How do you think a religious person should live their life, in terms of their faith?

Question

I personally think that faith should be an intensely private experience. It's YOUR connection with YOUR god, and is nobody else's business.

In terms of trying to convert someone, I'd say you should just be open to questions and let someone come to you.

What do you think?

Answer 1

It may seem a trite answer, but faith in God will make you more pious. Your piety will be an example to others, whether you feel it is a private matter or not. Christians are admonished to not keep their gifts hidden under a basket, but to let them shine in this world. That said, we should not be wearing our faith on our sleeves, making loud noises to everyone around us.

But, by faith I mean the following:

Faith commences with the conviction of the mind based on adequate evidence; faith continues in the confidence of the heart or emotions based on conviction, and faith is crowned in the consent of the will, by means of which the conviction and confidence are expressed in conduct.

Key points:
Conviction of the Mind
Confidence of the Heart
Consent of the Will
Conduct of the Body

As you can see from the above, faith affects the whole of a person's nature. Even the demons *believe*. Belief is not enough. Many may claim to be Christians, but we know from the scriptures that many are called, but few are chosen:

Mat 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Mat 7:17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
Mat 7:18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
Mat 7:23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (ESV Translation)

Faith without works is dead, just as the fig tree cursed by Christ when it did not bear fruit (Mt. 21:19). By a Christian's fruit you will know their true nature.

Non-believers cannot adequately reason the revelations of God in the world around them, nor in the written revelations of God, the bible. Their eyes have been closed to the truth because they are unwilling to still their minds and hear the call of the Holy Spirit to God's grace.

2Co 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
2Co 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Instead, they are given over to their own devices, seeking the “truth” within themselves where no real truth can be found:

2Ti 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
2Ti 3:4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
2Ti 3:5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

God's foreknowledge of the choices we will make in this life is the reason for these conditions. An omnipotent God cannot make a morally free person who is incapable of consciously choosing to sin. Thus there will be those that with full knowledge of God's revelation who will choose to reject His divine mercy. This is the unforgivable sin.

We know from the scriptures that few will be called to righteousness. The John 3:16 of the bible is not for everyone, but only for those God has called to be His elect whom were chosen before the creation of the universe.

Answer 2

I think that if you are a true believer then your faith should shine through. I'm not all about RELIGION. To me it just adds another name that categorizes everyone. I look at it as... if you believe in God, serve his will, and give a piece of his love to others... that's all that matters.
Yes i agree that faith should be a private experience, but when you feel the need to share part of the experience it could be for a reason and that reason is in the person that is listening. People are in need of help daily and sometimes all it takes are a few words to help that person find their way again.

Answer 3

I dont agree. I respect everyones right to believe what they want. But my faith makes me who I am. You can see it when you meet me. I am passionate about Christ and you talk about the things that you are passionate about----not incessantly, but it does come out in the course of the day, various things about me make me a Christian. I do not evangelize and I do not seek to convert. I allow Christ to use me any way He has planned. When someone is put in my path, I know it. God has never asked me to convert anyone. I have been asked to be kind, to forgive to turn the other cheek, to pray and to share the good news but never to convert. Only God can change a heart. Hope that helps.

Answer 4

Without being too "preachy", I'll give it a shot. Lots of people ask this question. Whose worship does God accept?? And the answer is a lot less complicated than one would think.
Well, rather than say, "My beliefs suit me" or " it's private how I serve" wouldn't it make sense to find out how He wants to be served?He actually tells us in the Bible. And I promise He doesn't make it hard to find out.

Answer 5

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

No, when you care about others, that love compels you to try to rescue them. Jesus was not silent,
but went about openly proclaiming in the Synagogues, and on every street.

There's nothing the devil would like more then to shut up
Christians.

Answer 6

A person should live their life as they believe in their heart, not what someone else thinks they should live like.
For the most part I find it is non believers that are trying to make the rules for believers.
What right have they to do so?
Make the rules for yourselves, not believers.

Answer 7

I agree whole heartedly. The tenets of most religions describe the experience as one between yourself and the object of your worship. Your life is YOUR journey and too many people stand, as judges, in the way of progress.

Answer 8

the thing is, my God is publically intimate. have I lost you?
God wants to know everyone personally, but to do that, they have to accept Christ, and they can't do that if the truth isn't presented to them.

the conversion part makes sense. I don't know about everyone else, but I can only help those who want it, spiritually speaking.

Answer 9

If this is how you feel then great!!!

Yet, you can't decide this for everyone b/c people are different

Answer 10

all bets are off when you cross that line. anything goes, and will.