Showing one's Faith through deeds

From the Bahá'í writings

 

 

The cause of God is like unto a college.  The believers are like unto the students.... .  The students must show the results of their study in their deportment and deeds; otherwise they have wasted their lives.  Now the friends must so live and conduct themselves as to bring greater glory and results to the religion of God. To them the cause of God must be a dynamic force transforming the lives of men and not a question of meetings, committees, futile discussions, unnecessary debates and political wire-pulling.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, in "Star of the West" Vol. 7, No. 18, p. 178, cited in Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, pg. 202
 

The thoughts of universal peace must be instilled into the minds of all the scholars, in order that they may become the armies of peace, the real servants of the body politic - the world.  God is the Father of all. Mankind are His children.  This globe is one home.  Nations are the members of one family.  The mothers in their homes, the teachers in the schools, the professors in the college, the presidents in the universities, must teach these ideals to the young from the cradle up to the age of manhood.
 
~ From notes taken of talks given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as quoted in: Star of the West, Vol. IX, p. 98, cited in Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 212

 

 

......A contributing factor to this process has been the inability of religious leaders to adhere to the fundamental truths enshrined in each religion. Instead of understanding the reality of their religions and explaining the verities of
their Faiths to their followers, they have, in their ignorance, introduced so many dogmas and man-made interpretations that the light of true religion has become obscured. Consequently many intelligent and honest people have discarded religion altogether and have swelled the ranks of agnostics and atheists.
 
~ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v. 4, p. 155

 

With hearts set aglow by the fire of the love of God and spirits refreshed by the food of the heavenly spirit you must go forth as the disciples nineteen hundred years ago, quickening the hearts of men by the call of glad tidings, the light of God in your faces, severed from everything save God. Therefore, order your lives in accordance with the first principle of the divine teaching, which is love. Service to humanity is service to God. Let the love and light of the Kingdom radiate through you until all who look upon you shall be illumined by its reflection. Be as stars, brilliant and sparkling in the loftiness of their heavenly station. Do you appreciate the Day in which you live?

This is the century of the Blessed Perfection!

This is the cycle of the light of His beauty!

This is the consummate day of all the Prophets!

These are the days of seed sowing. These are the days of tree planting. The bountiful bestowals of God are successive. He who sows a seed in this day will behold his reward in the fruits and harvest of the heavenly Kingdom. This timely seed, when planted in the hearts of the beloved of God, will be watered by showers of divine mercy and warmed by the sunshine of divine love. Its fruitage and flower shall be the solidarity of mankind, the perfection of justice and the praiseworthy attributes of heaven manifest in humanity. All who sow such a seed and plant such a tree according to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh shall surely witness this divine outcome in the degrees of its perfection and will attain unto the good pleasure of the Merciful One.

 

 ~ Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 8

"I have never heard of Bahá'u'lláh," said a young man. I have only recently read about this movement, but I recognize the mission of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and desire to be a disciple. I have always believed in the brotherhood of man as the ultimate solvent of all our national and international difficulties. "
 
"It makes no difference whether you have ever heard of Bahá'u'lláh or not," was the answer, "the man who lives the life according to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is already a Bahá'í. On the other hand a man may call himself a Bahá'í for fifty years and if he does not live the life he is not a Bahá'í. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one, and a black man may call himself white yet he deceives no one: not even himself!"
 
~ Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 105