What is the impact of your faith on you personally as a Christian? In order for a professed faith in Jesus Christ to actually mean something, it has to have a direct impact on the way we conduct ourselves.

In what ways is it evident that one's faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on him? Faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on us when we obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ and become Christians. Faith that does not lead one to become a child of God on his terms is a faith that is no more valuable than the faith of "devils" (KJV) or "demons" (ASV, NKJV) (James 2:19). If faith in Jesus Christ has the proper impact on us, we will couple that faith with baptism and be saved. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..." (Mark 16:16); I like to say with some force, "Jesus said," because mere mortals surely can be moved by the words of the Son of God himself, if they can be moved at all to do the bidding of God. Baptized believers are added to the church by Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). Members of the church were first called Christians in Antioch of Syria (Acts 11:26).

Faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on us when we are aware of our allegiance to our Lord every waking moment. There is no time during our waking moments that we as Christians should not think pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8). There is no time during our waking moments that we should not speak  like Christians (Ephesians 4:25; 5:12). There is no time during our waking moments that we should not act like Christians (Ephesians 5:8).

Faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on us when we manage our interpersonal relationships in accordance with that system of faith, the Gospel. The faith in Jesus Christ that led us to become Christians should also lead us to be good spouses and parents (Ephesians 5:24-25; 6:4; Titus 2:4-5). The faith in Jesus Christ that led us to become Christians should also lead us be good employees and employers (Ephesians 6:5-9). The faith in Jesus Christ that led us to become Christians should also lead us to be good citizens (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14, 17).

Faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on us when we scrutinize every activity in which we involve ourselves by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The faith we have in Jesus Christ ought to keep us from developing a close friendship with ungodly people (1 Corinthians 15:33 ASV; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). For instance, we will not eventually marry an ungodly person if we make it a practice not to date or have close social interactions with ungodly persons. The faith we have in Jesus Christ ought to cause us to evaluate potential recreation and entertainment choices properly in light of the Word of God (Hebrews 11:25; 1 John 2:15-17). Activities that may be biblically permissible may be inappropriate for Christians depending upon when and where they occur, such as fishing or golfing instead of assembling with fellow Christians to worship God in his own appointed way (Hebrews 10:25-31). The faith we have in Jesus Christ ought to lead us to select as carefully as possible the jobs at which we work to avoid promoting ungodliness or preventing us from worshipping God in the public assembly. Circumstances such as available work opportunities may be less than ideal, but we must find some time to worship (as well as serve) our God to be Christians indeed.

In what ways is it evident that one's faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on him? Faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on us when that faith does not leave the church house. Our faith in Jesus Christ is useless if it is not evident in our daily lives--at home, at work, at school, in our business dealings, in our citizenship, etc. Those with whom we come in contact throughout the days, weeks, months and years we spend on planet earth ought to be able to ascertain that we look "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10).

Faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on us when that faith does not help make this world a better place in which to live. We can help this world to be a better place in which to live as we conduct ourselves like Christians we also provide an example for others to imitate us (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7-8; 1 Corinthians 11:1). As Christians and the Lord's church, we should not rub elbows with sin, but rather oppose sin (Romans 1:32; Ephesians 5:11). Where gambling, pornography, drinking, dancing, lewd activities, vulgarities are, ought not to be the haunt of Christians.

Faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on us when we do not glorify God. Obviously, we can glorify God verbally through statements we make, prayer and song (Acts 4:24; Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 69:30). We can also glorify God by the way in which we live our lives, or we can spite God and bring reproach upon him by the way we live (especially if we profess to be Christians) (1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12).

Faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on us when we do not save souls, including our own. Faith in Jesus Christ is inconsequential to us when we are so little concerned about sin that mars our souls and that will prevent us from going to heaven (Acts 26:28). We need to ask ourselves if we really care about where we spend eternity--enough to do something about it. Faith in Jesus Christ is inconsequential to us when we are so little concerned about sin that we make little or no attempt to rescue the souls of others from a devil's hell (James 5:20). We need to ask ourselves if we really care if our family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. spend forever in hell.

Faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on us when we are not true to the Book--the Bible, the only book learning that is important enough to take us to heaven. When we pick and choose portions of Scripture to apply in our lives, we are fooling ourselves if we think that is a winning strategy that will take us to heaven (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46). When we substitute doctrines of men in place of the doctrines of God (even if we abide by many of God's doctrines), we make it apparent that we neither have sufficient regard for the Bible nor have the right kind of faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 15:9; Titus 1:14; Hebrews 13:9).

In conclusion, we pose these questions: In what ways is it evident that your faith in Jesus Christ has a direct impact on your life? Are there ways in which it is obvious that faith in Jesus Christ does not have a direct impact on your life? What is the impact of faith on you personally? Has your faith led you to become a Christian (Mark 16:16)? Has your faith led you to be a faithful Christian (1 John 1:7, 9)?