3.5 A Worthy Goal
A Valuable Goal – Pleasing God with Faith
Read Mark 9:17–29. How does God respond to the man in this story? How much faith is enough faith?
The story in Mark 9:17–29 powerfully illustrates how patient and merciful Jesus is with our weak faith. The father of the possessed boy is desperate and openly confesses his doubt to Jesus: “I believe; help my unbelief!” (v. 24). This honest statement shows that the man has faith but also struggles with uncertainty. However, Jesus does not reject him. Instead of rebuking him for his imperfect faith, Jesus accepts this weak faith and acts with full compassion.
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God’s Acceptance of Honest Faith
Jesus does not require perfect or strong faith. He desires honest faith—even if it is accompanied by doubt. The father in the story presents his request with the humble plea to Jesus to overcome his weakness. Jesus demonstrates here that even the smallest spark of faith is sufficient when it is sincere.
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Faith as Relationship, Not Performance
Faith does not mean that we understand everything or that we must be free of doubts. Rather, it is an expression of trust in God’s power—even when we are uncertain. Jesus does not call us to first have “enough” faith, but He invites us to come to Him with everything we have. This faith is not perfect, but it is genuine.
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God’s Power Works Despite Our Doubt
The healing of the boy shows that God’s power does not depend on the strength of our faith. It is not the degree of our faith but the object of our faith—Jesus Christ—that makes the difference. Therefore, we can come to God with all our weaknesses and doubts, for He works through His grace.
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A Valuable Goal: Living Pleasingly to God
As Paul encourages, we should aim to live pleasingly to God (2 Corinthians 5:9). This means growing in trust in God, bringing our uncertainties to Him, and allowing Him to shape us. This includes acting in love, exercising patience, and remaining steadfast in prayer (Romans 12:10–13).
Connection to Daily Life:
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Be Honest Before God: We can openly express our doubts and fears to God because He meets us with grace.
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Practice Trust: Even small faith can achieve great things when it is rooted in Jesus.
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Take Steps in Faith: Instead of waiting for perfect faith, we should act with the trust we have.
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Ask God for Growth: Just as the father asked Jesus to overcome his unbelief, we can ask God to strengthen our faith.
Conclusion:
God does not expect perfect faith but an honest heart that seeks Him. Even the smallest faith that turns to Jesus is enough for God to work through. This knowledge encourages us to grow in trust and align our lives to live pleasingly to God—in love, patience, and dedication.
Why Should We Accept Others More if God Accepts Us Through Christ? What Do the Commandment of Loving Your Neighbor (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39) and the Golden Rule Tell Us in This Context?
If God accepts us unconditionally through Christ despite our imperfections and faults, this challenges us to also meet others with the same love, acceptance, and mercy. God’s grace toward us is the highest model for how we should treat our fellow human beings.
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The Foundation of Loving Your Neighbor
In Leviticus 19:18, it says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment was emphasized by Jesus in Matthew 22:39 as the second greatest commandment after loving God: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This love calls us to treat others with the same respect, patience, and care that we desire for ourselves.
Since God loves us despite our faults, we are also to forgive others, treat them with respect, and do good to them—regardless of whether they “deserve” it from a human perspective. This love is not superficial or selective but encompasses all people, regardless of their background, opinions, or behavior.
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The Golden Rule – Active Loving Your Neighbor
Jesus emphasizes the so-called Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them!” This rule calls us not only to be passively kind but to actively do good. It translates loving your neighbor into concrete actions: just as we expect understanding, patience, forgiveness, and respect, we should extend these values to others.
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Acceptance that Enables Change
God accepts us not because we are perfect but to transform us through His love. Similarly, we can help others grow and heal through our acceptance and love. People who are accepted unconditionally often experience inner healing and transformation. Our love can be a reflection of God’s love, leading others to Him.
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Overcoming Prejudices and Boundaries
God’s acceptance knows no boundaries. Jesus met outcasts, sinners, and people on the margins of society with love and mercy. We are also challenged to shed prejudices, meet others openly, and consciously reach out to those who are different from us.
Connection to Daily Life:
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Practice Forgiveness: Just as God has forgiven us, we should forgive others—even when it is difficult.
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Show Empathy: Put yourself in others’ shoes and treat them as you would like to be treated.
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Live Boundless Love: Love people without reservations—regardless of their background, opinions, or past.
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Actively Do Good: Don’t wait passively but take the first step to create peace and strengthen relationships.
Conclusion:
God’s acceptance through Christ is the greatest model for our behavior toward others. If God loves us despite our faults, how much more should we meet others with love, patience, and mercy. Loving your neighbor and following the Golden Rule call us to actively live out this divine love and make God’s character visible in the world through our attitude and actions.
The connection between faith and loving your neighbor with our daily lives and faith is essential to leading a life that is pleasing to God. The story from Mark 9:17–29 and the commands of loving your neighbor from Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:39 show us how we can practically live out this faith.
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Living Faith in Daily Life – Even with Weaknesses
Like the father in Mark 9:24, we too can come to God with our imperfect faith. Our daily lives are marked by challenges, doubts, and uncertainties. But we can know that Jesus accepts even the smallest faith and works through it.
In daily life, this means:
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Courageous Prayer: Pray boldly, even when unsure if and how God will answer.
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Trusting Decisions: Make decisions trusting in God’s guidance.
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Honest Communication: Bring our doubts and fears honestly to God and ask Him to strengthen our faith.
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A Life Pleasing to God
As Paul encourages in 2 Corinthians 5:9, our goal should be to please God. This happens not through perfection but through faith that is expressed in love, patience, and dedication.
Practical Implementation:
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Exercise Patience: Be patient in dealing with difficult people.
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Persistent Prayer: Continue praying even when changes are slow to occur.
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Active Love: Love others actively by serving them in love and forgiving them.
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Loving Your Neighbor as Living Faith
The commandment of loving your neighbor challenges us to extend God’s acceptance of ourselves to others. If God loves us despite our faults, we should also meet others with this love.
In daily life, this means:
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Forgiveness: Forgive others, even when hurt.
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Show Empathy: Empathize by putting yourself in others’ shoes.
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Be Helpful: Actively work for the well-being of others.
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Break Down Prejudices: Overcome prejudices and treat people with respect regardless of their background or opinions.
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The Golden Rule as a Standard for Our Actions
The Golden Rule from Matthew 7:12 calls us to treat others as we would like to be treated. This attitude transforms our interactions.
Practically, this means:
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Express Appreciation: Show appreciation where often criticism prevails.
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Show Helpfulness: Help others without expecting anything in return.
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Seek Peace: Strive for peace where conflicts exist.
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Faith and Loving Your Neighbor as a Valuable Goal
Our faith is not a static state but a living relationship with God that changes our thinking and actions. Pleasing God means growing in faith and making this love visible through concrete actions.
This means for our daily lives:
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Act Consciously: Act not out of duty but out of love for God.
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Reflect God’s Love: Reflect God’s love in family, friendships, and the workplace.
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Live in Community: Live in communities where acceptance and love are the foundation.
Conclusion:
God does not call us to have perfect faith or flawless love. He invites us to come to Him with everything we have—even our doubts and weaknesses. In daily life, this means living our faith in small steps and meeting others with the same love and mercy we have experienced from God. Our goal should be to live pleasingly to God through faith and loving our neighbor—a life full of trust, dedication, and active love.
Even the smallest spark of faith can achieve great things when it is rooted in God’s love.
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