CH 18 Faith
The Father is looking for faith in his children. He desires believers as well as followers. If that were not true, then, as we have discussed previously, he would simply reveal himself to mankind in all of his glory. As we have noted though, if he did such a thing, faith in & towards him would not be required or even available. Thus, the Lord keeps himself veiled to some degree so that those who wish to believe in him, calling him “Lord” may do so while those who do not want him in their lives are also free to make that tragic choice. Indeed, God has given us, in contrast to the rest of the Universe, free will. Everything else bows to his Word & his will. Allowing us a degree of independence was the risk he took in order to have a two-way love relationship with mankind.
The Bible emphasizes faith throughout its pages, both in the Old Testament & the New. In fact, without faith it is impossible to please God at all, (Hebrews 11:6).
So, just what is faith?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith accepts as truth things that are not yet seen. Faith says circumstances will come to pass as God has promised. Thus, the strength of my faith comes from the object of my faith. If I have faith in God, well, that is founded upon the Rock. If I have faith in man, obviously that can let me down. One of the Bible’s most famous proverbs speaks to this truth. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart & lean not upon thine own understanding. In everything acknowledge him & he will direct thy paths,” (Proverbs 3:4-5). Additionally, faith in God is rational, not wishful, based on our past experiences with him. That is, he has done what he said he would, he came to Earth the first time, died for our sins & defeated death. Thus, we can believe that he will do what he says is still to come to pass. That being, save our souls & come back to Earth a second time.
Everyone uses faith all of the time. The chair I’m sitting on, the car I’m driving. I’m exercising faith that they will not fail every time I sit on that seat or operate my automobile. These are fallible examples, thus, it should be easy to have faith in God & his Word. Two things that are infallible.
Also, when God’s Word states that faith is the substance, or reality, of things hoped for, it is not saying, “Oh I hope what God says will come to pass.” Not at all, hope is the absolute expectation that what the Creator says about me, will become my experience at a future time. No doubt at all! For when God makes a promise, faith believes it, hope anticipates it & patience waits for it.
Jesus had much to say about faith in his words to us. And, since the faith of his children please God, as mentioned above, we should not be surprised that our Lord delighted when he saw it demonstrated in people whom he encountered.
And when Jesus entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said... Matt 8:5-7a
Here we have a high-ranking soldier of the occupying army appealing to a poor Jewish rabbi for help. And it is not help for himself, but for his servant. Someone who likely is Jewish but has become attached to the foreign power structure. One might think that Jesus will have nothing to do with this “enemy of the nation” and his traitorous servant. But that is not what happens. Let’s listen;
I will come heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: And I say to this man, go, and he goes; and to another, come, and he comes; and to my servant, do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he marveled… Matthew 8:7b-10
You see, the Centurion humbled himself greatly. He called Jesus “Lord.” He realized he was not dealing with just a poor Jewish Bible teacher but with the Lord! He demonstrated saving faith in his declaration of Jesus’ power and authority. Of course, he was able to think abstractly in realizing that the same power he wielded in the physical world in getting his will done was available to Jesus is the spiritual one. Making this connection was what caused our Lord to marvel! For faith sees the unseen world as though it is the true reality. Faith sees what the eyes cannot and is what the Messiah is looking for from all of us.
Let’s watch our Lord draw out saving & healing faith in another, one in whom we might initially overlook as not being someone the Lord would reach out for;
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon (modern day Lebanon and apart from Israel). And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, have mercy on me O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, send her away; for she cries after us. Matthew 15:21-23 (parenthesis added)
This is starting to look a little harsh! A poor woman cries to the Lord and all he does is ignore her. But remember, we must always look at the tone of the Gospel words. We know that Jesus isn’t cruel, so we must go beyond the written word, beyond the “text message, if you will, and see what the Lover of our Souls is up to. In this case, this foreign woman had heard about Jesus, had heard that they called him the Son of David but she had no personal experience with him. Jesus wanted this to change, thus, to get her to go where he wanted her to be, he initially snubbed her.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. Matthew 15:24-25
Jesus responded to her plea for help as well as his disciples request for relief by giving his “Mission Statement.” He was sent to seek and save the lost, starting with Israel. Not looking good for the woman & her daughter at this point. But the thing which occurred next in the exchange is what our Lord was looking to bring out. She worshipped him. No longer was she using a prayer formula which she had learned from others. No, she was pleading and crying from her heart. Now she recognized Jesus for who he was. She called him, “Lord.” Not only the son of Israel’s greatest king but the very King himself.
