In what ways can we demonstrate belief in Jesus in our community? The Key Verse “Jesus replied, ‘This is the work of God: to believe in the One He has sent.’” (John 6:29) Belief That Starts Inside and Moves Out True belief is not passive. It is a living trust that produces visible fruit (James 2:17). Jesus links “work” with “believe,” showing that trusting Him is itself an active response that changes everything about how we live among our neighbors. Ways We Demonstrate Belief with Our Words • Share the gospel simply and clearly (Romans 10:14). • Speak words that build up rather than tear down (Ephesians 4:29). • Offer public thanks to God for blessings—letting gratitude point others to Christ (Colossians 3:17). • Defend truth graciously when conversations turn toward moral or spiritual issues (1 Peter 3:15). Ways We Demonstrate Belief with Our Actions • Serve needs you can see: cook a meal, fix a fence, tutor a child (Galatians 6:9-10). • Give generously, remembering that everything belongs to the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). • Practice integrity in business, schoolwork, and online—“whatever you do, work at it with all your heart” (Colossians 3:23-24). • Forgive quickly, mirroring the mercy you’ve received (Ephesians 4:32). • Live a lifestyle of repentance that turns from sin and turns toward Christ daily (Acts 3:19). Ways We Demonstrate Belief in Relationships • Love fellow believers sacrificially; Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). • Seek unity, not division; “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). • Honor marriage and family commitments as living testimonies of covenant faithfulness (Hebrews 13:4). • Welcome newcomers, strangers, and the lonely into your circle (Romans 12:13). Ways We Demonstrate Belief Through Compassion • Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, visit the sick and imprisoned—doing it “to the least of these” is doing it to Christ (Matthew 25:35-40). • Advocate for the voiceless—unborn, elderly, disabled—reflecting God’s value of every life (Psalm 139:13-16). • Practice hospitality without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9). • Mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). Ways We Demonstrate Belief by Shining Light Publicly • Live so that “they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). • Engage civic life with biblical convictions—vote, volunteer, and voice truth with grace (Micah 6:8). • Stand firm when culture contradicts Scripture, trusting God’s protection as Daniel did (Daniel 3:16-18). Ways We Demonstrate Belief in Everyday Faithfulness • Begin and end each day in Scripture and prayer (Joshua 1:8). • Gather consistently with the local church (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Disciple others—at the dinner table, on coffee breaks, during neighborhood walks—obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). • Work diligently, “doing everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may shine… in a crooked and twisted generation” (Philippians 2:14-15). Bringing It Together Belief in Jesus is the work God calls us to, and that belief wears work boots. It speaks, serves, gives, forgives, stands for truth, and keeps pressing on in everyday faithfulness. As our community sees lives transformed by the One the Father has sent, many will be drawn to believe in Him as well. |
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