We often hear—or even say ourselves—that life is about making choices. But the question is: what exactly are we choosing, which is what we need to examine carefully. Generally, people understand or assume that “choices” refer to things like fields of study, jobs or professions, life partners, places to live, and many other matters. However, once a person reaches the age of fifty or so, choices about education, career, marriage, or residence usually cease to be dominant—unless that person still chooses to immerse themselves in and remain preoccupied with such things.
The choice we will discuss here is this: do we want to live with true faith or not? True faith—or genuine belief—is a term that may sound familiar to all religious people. Having true faith or a genuine belief is essentially the same as choosing to believe in God. The question, then, is: what is true belief? What does it mean to have true faith?
We can understand true faith or genuine belief through two things. First, by learning the Voice of Truth—that is, through the exploration of the Bible. Second, through concrete life experiences, which must grow in quality day by day.
Therefore, being a Christian does not automatically mean one has chosen God. It is essential to understand that choosing to be a Christian and choosing God are two distinct things. If a person’s faith is not yet genuine, it means they have not yet chosen God. Hence, it is essential to understand what true belief actually means.
If someone has been a Christian since childhood, in essence, they have never made a choice. They are Christian not because they chose to be, but because they inherited the faith through tradition. They never truly chose. Some people become Christian because of a spouse—they chose their partner, not God—or simply because they followed others.
Living in true belief, or living by faith, is not the same as merely being religious. In this sense, being a Christian and observing religious moral laws do not necessarily mean one is living in true faith. The ethical standards understood by most Christians are generally similar to those of other religions, including attending church, praying, and engaging in worship. Yet these actions are not necessarily correct; they may not truly represent God’s will.
Many people still live at this level—they have not yet found life in true faith. Many have settled or are “parked” at this kind of Christianity, which is actually false and superficial. Many Christians have never personally experienced what it means to choose God.
James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Why do they shudder? Because they have experienced how awesome and terrifying God truly is. When a believer experiences the majesty of God, they too will tremble—though in a different sense: trembling out of love and reverence for God. That is holy fear.
Living in true faith does not stop at confessing belief in Jesus as Savior. It means truly knowing Him rightly and deeply—through Scripture, through experiencing His presence, until one understands His will and does it daily. Such a person will always be able to hear God speak—not merely by law, but by will—not just obeying rules, but understanding and carrying out His desires.
Yet, ironically, there are very few such people. Even among pastors, not many have truly experienced this. Strangely, many do not even seek it—because they already hold titles, have studied theology, and know how to preach.
Each day, at every moment, we can know Him—if we are willing to learn. Therefore, every day, we must take time to learn. There must be time set aside to read, reflect, study Scripture, meditate, and pray amid our busy lives. All these things are essential.