One more thing for Jesus to bring out, mainly for his disciples (all of us down through the ages) to consider, before healing the woman’s daughter.
But he answered and said, it is not meant to take the children’s (Israel’s) bread, and cast it to the dogs (puppies, not homeless scavengers; the Gentiles). And she said, truth, Lord: Yet the dogs (puppies) eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is your faith: Be it unto thee even as you will. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Matthew 15:26-28 (parenthesis added for clarity)
Indeed, Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but he is showing to us that he was not bound to that calling nor was that going to ultimately be the extent of his mission. Healing the Canaanite woman’s daughter pictures for us in a way that cannot be forgotten that the Gentiles (many of us reading these words) were to be called into the household of faith. We puppies, we Gentiles, get to partake, not only in the crumbs, but now we are enjoying the entire meal! And it is all through faith. No works. Just pressing in and worshipping the Savior. For by grace through faith we are saved, and not of works lest any man boast, (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is this kind of faith which caused our King to exclaim, “O, woman, great is your faith.” A faith that connects the dots, that once again sees into the invisible world, that realizes crumbs from Jesus will be enough, it is that faith that brings joy to our Lord.
Other times in the Gospels, the Teacher develops faith in his listeners by using examples where we might have faith in people who would be unworthy of such respect, yet we offer it anyway. To follow are two parables which contrast fickle men to a gracious Father, to make a point about faith. The first comes immediately after the disciples were taught the Lord’s prayer;
And he said unto them, which of you shall have a friend, and go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, friend lend me three loaves: For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, trouble me not: The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Luke 11:5-13
This is a contrast parable in that we have a sleepy & grumpy friend who will meet our request, not out of a magnanimous heart, but to get us out of his hair. The Teacher wants us to see that the Father is not sleepy, grumpy and just a neighbor. He is alert, kind and our papa! We can expect much much more in that setting. Jesus cements this with his next words;
And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:9-13
How ridiculous would it be for a human father to give evil gifts upon the request of a son. Likewise, it is far more preposterous that our heavenly Father will not give us good gifts when we ask. Faith says God is good. It cries that his gifts are good, (Psalm 84:11-12).
Next, the second contrast parable;
And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint. Saying, there was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: But afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Luke 18:1-5
Here we have an unjust judge in a court of law who encounters a widow, a stranger to him, and one who is alone. He has no motivation to help her, but notice, because of her frequent requests he complies as he grew weary of her entreaties.
The point is, this is not our Father! He is our Dad, not an unjust judge. We are his bride, not a poor widow. We are not alone, we have an Advocate. We are his child, not a stranger and we don’t have to go to a court of law, we can come before the throne of grace! When I look at my requests to the Father in this light, I am sort of embarrassed by my lack of faith!
Jesus confirms my suspicion with his next words;
And the Lord said, hear what the unjust judge said. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Luke: 18:6-8a
We have nothing to fear. Our God is faithful, he does not grow weary, and he is kind. Yet our Lord, ends this contrasting parable with words of warning to his praying followers.
Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes (back), shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8b (parenthesis added)
Will the Lord find faith in his children when he returns? As we discussed in our last section dealing with the End Times, will we continue to endure when the birth pangs get closer and more intense? Will we have praying faith? The way to stay strong is to keep our eyes on the Giver, not the gifts. Praying faith is not to get the goods but to enjoy the One who is good. It is not to claim the promises, but to embrace the Person. You see, Satan delights in our fear as God does in our faith. I want to speak words of faith even when I don’t see it. I want to walk by faith & not by sight, (2 Corinthians 5:7). And I don’t want to be afraid of sudden fear. No, fear is not the opposite of faith, it is but an occasion for faith!
Jesus tells us ultimately that we need even to take no thought for our very lives! The Father has everything under control. Just trust, just believe, just have faith.
And he said to his disciples, therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for your body, what you shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: For they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse or barns; and God feeds them: How much more are you better than fowls? …Consider the lilies how they grow, they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these…And seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be of a doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: And your Father knows that you have need of these things. Luke 12:22-24, 27, 29-30
Don’t worry about things. When I do that, I am just revealing my lack of faith in the God who has everything under control! It is so easy to forget that God “has got this” in our day-to-day lives. Temporary amnesia concerning God’s sovereignty is my dilemma so often. Probably yours too, I suspect.
