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The 5 columns of belief

The "Five C’s" are not a group of child detectives. The Five C’s are short for the 5 columns in your life with God. If one column is shaky, the whole structure shakes. If one sags, everything is lop-sided. We shall start.

Column number one: That is belief.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
(Hebrews11,1)

A person who we can use as a good example for showing what belief is, is called Abraham. He lived thousands of years ago but his life is still completely up-to-date. He did what God said: With his family, he moved from the idolatrous town of in Chaldea, lived like a Bedouin nomad and moved on from year to year until he reached Canaan which god had promised him for his children.

Abraham believed this completely although he did not have any children yet. He did everything that God told him – however nothing that God had promised happened at first. He knew: God will choose his own point in time when he wants to act. God is an almighty God. He can let things happen which are actually impossible. He likes to do that, so that his children see that he can act whenever he likes.

Abraham finally did receive his longed-for son. Abraham knew that belief is not a feeling that God might exist. Belief is security: There is a God and this is why I live like I live: With him and for him. God will never leave me!

Column number two: That is God’s word

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
(2. Timothy 3,16)

Column number 2 in our life with God is "God’s word". That means: the bible.

Marik's teacher said: "The bible is not the word of God. It only contains words about God. The book is interesting but was thought up by people. It represents how we imagine God to have been."

Marik finds this theory strange. He is very sure that the bible is the word of God and that God spoke to the people himself. That is exactly what his teacher cannot accept: That it is God himself who says something to people! If this eternal God exists then, yes – Marik’s teacher knows this too – he also has a claim on the lives of his creations. Then his life of sin would have to change. Marik’s teacher has decided for himself: He does not want to.

The bible is written by people in their normal daily lives, who God told what they should write. They did not write anything of their own doing. They had known and experienced God and they wouldn’t have even tried to do this. These words, direct from God, are important for you. You will get to know God better through them. With his words, you will learn: That is what God wants. Act accordingly and not another way, because this is a sin in God’s eyes.

Column number three: Obedience

You should heed his commandments and obey his voice.
(5. Moses (Elberfelder 3,4)

Column number 3 in our life with God is obedience.

Gregor has a particular habit. His mother asks: "Gregor, can you bring some carrots from the cellar?" "In a minute," answers Gregor. He is busy with his computer game where he has almost reached the highest level. "Gregor", his mother asks ten minutes later. "Please can you set the table?"

"Do it yourself!", Gregor whinges, as he tells his friend on the phone how far he has gotten. Obedience – Gregor does not think much of it. If prefers to do nothing – at the most “in a minute”. (He wondered why he didn’t have a place set at the table today or anything to eat. "Disobedience…” says Gregor’s mother “..has consequences!")

If God wants us to do something, we should do it, enjoy doing it and do it straight away. What that might involve? He encourages us: "Forgive your neighbour!" - "Respect your parents!" - "Do not use any dirty words!" – and also: "Take care of those who stand alone in the corner who nobody wants as a friend."

Column number four: That is prayer

Be joyful always; pray continually.
(1. Thessalonians 5,17)

The fourth column in our life with God is prayer. Prayer is important: very important. It is your conversation with God. The lord Jesus himself had often prayed to his God and Father; sometimes the whole night through. Sometimes he would get up very early in the morning while his disciples slept so that he could be alone with his father.

You can talk with God at any time and anywhere. It is never engaged. The connection to God is always free. Even in the middle of the night. He can also answer several “calls” at the same time. However prayer is not a wishing well: just press the hands together and everything will run like clockwork. It sometimes looks like this: Before I write an essay or take an exam I’ll pray quickly (and think: then I won’t need to learn anything) and then I’ll say: "Now it’ll have to work. I’ve been praying."

This obviously does not work. I have to do my homework and practice. Some find that unbelievably difficult: Every day ... again and again. You can, however, pray and ask the Lord Jesus to help you learn first of all and secondly that he will help you concentrate on the work and help you retain the information. If you pray: "Lord Jesus, please let me receive a wonderful mountain bike for my birthday”: that is definitely the wrong address, because you can work or save to earn the money. If you will never have the chance to receive a bike and you really need one, you can ask the Lord Jesus. He sees what you really need.

Column number five: That is fellowship

And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
(1.John 1,3)

Column number 5 in our life with God is fellowship with him. Having a fellowship means being together with someone and being part of each other.

As the Lord Jesus lived on Earth, God had joy in his son. He never did anything bad. All of his acts made a big name for God.

Frederik wants to become a Christian. He finally knows what he can do with his pressing sins: Let Jesus know about them. Frederik is so sorry for all of the bad, wrong things he has done! Now Frederik belongs to the Lord Jesus.

Frederik would like to be together with the Lord Jesus and to belong to him and show the outside world. He now reads the bible, to hear his voice and his words. Frederik prays and meets up with other Christians to sing, pray and read the bible. Frederik has a fellowship with the Lord Jesus and with other Christians. He can now serve God more easily. That is a joy to experience and the Lord Jesus keeps becoming more and more important to Frederik.

(Source: "Der Kompass" edition 2000, a daily calendar for children and young people in Germany. This story was given to our collection of materials with kind permission.
Copyright: Circulation of Christian Writings (www.csv-verlag.de). Translation from German into English by Youthwork-Practice.)