🪴 Cami

From Inherited Faith to Personal Conviction

3 min read

Opening - Brief Recap

We talked about staying firm in faith.
Learned why faith matters.

Today, we talk about the process From Inherited Faith to Personal Conviction

I have doubts,
you may have doubts too sometimes,
and even Jesus’s closest disciples struggled with doubts and faith.

Doubt is human.

Point 1: Doubt is Normal

Doubting Thomas (John 20:24-29)

  • Jesus’s blessing: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” - damit sind Leute wie wir gemeint

Key Messages:
(1)

  • Jesus didn’t reject Thomas - He met him where he was
  • Thomas wasn’t kicked out, other disciples didn’t shame him
  • Jesus specifically came back to address Thomas’s doubt
  • Jesus provided what Thomas needed to believe
    (2)
  • Wrestling with faith leads to deeper conviction, not loss of faith
  • Personal struggle with God is necessary for genuine faith ownership

Personal Insight: It’s okay to question beliefs

Point 2: Faith is Required to Please God

Hebrews 11:6 - “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Key Messages:
(1)

  • Emphasis on “sincerely” - not just because parents pressure you
  • Your faith started as inherited faith, but you have to decide for yourself
    (2)
  • James 2:14-17 - Faith without deeds is dead
  • Faith without deeds is dead - real faith produces action

Question: So - whats the difference between faith and doubt? Can one do both? What do you think? (I don’t have a clear answer myself)

Take faith seriously - move from inherited to personal faith
Make your faith your own choice, not just inherited tradition from your parents.

Point 3: Joy in Trials Grows Faith

James 1:2-6 - “Consider it pure joy when you face trials”

Key Messages:
(1) Er meint es Gut:

  • Trials as God’s classroom - chances to know Him better

  • Just like good parents don’t give kids everything they want, but what they need

  • It’s about perspective - if you’re willing to know God better through trials, you will succeed

  • bzgl. zum letzten verse, muss ich gestehen, gibt es ganz viele verschiedene Interpretationen

    • HeiĂźt das, dass man nicht zweifeln darf beim beten?
    • oder nicht zweifeln wenn wir nach Weisheit beten?

(2) It’s a matter of perspective:
Hebrews 12:5-6 (hier zitiert er Proverbs 3:11-12)

  • From “Why me?” to “What can I learn?”. It’s a matter of perspective.

3 Questions:

  1. “Am I honest about my doubts?”
    • (Point 1: Instead of hiding doubts, bring them to God like Thomas did)
  2. “Is my faith really mine?”
    • (Point 2: Am I following God because I choose to, or just because my parents expect it?)
  3. “What is God teaching me right now?”
    • (Point 3: In my current struggles, am I asking “Why me?” or “What can I learn?”)

Graph View

Backlinks