Let's Talk About Faith

Let’s talk about Faith

By

District Elder M. L. Maughmer, Jr

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.

INTRODUCTION: We all have faith! According to the dictionary faith is allegiance to duty or a person, belief in the traditional doctrines of religion, a system of religious belief.

The working class has faith because the hold allegiance to the company they work for and performs their duties faithfully. The atheist that believes there is no God has faith because it is their system of religious beliefs. Understand religious and godly are two different things. Everyone has a measure of faith and we all use it in some form or fashion in our everyday lives.

When we turn on the light switch we believe that the light will come on - that’s faith. When you get into the elevator and those door close, you believe that it will take you from the ground floor to the level you want top get to without the cable breaking – that’s faith. The child that jumps from the top bunk stretched out like superman into the unsuspecting arms of their parent has faith because they believe that the parent is going to catch them.

However, eventhough we all have faith, that which the dictionary calls faith, we must understand that there is a difference between dictionary faith and Biblical faith.

Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter, it list what has become known as the Hall of Faith, those that were pleasing unto God because of faith and because of their Biblical faith were able to accomplish that which was set before them.

Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To fully understand what Biblical faith is we must first understand what it is not.

First Biblical faith is not faith in faith. We sometimes feel that our faith will determine the effectiveness of the outcome. If I convince myself that everything will be alright then my faith will produce the positive outcome I desire because I have faith and I believe in faith that everything is going to be alright. Then when the outcome is not what we thought it should be we become discouraged and upset with God and try to blame God. However it was not God that failed but our faith in faith. We lack Biblical faith.

This misconception of faith in faith leads to the second misconception that because I have faith I can make God do what I want him to do for me. Biblical faith is not the capability to manipulate God, Biblical faith is pleasing God. So many times you hear if I just have faith I can name it and claim it, blab it and grab it. However, if it is not in God’s will your faith in faith is not going to change His mind regardless of how much faith in faith you have. Understand Biblical faith is not having God stand behind some big red button and you saying O.K. God I have this much faith so the question is “Deal or No Deal”.

Another misconception is that if I follow certain rules or doctrines that is faith enough; however, that is obedience and not faith. Faith is not obedience to doctrine, eventhough obedience is necessary it is not faith. Just because you went to church, paid your tithes, sang on the praise team does not necessitate faith. I go to work in a hospital everyday, but I am not a doctor.

Faith is not a blind leap into darkness and believing that light will magically appear just because you were ignorantly blind to logic and reason. I can go to the Columbus Zoo and have faith all I want, but if I jump in the lions den I have ignored logic and reason, therefore my so-called faith with not change the circumstances or consequences.

Biblical faith is not faith in faith, it is not a tool used to manipulate God, it is not obedience to a certain doctrine or set of rules, it is not a blind leap into a situation by-passing logic and reason.

So then what is Biblical faith?

Understand that Biblical faith is based on a relationship with God personally. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Biblical faith believes in God and not in faith. Biblical faith believes God can and God will regardless of circumstances.

Example: If I am standing at the break of darkness and I don’t know if the next step is going to throw me off a cliff or not I have faith in God that He is either going to give me something solid to stand on or He is going to give me the ability to fly.