How do you know you are sincere?

[LittleLion]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?


* * *


Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

 

[kamikat]

Similarly,
How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?
How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

I don't think you can. Honestly, I think this is what happened to me. I really wanted to believe. I'm jealous of people who can believe without questioning. However, I woke up one morning and realized that while I was going from church to church trying to find the one that fit, I was really trying to find one that could convince me of the reality of Christianity. I still want to believe, but I know, that in all honesty, I just don't buy what they're selling.

kamikat

 

[12volt_man]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?


* * *


Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

If I were faking sincerity, I would think I could do a better job of it.

 

[Nightfire]

You are sincere if your actions correspond to your beliefs. If you don't know what you believe, you will always have to wonder where (or who) your actions come from, and thus whether they are "sincere".

 

[Victory of the Cross]

strange Question, are we real or all just in somebody elses dream, what if they wake up?

This type of Question is impossible to answer because the person asking will always doubt you are being sincere

 

[LittleLion]

You are sincere if your actions correspond to your beliefs. If you don't know what you believe, you will always have to wonder where (or who) your actions come from, and thus whether they are "sincere".

How do you get to know what you believe ... and how can you be sure that what you think you believe is indeed what you believe?

 

[Nightfire]

How do you get to know what you believe ... and how can you be sure that what you think you believe is indeed what you believe?

Your actions will betray them to you. Test your beliefs, whether mentally or physcially. But what you think about what you do does not automatically change what you do, only whether you believe in what you're doing. If your heart is not in it, chances are that you don't really believe in it. If it is, even if you don't know why, there is a reason.

So start by looking at the things you do with conviction, don't judge them yet, just observe. There will be good habits and bad habits, all with their connected beliefs. Whether you believe those beliefs intellectually or not, you still act on them, which betrays your confidence in them. But those actions will feel empty unless you eventually put yourself behind them, consciously and decisively. To empower yourself you will need to take charge of your beliefs, direct them into various actions. The ones you nurture will be strengthened, the ones you neglect will fade. And favouring a belief isn't wishful thinking, as you might think, it shows you who you are. Your preferences show what you want even if they're only expressed as wishes. That's why your imagination serves an crucial function.

And you're not limited to what you have already done and believed until this point. There are beliefs out there, and opportunities to act on them. And if a present preference (like love, for instance) is made a conscious driving force, it will throw light on beliefs that might support it, and beliefs that might damage it: material for new decisions.

The advantage of actions is that they need reality to interact with, wherever the underlying beliefs might come from. Kicking at a ball is a better indication of a belief that there is a ball within reach than in your ability to kick it. Similarly, a prayer is a spiritual action and therefore shows belief in a spiritual reality, but it's not because you praythat you believe you might pray. It won't last very long if you're only trying to convince yourself God hears your prayers, just like you won't keep on kicking thin air with the hope that a ball might place itself within reach.

My point is, you won't be able to fool yourself too easily when you have something to test your beliefs against. And you are one of those realities, and one recipient of your actions. If you disapprove of a paradigm, don't use it against yourself or others, if you approve of one, apply it to yourself first, so that you will have confidence it is challenged. Usually, what you think you believe will turn out to be what you believed, only with less confidence. That's why the Bible warns us to be careful what we approve of.

And lastly, an example from the Bible:

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.​

 

[SassySDA]

How do you get to know what you believe ... and how can you be sure that what you think you believe is indeed what you believe?

I was born into a Baptist family, and considered it my church home until a year ago.

For many, many years I told people I was a christian, but I didn't "feel it" inside. Eventually I came to understand that it was because I had not come to Christ, on my knees, of my own volition. I had been "drug" (literally) to the front of the church and forced to my knees in front of a preacher, with other people's hands on my head, back, etc., and the preacher confessed FOR me, and asked for Jesus to come into my heart FOR me, and that friends and neighbors, was that.

How could I be saved and in a close walk with Jesus, when I wasn't the one who had ASKED Him to save me or walk with me?

