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.
I don’t believe that magically ground will appear because I have faith, but I have a relationship with God and based upon my relationship with Him I am able to walk by faith and I know without a shadow of doubt that the next step something is going to happen because God said in His word in Psalms 91:11-12 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone”.
Now what I have done is understood my relationship with God. I understand that He is not slack concerning His promises; therefore, when I make that step I know that I know that I know He will provide. My faith is in God based upon my relationship with Him and not in faith.
Example: A preacher once said while hiking with his young son one day, his son climbed upon a big rock and the father didn’t know it. The son called out to his father saying hey dad. When the father turned around to see what his son wanted he turned only to find his son had jumped from this rock and was flying right into his arms. The father caught the boy a feel to the ground. Not hurt the father asked the son why did you do that. The young boy laughed and said because you’re my dad.
It was because of the relationship the son had with the father that he had total trust and confidence that his father would be there. Therefore, when we read Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. We can understand it as saying something like “Now my relationship with God is the foundation of things I hope for and He is the provider of it regardless of my circumstances.
Now that we know what Biblical faith is and we know what Biblical faith is not the question is now what does Biblical faith do?
Remember Biblical faith is not the capability to manipulate God but it pleases God. Hebrews 11:6 says “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”. We know that Biblical faith is trust in God based on relationship with God. Therefore, without relationship with God it is impossible to please God. Biblical faith is pleasing to God because it produces some things in us that are pleasing to God. Therefore Biblical faith is also pleasing faith.
The first thing that Biblical faith produces is Pleasing Worship. Pleasing worship is worship that is done with a sincere heart and in obedience to God. Many people will sing and offer the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of your lips (lip service) simply because the praise team is a form of cheerleader and they are only doing what they are told to do. But when you have a relationship and understand Matthew 22:37-38 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment”. I’m going to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind I’m going to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with Praise. I’m going to be a cheerful giver. I’m not going to have to have the praise team pump me up, but whenever I just think of the goodness of Jesus or whenever I am reading His word something down on the inside will begin to bubble and I’ll just throw up my hands and begin to give God praise and this is pleasing to Him. That’s why Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice unto God because he did it with a sincere heart. He offered the right thing with the right attitude. He had pleasing worship.
The next thing that Biblical faith produces is a Pleasing Walk. Hebrews 11:5 says “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God”. How did he please God. To understand how he pleased God we must go back to Genesis 5:24 “and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him”. The word “with” stresses relationship. Enoch allowed God to order his steps, his feet were not swift to mischief. He had a relationship with God. He said order my step in your word dear Lord lead me and guide every day I just want to have a closer walk with thee. His relationship with God caused Biblical faith in God, which produced a pleasing walk with God.
The next thing that Biblical faith produces is Pleasing Work. Hebrew 11:7 says “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”. It took Noah and his sons over one hundred years (100 yrs) to build the Ark, not an easy or short job. However, he was faithful and because of his relationship with God, knowing that even if I can’t see it now. I may not be able to fully understand it now, but because of my relationship with God I know He can provide it. Today you may not be asked to build an ark, but God has given each of us a work to do. Do you have faith that leads to working hard and long for the Kingdom of God. Are you willing to work the work of him that sent you that you may be pleasing unto Him.
The next thing that Biblical faith produces is the Pleasing ability to Wait Patiently. Psalms 37:7 says “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him”: Hebrews 11:8-10 says “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God”. Abraham waited for his inheritance, God made him a promise and he waited patiently for it, he didn’t get right away, but because of faith in God and his relationship with God he waited patiently. He waited for his son, God told him that he would have a son, five years passed still no son, but he waited, ten years passed but still he waited, twenty five years later Isaac was born but he waited patiently for the Lord.
Sometimes Biblical faith may cause you to have to wait and there may be times when it seems like your waiting is just being stuck in place because it seems like such a long time, but because of faith that is pleasing to God, and your relationship with God wait I say upon the Lord. Wait patiently for the answer to your prayer. Wait patiently for that promotion. Wait patiently for that thing you have asked God for. However, while you are waiting continue to have pleasing worship, continue to have pleasing work continue to have a pleasing walk with God.
Pleasing faith produces life. Hebrew 11:11 says “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised”. Sara after being beyond the age to have children received strength and that which was dead produced life because she had a relationship with God and she judges Him faithful who had promised. This was not just her belief in faith, but her relationship with God.
Pleasing faith provides a way out. When Abraham was tried and about to offer up Isaac because of his relationship God was pleased with him and provided a ram in the bush. It was a way out. You may be in a situation that you just cannot seem to find a way out of, but just have faith and a relationship with God and He will provide a way out.
Pleasing faith provides protection. Hebrews 11:23 says “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment”. Moses’ mother, by faith hid him and he was protected from the pharaoh in the pharaoh’s house. Pleasing faith will cause you to be protected in the midst of your enemies.
Pleasing faith will take you through the deep places in your life. Hebrews 11:29 says “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned”.
Pleasing faith will tear down the walls in your life. Hebrews 11:30 says “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days”.
Pleasing faith what more shall I say. Pleasing faith will subdue kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtain promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the sword, turn weakness into strength, open closed doors, heal sin sick souls, mend the broken hearted, join together that which is apart. Pleasing faith will cause you to love those that talk about and despitefully use you. Pleasing faith will cause you to not to fear no evil.
Warren Wiersbe in one of his commentaries said “Faith enable us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result faith enables us to do what others cannot do.”
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr
Assistant Pastor
O.G.C.O.G.I.C.
Boanerge Ministries
