How does one know if he has faith in God?
Question:
I have this question: how does one know if he has faith in God or not? For example, I find it hard to talk to people who fought with me, but not all people. Some I talk to without fear that they might yell at me and they forgive me. With a few, I feel they will not like to talk to me, so I am not angry at them. I let them not talk to me; instead, I try not to talk to them because I don’t want to quarrel, in case they don’t want to talk to me. Is this sin? I shy away from these people not because of anger against them but because they might get angry at me. Do you think I’m condemned if I don’t go to them? Some I don’t have contacts at all with them because they left the job.
I believe that Jesus came to die for our sins, I think that is faith in God, I also believe that if I’m destined to be married or remain single only God knows, and I can feel that. I don’t force myself into relationships now as I used to, but I believe that marriage can be arranged by parents either if I ask them that I like this guy or that guy, it is not a bad thing -- the bad thing is that you rebel against God for not giving you a mate. Before I used to feel that and I committed worse sins for that reason, but I am sorry for doing so. I know I was a bad person. I know if I don’t have faith in God it means that I don’t believe in God, which makes me a very bad person, but in your website, you mentioned that believing in God cannot just be a statement. But if you know about God and had the chance to learn about him, how can you reject God if you know that He is with us and love us?
I also am not a quarreling person, but some people do not accept me to talk to them if I try to; even though I’m sorry for what I did to them but had no courage to tell them that I’m sorry for the fear that won't accept me as their friend. If I avoid talking to them for being shy of that reason, is it a sin? It is most important for me to know.
Some religions command people to kill. In my opinion, it is a religion that opposes God’s orders, why do such religions exist?
Thanks for taking the time to clear this up, I say I believe in God because I am a God fearing person, not that I am lying about it. If I really didn’t believe in God, I wouldn’t get sorry if I broke any of the commandments right?
Answer:
The book of I John addresses the question of how we can know our relationship with God is correct. In it John said,
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (I John 1:6-7).
"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him" (I John 2:3-5).
"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes" (I John 2:9-11).
"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him" (I John 3:18-19).
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (I John 5:2-3).
There is much more in this small book and I recommend that you read it through several times. Faith is shown in what we do -- not in what we claim. "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 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? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:14-26). Thus, "he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25).
Having faith doesn't imply that we will always live perfectly. Satan still operates in the world, trying to bring Christians down. We will stumble at times. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (I John 1:8-10). The difference between a child of God and a child of Satan is that God's children pick themselves up after they fall and try to live righteously again.
Is it wrong to let your fears or shyness about others stop you from talking to them about God? Do you truly believe that God said the unrighteous will end up in hell? No matter what you think of another, would you want them to spend an eternity in hell? "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences" (II Corinthians 5:10-11). Everyone will not listen, but at least we can say we tried. Some might get angry with us, but then that is a matter they will have to take up with the Lord on Judgment Day. Christians are popular because of what they believe (Acts 5:13), but Christianity is not a popularity contest.
In regards to the question of why evil religions exist, see "If there is a God, why does evil exist?"