It wasn't until last year that I truly came to Christ, on my knees under my own volition and desire for His salvation.

This time was COMPLETELY different...and the main thing that told me this time was the "real thing", was the happiness and peace I felt in my heart IMMEDIATELY. The immediate desire I had to do His will and for Him to use MY BODY to do His work.

The only thing I can tell you is this...when it's true and sincere, you won't mistake it for anything but sincerity. You won't have to ask.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?


* * *


Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

It's not difficult for one to know what they do or do not believe in. Your question is like asking someone 'how do you know your name is _______.'

 

[Llauralin]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?

Usually, as has been said, the test is whether you are willing to change your life to conform to those beliefs. If I truely believe in Jesus, I should be following His commands more and more, and if I'm not, then I probably lack sincerity.

Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

Believing in God is a decision more often than not. I'm not quite sure about all your questions about belief... in Christianity, it is probably more helpful to be willing to believe, to act upon what faith you have, and to always have the attitude of the prayer: I believe; help my unbelief!"

 

[BobMiller]

Look at this passage:

23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil[a] spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."Mark(9:23-25)

We know that the guy believed, because Jesus performed the miracle. He wasn't sure of his belief, but he did indeed believe. How can KNOW that we believe? Simply test your spirit. According to 1 john 4:1-3, those who confess that Jesus has come in the flesh, meaning that he as GOd came in the flesh, are of GOd and thus believe. So they that believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, are believers and are of God.

 

[brotherjim]

How do you know you are sincere?
How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?
How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?

Those are just about the best questions I have ever read on a Christian forum---and I've been on more than a dozen, for 3 years or more.

The fact is, we generally do not know, for we can not know apart from God specifically, supernaturally revealing it to us.

If I might take liberty by paraphrasing and amplifying Jeremiah 17:3: "The spiritual heart of a person is desperately wicked, and more than any other facet of it, it is deceitful to our own understanding of what evils live within its very self-protecting walls.

The Apostle Paul, the best example of the Christian life we have---apart from Christ himself of course---declared that he does not even judge his own self, that only God is able to do that. But since elsewhere we are commanded to judge ourselves, then by combining these two Truths, we can know that we must always be in the process of seeking God's judgment of us and our sicerity or lack thereof.

There's only one way (unless your crammed into a Turkish prison with numerous others and no time to yourself), and that is to get away by yourself each day, for whatever length of time you feel led (an hour is a good start), seeking the Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name, to reveal Himself and His assessment of you, to you. It may take several weeks or months of this at first, but I've been a believer for decades and know of no other way that works (even though many others will most likely disagree).

Similarly,
How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?
How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

God is very gracious, in that He doesn't make us rely on just one "witness" of His reality in our life, but He gives us several, that, when combined, will "assure our hearts before Him."

When we are born-again, for example, He gives us "His Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (However, many who once genuinely experienced that, may presently be living off just the memory of it, and is yet one more reason we need several "witnesses.")

His written Word gives us assurances. See such as 2 John 2:3-5 (which takes some time to reach the state of, however, many fool themselves into believing they are in the process, when in truth they have long ago hardened their heart against God's attempts---again why it is not, by itself, enough).

God makes available to the born-again Christian, the instantly-given fullness of His Love whereby someone will find the immediately Love every person who was ever born, and all equally, and to the same degree that Christ Jesus Loved and died for us. So this is an indicator we are, or still are, in the Way of God---although someone can also harden their heart even after that, and again be living off just the memory of what once actually was.

Etc.

The Christian life can be summed up as one whereby we learn the moment-by-moment Voice of the (S)spirit, and then obey it. This will require receiving acts of Grace from God, one after the other (like the New Birth and like the fullness of Love), until most or all the evils of our heart are removed (because the drown out God's Voice), and until those evils are replaced with all the fullnesses of Christ (Fruits of the Spirit and Wisdom), or until we die.