But unbelief, lack of faith in God, is the thing to fear. Hebrews 4:1 tells us that an entire generation of children could not enter into the Promised Land for the only reason of their collective unbelief in the promises of the Lord. Remember how we started this chapter. It is faith that pleases God. So, it only goes to reason that lack of faith will get the opposite effect.
So, how do we snap out of an unbelief cycle when one gets going?
Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6
Unbelief is toxic if it persists. So, when I note it, I want take that worry to the Father in prayer with thanksgiving. Talking to God and being thankful is the winning combination. In fact, when I, when you, thank God after you receive from him, that’s gratitude. But if you thank him before you receive the blessing, well, that’s faith! And that kind of faith is a key to receiving from the Giver. Let me show you;
Therefore, I say unto you, whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them. Mark 11:24
This promise is outrageous! I’m not saying I totally understand all of the ramifications of this. But Mark 24:11 is certainly something I want to recall when I believe I am praying in the will of God. What a promise!
Back to the children of Israel and how their unbelief kept them from entering into the Land. When we read the story in Numbers, it sounds a lot like cowardice. The ten spies told the people that there were giants in the Land. Thus, they freaked out and rebelled against Moses & the Lord. But really, cowardice is simply the combination of unbelief & selfishness.
Don’t forget this equation the next time you find yourself losing heart. The cure for cowardice is to trust God & to foster a sense of duty!
So, unbelief is related intimately with fear. And what I tell myself about myself, my self-talk, is directly linked to fear & faith. Fear establishes the limits of my life, the fences of which I will not or cannot cross. Faith breaks those walls! Self-talk is so important. It must be positive and not negative. Be a Tigger & not an Eeyore. Speak words of life to yourself, not of death!
Also, what I fear reveals what I value the most yet trust God the least to have things turn out the way I would like. Will that girl I was infatuated with as a teenage love me back? Will the book I’m writing become a best seller? Things like this we may desire, yet fear is not the Lord’s will. When this occurs, and it often will in our fallen state, I must remember the promise of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God has a handle on the future which is far above my comprehension & understanding. This promise is critical in beating back the fear of dashed expectations. With God in control, the future may not turn out like I imagine, no it will be better!
So, I want to make friends with my problems trusting God to weave them into a pattern of good. As I have heard my Pastor, Levi Lusko, teach, the problem is not the problem, it’s my perception of the problem, which is the problem!
One last thought about fear & faith…The desire to live life risk-free is a form of unbelief! Often, getting close to the Lord and stepping out on a limb in faith go hand-in-hand. Fear keeps that from happening. I must remind myself that “perfect love casts out fear,” (1 John 4:18). God is love and he is perfectly lovely. With him I want to “go for it.” I want to “go all in” as much as possible. That is where the intimacy with him resides. Again, fear & unbelief keep that from happening.
Next, let’s consider how obedience is tied to our faith in God. James, the Lord’s half-brother, gives the connection in his famous faith without works teaching. His faith without a response preaching. His faith without obedience epistle.
What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and has not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled; not withstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. (In true faith we see action, compassion & evidence.) Yes, a man may say, you have faith, and I have works: Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God; you do well: The devils also believe, and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified (proved) by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: And he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified (proved), and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot justified (proved) by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:14-26 (parenthesis added for clarity)
Two stories from the OT demonstrating the relationship of faith & works, between faith & response, between faith & obedience.
Abraham believed God’s promise to him that he would father a child in his old age and we are told he was reckoned as righteous at that point, (Genesis 15:1-6). Paul would say he was justified at that point, i.e., made free. Yet Abraham’s faith was demonstrated later when he was called to sacrifice the very son God had blessed him with, (Genesis 22:1-12). James defines justification slightly different, saying Abraham was proved free at that later point.
Which one is correct, made free or proved free? I believe both are!
It was his obedience that made him the Father of Faith and one who’s great faith has been noted throughout he ages. And it was his obedience that led to many additional blessings from the Father, (Genesis 22:15-18). Same thing for us, as we have discussed earlier in talking about the awards banquet in heaven, we too will receive rewards based upon our works, based upon our obedience. No, we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), but our works do follow us, they reveal the changed heart within us. And as we have seen, will not be forgotten by our Lord!
