4525 'Thou art Peter, the rock....' Living faith - the church of Christ....

December 27, 1948: Book 52

Anyone who wants to belong to My church must have a living faith, for I do not acknowledge a dead faith because it does not merit the description of 'faith'. And thus you humans already have the right characteristic of My church as well as the explanation for My Words 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.... ' My church is only based on the right faith.... But what is the right faith?.... Deeming something to be true which cannot be proven is your explanation. Nevertheless, this is not meant to be blind faith, not a thoughtless acceptance of religious doctrines, because this cannot give rise to a convinced faith. Even so, the human being must possess the inner conviction without proof.... This is the right faith or it would only be a play of words when faith is being talked about. Only a convinced faith is a living faith, and not blindly accepted dogma which is merely not rejected.... Peter possessed a convinced faith and this is why I referred to him as the rock which should be the foundation of My church. And time and again I will make this faith the condition for belonging to My church, for I Am not satisfied with those who only pay lip-service to a teaching but lack the inner conviction.

A living faith is a prerequisite, because the strength of faith will only become evident where the inner conviction exists. The fact that I expect more of people than a mere avowal with their lips should be obvious to every thinking person, after all, people could be presented with and expected to believe the most absurd teachings. But I made this impossible with My Words which specify a guideline to people.... Peter, the rock.... who shall be the foundation of My church. From this follows that you humans must therefore clarify your point of view regarding every doctrine, that you, in order that you can believe with conviction, will have to mentally form an opinion about it and thus, understandably, cannot accept every doctrine, that an erroneous teaching must be recognised by you, because you cannot gain the conviction that what you are expected to believe is the absolute truth. On serious reflection you will certainly be able to distinguish which doctrines correspond to the truth and which have to be rejected.... And thus you will also be and remain true followers of My church if you have a living faith, and I will bless you....

Amen

This proclamation is used in the following themebook:

Themebook	Title	Download
19	The Church of Christ	ePub   PDF   Kindle

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