Part 3 | A Genuine Faith
Today is the last part of our little three part series on a verse that my father spoke to my life since I was young.
“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.” – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
We’ve looked at a pure heart and a clear conscience. Today, we will dive into genuine faith.
I don’t know what it is about the words “genuine faith," but they carry a different kind of weight for me, more than just saying we have faith. It seems our culture has weakened what it really means to have faith. But in Paul’s letter to Timothy, with the addition of one simple word, he reframes the conversation entirely. And it forces us to ask a much deeper question: Is our faith genuine?
I know there was a moment in my life when I came to saving faith, but I also know I’m still on the journey to genuine faith. What do I mean by that? Well, that’s what this devotional is all about.
Let’s start with faith itself. Faith can be a difficult concept to wrap our heads around, but maybe it gets a little clearer when we understand the Greek word for faith can also be translated as trust. So here’s the real question: Do I genuinely trust God?
That’s the big question. If I’m honest, there are still areas of my life where I struggle to fully trust Him.
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” – James 2:17 NLT
Faith without works is dead. It’s useless. Real trust has evidence. And one of the clearest signs of genuine trust is rest. Can I rest in Him? In His provision? In His intentions toward me?
But the James passage doesn’t just talk about faith. The word that appears before faith in the text is “genuine.” Genuine faith is the call. A faith that isn’t motivated by fear. A faith that isn’t motivated by religious upbringing, but a faith that is authentic and real.
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” – 1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
Do you catch that? God tests us so that our faith becomes genuine. Religion teaches us that if we do everything right, nothing bad will happen. But the Bible tells a different story, one where trials and hardship part of the process that strengthens and purifies our faith. So many people lose faith in the waiting, but the Bible teaches that real, authentic faith is made stronger in the waiting.
As a pastor, I worry that many people have religion, but few have genuine faith. As a Christ follower, I’ve learned that good things often grow in hard places. That the fruit that remains is the fruit that grows in tough times. That real faith produces real fruit. While I’m striving to do great things for Him, He’s patiently working to produce greatness in me. Apart from Him, I can do nothing of real, lasting value, and that’s exactly the point.
Genuine faith begins with genuine love. Do I love Him? Was there a time when I loved Him more, when my faith was more alive, and do I need to return to that place?
“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.”– 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
The point of Paul’s instruction is love. But love doesn’t just flow from a pure conscience. It flows from all three aspects of that verse: a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
So care for your heart. Care for your conscience, and care for your faith. These are all keyif we want to live a life filled with real, lasting love.
Reflect: In what areas of your life is God inviting you to move from belief to genuine trust, and can you rest in Him there?
“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.” – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
We’ve looked at a pure heart and a clear conscience. Today, we will dive into genuine faith.
I don’t know what it is about the words “genuine faith," but they carry a different kind of weight for me, more than just saying we have faith. It seems our culture has weakened what it really means to have faith. But in Paul’s letter to Timothy, with the addition of one simple word, he reframes the conversation entirely. And it forces us to ask a much deeper question: Is our faith genuine?
I know there was a moment in my life when I came to saving faith, but I also know I’m still on the journey to genuine faith. What do I mean by that? Well, that’s what this devotional is all about.
Let’s start with faith itself. Faith can be a difficult concept to wrap our heads around, but maybe it gets a little clearer when we understand the Greek word for faith can also be translated as trust. So here’s the real question: Do I genuinely trust God?
That’s the big question. If I’m honest, there are still areas of my life where I struggle to fully trust Him.
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” – James 2:17 NLT
Faith without works is dead. It’s useless. Real trust has evidence. And one of the clearest signs of genuine trust is rest. Can I rest in Him? In His provision? In His intentions toward me?
But the James passage doesn’t just talk about faith. The word that appears before faith in the text is “genuine.” Genuine faith is the call. A faith that isn’t motivated by fear. A faith that isn’t motivated by religious upbringing, but a faith that is authentic and real.
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” – 1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
Do you catch that? God tests us so that our faith becomes genuine. Religion teaches us that if we do everything right, nothing bad will happen. But the Bible tells a different story, one where trials and hardship part of the process that strengthens and purifies our faith. So many people lose faith in the waiting, but the Bible teaches that real, authentic faith is made stronger in the waiting.
As a pastor, I worry that many people have religion, but few have genuine faith. As a Christ follower, I’ve learned that good things often grow in hard places. That the fruit that remains is the fruit that grows in tough times. That real faith produces real fruit. While I’m striving to do great things for Him, He’s patiently working to produce greatness in me. Apart from Him, I can do nothing of real, lasting value, and that’s exactly the point.
Genuine faith begins with genuine love. Do I love Him? Was there a time when I loved Him more, when my faith was more alive, and do I need to return to that place?
“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.”– 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
The point of Paul’s instruction is love. But love doesn’t just flow from a pure conscience. It flows from all three aspects of that verse: a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
So care for your heart. Care for your conscience, and care for your faith. These are all keyif we want to live a life filled with real, lasting love.
Reflect: In what areas of your life is God inviting you to move from belief to genuine trust, and can you rest in Him there?
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