Rahab confessed that the God of Israel was the true God, (Joshua 2:1-11), but her faith was shown in her hiding the spies, much to her great risk. This is what landed her in “the hall of faith” found in Hebrews 11.
You see, the actual measure of my spiritual condition lies in my obedience, not my anointing! I may be a ten-talent believer, but if I am repeatedly going my own way, doing my own thing, over following in my Lord’s leading, well, that will profit me nothing! Ultimately, little of eternal value will result from my faith without works lifestyle. My ten-talents will be squandered due to my lack of obedience.
In contrast, great faith is obedience despite the consequences. It is activated by living in the fear, in the respect, in the awe of the Lord. When a man or a woman is walking in the fear of the Lord, he or she obeys instantly, even when it is painful, when it doesn’t make sense. The fear of the Lord is to tremble at his Word. To willingly obey God even when compromise or disobedience seem to be the better course. It is when I choose his presence over my comfort. When I fear the Lord, I embrace his heart & want his will over my own. Again, the fear of the Lord is not being afraid of him, it is having that “first love” feeling for him perpetually. It is to be terrified at the thought of being away from him. And it is modeled by Jesus. When I look at his life, every one of these attributes of the fear of the Lord, Jesus displayed in his relationship to his Father.
Ultimately a faith that works is related to love. Out of faith comes works of love. Loving God and loving people. And I remind you, love is a verb, it is a decision, not a feeling. John and Paul teach the same idea as James, only calling the evidence of saving faith, love, instead of the possibly confusing term of works.
But whoso has this world’s good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his heart of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in Him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17-18
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. Galatians 5:6
Lastly, let us make the distinction between saving faith & our ongoing faith as we live out our lives…
Ha, there is no distinction! “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him,” (Colossians 2:6). We received Christ by hearing the Word, believing and then confessing it, that is, acting upon it. Likewise, in my day-to-day life, I hear a word from God, e.g., write a letter to a friend, I believe it is from God, then I act upon it, I write the letter. My walk is simple really. Scripture, prayer, act, then repeat! Scripture, prayer, act, repeat! As I do this, the most important doctrine in all of Paul’s epistles is fulfilled.
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10
We are saved by faith. It is a gift. If I worked for my salvation it would no longer be a gift. Thus, no room for boasting. No pride, no feeling that it is something I deserve. But the connected truth is that the response to said gift is a life of good works, a life of active love which God has already set in motion for me to grab hold on to. How cool is that!
In conclusion, to live a life of faith pleases God, causing him to marvel. It sees into the invisible world and overcomes fear & cowardice. It leads to an “all in” attitude which brings intimacy with him. Said intimacy makes it easy to live in obedience to his leadings as we never want to be apart from him.
Summary:
Faith pleases God, accepts as true things that are not yet seen & is rational based upon our past experiences with him.
The strength of my faith comes from the object of my faith. Faith in God is on solid ground while faith in man can let me down.
When God makes a promise, faith believes it, hope anticipates it & patience waits for it
Fear is not the opposite of faith but an occasion for faith.
Fear can establish limits in my life. Faith can break those fences.
Thanking God after you receive a blessing is gratitude. Thanking God before you receive a blessing is faith. According to Mark 11:24 this type of faith opens the floodgates of your prayer life.
Cowardice is the combination of unbelief and selfishness coming together. Trusting God and fostering a sense of duty is the antidote.
We are saved by faith, yet our works do follow us and are the response, are the evidence of our faith.
Great faith is obedient to God’s leading & is the true measure of my spiritual condition, not my anointing, which are only the gifts he has given me by his grace.
There is no difference between saving faith & life living faith. Both, hear the Word, believe it & then act upon that Word.
For Further Study:
What would your life look like if you really believed Luke 11:9 when Jesus said to ask, seek & knock and you will receive, find & have opened?
Which is correct? To pray with specificity or to pray “thy will be done?” Can they both be true?
How does remembering God is in control and he is good (Romans 8:28), overcome one’s fear of dashed expectations?
In your walk with the Lord, what do you lose when praying for a risk-free life?
Regarding faith & works. Are these statements true or false? “It doesn’t matter what I do” & “It only matters what I do.”
How does the fear, the respect, the awe of the Lord activate faith?
James calls the evidence of my faith “works.” What do Paul & John in their epistles call that same evidence?