfill all of God's promises no matter how many of them there are.

Jesus accepted worship because He is worthy of our worship

After His resurrection from the dead Jesus appeared to some of His disciples and they worshipped Him and Jesus accepted their worship,

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them.

"Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:19-20,

He isn't one to say "yes" when He means "no". He always does exactly what He says. He carries out and fulfills all of God's promises, no matter how many of them there are; and we have told everyone how faithful He is, giving glory to His name (2 Corinthians 1:19-20).

About good deeds

It isn't enough just to have faith.

"Faith that doesn't show itself in obedience to God's word is no faith at all - it is dead and useless"

This does not mean that we gain salvation (eternal life) by doing good works. We receive salvation through genuine faith that results in good deeds.

The Bible says, in Ephesians 2:8--10,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourself, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one should boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Live by genuine faith

This is your precious life. You cannot afford to gamble with it. You cannot leave this decision for another person to make for you. You are responsible to God for your life. Be wise and bold to make that decision yourself today.

It is a universal truth that Dead men cannot keep their promises. Only an Eternal God could keep his promises. Therefore, do not place your hope on Mortal men and their empty promises regarding life after death. Jesus says, in Revelation 21:6-8,

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But the cowardly and the unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Receive Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior

Here are few things you need to know before you receive Christ:

• Once you receive Him by faith, trust that He lives in your life and tell others confirming your Salvation.
  

  "That if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10).

• You should not be ashamed of Jesus, because He is your risen Savior and Lord. Paul says,
  

  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38).

Do you sincerely desire to have this kind of genuine faith? If yes, here is how you could receive Jesus Christ.

After receiving Him, obey Him lovingly and not out of fear. The Bible says,

(Jesus speaking) "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21).

"Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back is drawing near" (Hebrews 10:25).

Once you receive Jesus you have become a new creation.

"Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Grow in faith

Therefore, we should love and obey His commandments, including baptism, and church fellowship and worship services.

Church is the Body of Christ

How could we keep His commandment to love one another if we don't take the initiative to meet them and get to know them? The best place I found from my experience to fulfill that command is to meet people of the same faith as they come together to worship in a near by church where God is honored and the Bible is taught. There is no better place to grow in our faith than a Bible teaching Church. If you are not already attending one, don't wait to be invited, start this Sunday and continue.

Do you know a strange thing, the people that you will be meeting in Heaven are likely the same people that you have been meeting in the churches all over the world. So why not familiarize with them here and now! Come and worship the Lord together in joyful celebration because of what He has done for you. All churches will welcome you wholeheartedly.