What is the One Word You Need to Explain Your Faith?

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I recently wrote the following about my faith:

If I’m wrong and there is no God, if Jesus isn’t the Way, Truth, and Life … I wouldn’t change a thing. 

My life has been full of hope, unexpected joy, impossible to understand peace, indescribable strength when I needed it most, and miraculous healing. I’m blessed. My life is good.

And if I get to the end of my life and I discover there is no life after this one … I can’t imagine having lived my life any other way. The things I chose to sacrifice out of obedience to God protected me from so many problems and potential consequences. I didn’t miss out on a thing.

You and I just remembered and celebrated Jesus life, death, and resurrection as people of faith.

That’s what we call ourselves, isn’t it?

People of faith.

But what exactly does that mean? How would you and I explain our faith?

Or simply put…

If someone asked you to describe or explain your faith in one word what would you say?

Stop for a minute … what words come to mind?

If you have your word or two in mind, keep reading and see if your word is on my list.

Words that Can Help You Explain Your Faith

Hope

Worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15

Peace

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7

Grace

God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8–9

Truth

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32

And each of those words describes my faith but there truly is only one word that explains the source of my hope, peace, grace, and truth.

What is the One Word You Need to Explain Your Faith?

Jesus

When Rev and I talked about this the other night his first reaction took me back to my years of teaching five to eight-year-old students in school.

I know you’ve been there … listening to a children’s message at church or teaching a Sunday School class and the answer to every and any question is Jesus! 

Maybe the children are right. Maybe we should rest there.

Jesus is the answer to every question.

Think about it.

Jesus is … God, Savior, Christ, Redeemer, Deliverer, The Word made Flesh, King of kings and Lord of lords, the Resurrection and the Life, the Prince of Peace, and Yahweh.

My faith is in Jesus.

I believe He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The Apostle’s Creed written by Roman Christians in 180 AD to preserve what the Apostles taught says the following about Jesus…

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day, He rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

And Martin Luther wrote this in 1529 as further explanation of the 2nd Article of the Creed:

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won [delivered] me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, in order that I may be [wholly] His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

And the Bible says the following about Jesus:

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14

Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But He accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before Him. And now He is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2 (NCV) 

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Those are just a few specific verses. The Bible itself from beginning to end points to Jesus  – the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. 

Jesus – the only word I need to explain my faith.

I wonder if we tend to make sharing our faith too complicated with too many words. We want to walk a person to the gates of heaven in one brief conversation.

Going forward, I want to go back to childlike faith.

Faith that simply speaks the name of…

Jesus!

And if I’m asked for more, and I hope I am, I will tell my story of how Jesus changed my life.

John Piper wrote…

Consider Jesus. Know Jesus. Learn what kind of Person it is you say you trust and love and worship. Soak in the shadow of Jesus. Saturate your soul with the ways of Jesus. Watch Him. Listen to Him. Stand in awe of Him. Let Him overwhelm you with the way He is.

And my faith prayer lately has been the chorus of Natalie Grant’s new song, More Than Anything:

Help me love the Healer,
more than the healing.
Help me love the Savior,
more than the saving.
Help me love the Giver,
more than the giving.
Help me love You, Jesus.
More than anything.

What one word, what one name … explains my faith?

Jesus!

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

One word.

One name.

Have you ever asked yourself, how would I explain my faith in just one word?

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