Are You Really Seeking True Faith?

ARE you really seeking the truth, searching for it? Probably you would answer: “Of course I am!”

But many people are not really seeking the truth. In fact, they may not even want to believe. Why would anyone not want to believe that God exists and that the Bible, with its outstanding promises for the future, is his marvelous Word?

For some, accepting these facts might require changes in life-style. Because they do not want to bring their lives into harmony with God’s ways, they must invent doubts and objections, convincing themselves that the Bible is not true.

Even some individuals in the Christian congregation could be like this. The truth sounds good to them, but they may still be holding on to some secret practice that they know God’s Word forbids. So they hang back or slowly drift away. The Bible says: “It was through spurning conscience that certain persons made shipwreck of their faith.”​—1 Timothy 1:19, The New English Bible.

When Jesus Christ was on earth, the truth annoyed many people. Wanting to do things their own way, they refused to accept sound evidence. Quoting earlier prophetic words, Jesus said that their heart was unreceptive. They had shut their eyes and ears “that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back” so as to be healed spiritually.​—Matthew 13:14, 15.

People of that type may simply say that things have not been made clear. Some who opposed Jesus asked him: “How long are you to keep our souls in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us outspokenly.” But their failure to understand was not Jesus’ fault; it was their own. Jesus answered: “I told you, and yet you do not believe. The works that I am doing in the name of my Father, these bear witness about me. But you do not believe, because you are none of my sheep.”​—John 10:24-26.

If anyone does not want to hear and get the sense of the truth and turn back and get healing for himself, Satan the Devil will take advantage of that fact. Satan blinds “the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.”​—2 Corinthians 4:4; see also Matthew 13:10-15.

Does this mean that there is no hope of hearing and understanding the good news? Of course it does not mean that! What it means is that much depends on you, the hearer.

What the Bible says rings true if you are really seeking true faith. The proud and haughty religious leaders, who did not want to listen, opposed Jesus. But what about the crowds? Why, they “were astounded at his way of teaching”! Even the officers sent to arrest him came back with the report: “Never has another man spoken like this.”​—Matthew 7:28; John 7:46.

If you are seeking the truth, are searching for God’s way and are willing to apply his Word in your life, you will find true faith. Jesus said: “Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled.” “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” “Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.”​—Matthew 5:6; John 10:14, 27; 18:37.

Faith is a fruit produced by God’s holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 23) If you pray for accurate knowledge and faith, really making an effort to gain them and to live by them, God will help you. As Jesus said: “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.”​—Matthew 7:7.

Even if you have a problem on which you need to work, God will help you. The inspired Scriptures say: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.”​—Proverbs 3:5, 6.

God “sees what the heart is.” (1 Samuel 16:7) He knows if you are searching for truth and righteousness and if you are willing to do things his right way. If you draw close to God, he will draw close to you.​—James 4:8.

Are you such a person? Are you really seeking true faith? Have you heard the Father’s teaching and opened your mind to it? Have you learned it and accepted it? And in order to conform to God’s righteous ways, have you straightened out things that may have been problems in your own life?

If so, you can be encouraged by Jesus’ words: “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me.”​—John 6:45.

The heavenly Father’s teaching is found in a unique book. Let us now consider its value and how it can affect our faith.

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Keep in God’s Love

New and weak Christians are vulnerable. In fact, all of us are. Hence, we should guard our own faith and be vigorous in helping others to strengthen themselves spiritually. How can this be done? Pointing to one way, the disciple Jude wrote: “Beloved ones, by building up yourselves on your most holy faith, and praying with holy spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love, while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.”​—Jude 20, 21.