But if along the way we harden our heart to what God is attemppting to do in our life, and rest on our laurels, we will lose our intimate relationship and be in doubt---just as it was meant to be; rightly so.

God bless, brother jim



"Today, if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts. . . ."
(But bearing our head in the sand so that we cannot hear, doesn't count.)

 

[jasperbound]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?


* * *


Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

Well, it's possible that I'm not being sincere, but then that could be true of anything in my life, including my desire to live, or my like of somebody.
But I'm convinced I'm sincere. Why? Because of my devilish pride. If I was going to make my own religion, I'd rather that I was God than be submissive to a God.

 

[heron]

SassySDA, sorry to hear of the coercion. A lot of creepy things go on in the name of God.

Littlelion, it is a beautiful question. The other half of it would be, what does God think of your attitudes? He knows that we're not always sincere, but as brotherjim and others conveyed, he acts on our little bits of faith and welcomes us with open arms.

I find that when I ask God for intangible things like wisdom or assurance, the answers drop into my life like an anvil. So feel free to pray things that don't follow a normal prayer pattern...like "help me know when I'm sincere," or "help me be more caring." There's no harm in asking.

 

[Asar'el]

How do you know you are sincere?

How can you be sure that you are not merely pretending to be sincere (even before yourself)? How do you know you are not merely displaying some wishful thinking of how you would like to be, but are not?

How do you know when you are telling the truth about yourself (like in prayer)?


* * *


Similarly,

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ?

How do you know that you truly believe in Christ, and are not merely deluding yourself with wishful thinking?

The same way you know everything else, I suppose.

Noone can answer for anyone else - each one of us has to answer for themselves.

Now, in the absolute sense, only God knows; but, personally, I 'know' that I don't know as well as I should, and as well as I will (since I trust God's promise that there will come a time when I know as I am known of Him...)

So... no doubt I will find things about myself I knew not, or I deceived myself about, etc. But, inasmuch as my knowledge aligns with God's word, I will trust it is right, and His assurance that I have is enough to keep me from going mad with endless doubt and speculation.

 

[by pure grace]

How do you know you believe?

Well, you will have to make a decision that you first of all WANT to belive. That's it!
Then as you continue to be real with yourself and get grounded in your faith you will naturally change more and more in your views on things etc.

You will not always 'feel' that you are a Christian.
It's like in a marriage - you can't always rely on your feelings. Somedays you are so happy to be married and love every moment of it and someday it can be a struggle -but you are still married!
My advice to you is to go through the ALPHA course that will tell you the very basics and also help you make decisions.
Here's their link: http://alphacourse.org/findacourse/

 

[Willseeker]

You are sincere if your actions correspond to your beliefs. If you don't know what you believe, you will always have to wonder where (or who) your actions come from, and thus whether they are "sincere".

But you make it sound so "black and white". Have your beliefs always been the same? What if you realise new truths (as you study the Bible for instance), don't your beliefs change? And then, are the action done, under previous beliefs, still sincere...? Just wondering, because, as i learn more, my views gets adjusted, and alot of things that were done, was a bit self-imposed, since i didn't know my own motives so clearly

 

[heron]

Mine change, as I go from trusting teachings to investigating scriptures more. But there's a wonderful security that holds me together, a simplicity that my motivations revolve around a core purpose. When I get into troublesome areas and mistruths, the Holy Spirit leads me away personally, even when those around me still hold on to half-truths. Gradually He does the same for all. It's not that truths change, but they are applied in different strengths and circumstances...often reactionary.

 

[Adstar]

1 John 3

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[intricatic]

Because I know I am? How do you know you're sincere when you tell your wife (or husband or girlfriend / boyfriend, whatever) that you love them?
Why do you ask obvious questions?

Faith, in sincerity, alters as time progresses and you become either deeper in Wisdom or less in Wisdom, which is entirely on our responsibility. That dosn't mean we have less or more faith, just that it ebbs and wanes, the same that love for one's wife or husband ebbs and wanes over a long period of time.