Ten Signs Your Faith is Real (Part 1)
A few days ago, I got a text from my dad: “CALL DAD.” That’s not the kind of message you ignore.
When I called, he told me how someone had run over and turned in his golf head cover without realizing there was $12,000 hidden inside. By some miracle, he got every penny back. Laughing, he said, “I got resaved—I believe in Jesus again!”
It made me think: How do people know you’re a Christian? Or better yet, how do you know your faith is real?
In Acts 11, the church—scattered by persecution—faces that same question. In Antioch, their faith and actions were so evident that outsiders gave them a new name: Christians. If they had put it into words, they might have said, “I’m a Christian, and you know it.”
Here are five signs of genuine faith we see in Acts 11:
1. You Believe in the good news of Jesus Christ.
Even while scattered, these believers kept trusting God. Acts 11:21 says, “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”
Hebrews 11:6 reminds us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” Belief isn’t just the starting point—it’s the heartbeat of the Christian life. Do you believe in Jesus in a way that shapes how you live every day?
2. You Take Jesus with You Everywhere.
The believers traveled 300 miles to Antioch, a wealthy, influential, and morally corrupt city. Yet they still lived for Christ. Antioch was the first place believers were called Christians—meaning they belonged to “the party of Christ.”
Does your faith follow you into every space—work, home, vacation—or is it something you leave behind until Sunday?
3. You Tell Other People About Jesus.
When someone loves the gym or sushi, you don’t have to ask—they’ll tell you. The same should be true of Jesus.
Despite persecution, these believers shared the gospel boldly. Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation…”
When was the last time you identified yourself as a Christian simply by talking about Jesus?
4. You Let Your Trials Make You Stronger.
My dad said after his stressful ordeal, “Would I do it again? No—unless God thinks it’s necessary. If so, God, pick me!”
James 1:2–4 tells us to “consider it pure joy” when we face trials because they produce perseverance. The early church didn’t let hardship make them bitter—they let it make them better.
5. You Earn a Good Reputation Because of Your Godly Life.
When news of revival in Antioch reached Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas—a man known for being “full of the Holy Spirit and faith.”
James 2:19 warns that belief without repentance and action is empty. A godly life flows from turning from sin and walking in obedience.
These are just the first five signs of authentic faith. Next week, we’ll look at five more. But for now, ask yourself:
If someone looked at your life, could they say, “You’re a Christian, and I know it”?
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