Think of Your Faith like the SUN

[Beggar for the Spirit]

How can you and I strengthen our “Faith”?

This illustration may help:

 

Our Sun is super-bright and powerful, but it is only this way because Jehovah formed it from heavy elements such as carbon, nitrogen, magnesium, iron. These heavy elements are very rare in the universe, and especially rare inside stars/suns similar in size to our Sun. In fact, our Sun has 50% more heavy elements than other stars similar in size and age! So our sun is exceptional, being composed of these rare yet powerful elements.

 

“Faith” is just like our sun.

True faith in Jehovah and His promises are rare today. And the only way our Faith can shine brightly and be powerful is if it is made up of specific powerful “elements”. So if you have been desiring to strengthen your faith, then you may appreciate this scriptural way of doing so. There are 7 powerful “elements” needed for a shining and powerful Godly “Faith”. Here is 1 of the elements below, which interestingly, is not 1 that we may normally think of as having a direct relationship to building our faith. The other 6 elements are in an article I also linked below. I hope this helps you as it has helped me in better understanding what genuine faith is "composed of" and how I need these 7 “elements” if I want to have a powerful faith that can withstand any trial. This article(and the entire series) could be great for a personal study project or Family Worship.

 

Element: VIRTUE

". . .put forth all earnest effort to supply to your faith virtue " (2PE 1:5-7)

Quote

*** w93 7/15 p. 13 par. 1 Respond to God’s Promises by Exercising Faith ***

Virtue is not a quality that we display apart from faith. Lexicographer W. E. Vine points out that at 2 Peter 1:5, “virtue is enjoined as an essential quality in the exercise of faith.” Each one of the other qualities Peter mentioned is also to be an element of our faith.

 

 First, we must supply virtue to our faith. Being virtuous means doing what is good in God’s sight. For the Greek word here rendered “virtue,” some versions use “goodness.” (New International Version; The Jerusalem Bible; Today’s English Version) Virtue motivates us to avoid doing bad or causing harm to fellow humans. (Psalm 97:10) It also prompts courageous action in doing good for the spiritual, physical, and emotional benefit of others.

 

*** w93 7/15 p. 13 par. 1 Respond to God’s Promises by Exercising Faith ***

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1993523

Edited August 29, 2018 by Beggar for the Spirit

[dilip kumar]

I have always tried to understand the word virtue.

Today i learnt a little bit about it.
Surely there is more to it.

To understand,
virtue is doing good things.

So if i want to do good things and some situations don't allow, would it still be virtue?

So our doing good things (virtue)increases our faith or our faith motivates us to do good things ?






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[Beggar for the Spirit]

 

1 hour ago, dilip kumar said:

To understand, virtue is doing good things.
So if i want to do good things and some situations don't allow, would it still be virtue?
So our doing good things (virtue)increases our faith or our faith motivates us to do good things ?

Hi Dilip,

 

Good questions.

If we want to do a good thing but for circumstances beyond our control we are unable to, Jehovah doesn't view us as bad or not trying to be virtuous. But usually, there is some good thing we can do, even if it is something small. For example, we learn that a disaster hit an area in which our brothers/sisters and Kingdom Halls were affected but we are unable to go and help provide relief. We could still do "good" by at least offering prayers to Jehovah on behalf of these suffering brothers/sisters and we could even send an extra donation.

 

But "Virtue" is more about who we are as a person. Are we a moral person? Are we continually trying to live by Jehovah's standards? Notice this good point.

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*** w93 7/15 pp. 18-19 par. 3 How May We Supply Virtue to Our Faith? ***
Virtue is "goodness of character.” A virtuous person is righteous. Virtue has also been defined as “conformity to a standard of right.” For Christians, of course, the “standard of right” is determined by God and made clear in his Sacred Word, the Bible.

So Jehovah may view a person as "virtuous" if they have goodness of character, when they try their best each day to follow His loving ways, although imperfectly. So even if we don't do good sometimes when we could have, we have the Ransom thankfully, and how grateful we are that Jehovah views our overall moral character and not our mistakes.

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*** w11 9/1 p. 15 par. 4 “O Jehovah, . . . You Know Me” ***
When examining the things his worshippers say and do each day, Jehovah treasures the good.

Why? He cherishes their efforts to please him.

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by Beggar for the Spirit

[DLM]

I have tried to figure out "What is Faith?" Then a brother on the morning worship gave a talk  on what it is. Bro. Izak Marsis said he asked a young person and got an answer in one word or less.🤾‍♀️