"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for; the
evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1)
In the English language, "faith"
means allegiance to God or some person, fidelity to one’s promises or in
observance to one’s duty, something that is believed with strong conviction;
belief; and/or trust. The Greek "pistis"
for faith is
used in this verse in the New Testament in the sense of a conviction based on hearing. But it
is even more, because it is not just that we are persuaded - in relation to what
we have heard (in His Word). Instead we are to be literally changed inside and
out by the faith that is in us.
There are at least three kinds of faith specified in
Scripture:
1) Experiential faith (I believe it because I saw it
happen),
2) human faith (I want to believe, so I try very hard to do so), and
3) Saving faith (God’s gift to the heart of man).
1) Experiential faith
Thomas the apostle initially had this kind of faith. He
said "Unless I shall SEE… I
will not believe" (John 20:24), and this is the way of many people – They
say, "If only I could SEE God, THEN I would believe."
But Jesus responded to this kind of "faith" – "Blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet have believed"
(John 20:29).
I’ve often been astonished to read in the Book of
Revelation, that after a thousand years of Christ’s reign on earth when people
will SEE God the Son, humanity will quickly fall away and turn against Him. This
is revealed in the prophetic verses of Revelation 20:7-9 (and if you want the
whole context, read 20:1-10). To accept Him because you SEE Him, is not enough.
The Revelation Scriptures reveal that after 1000 years of Christ’s reign on
earth, Satan will be released for a little while. The world of that time will
incredibly follow the enemy in droves and deny the Lord.
Faith which is produced by an intellectual decision
based on some sensory information, simply does not last. Thomas did find true
faith, by the way, and was able to honestly address Jesus as "My Lord and my God", but Jesus still looked deep into
Thomas’ heart and placed into question the depth of the man’s faith (John
20:29). This is good for all of us – As indicated in 2 Corinthians 13:5, we
should ALL be willing to be examined by God to see what kind of “faith” we have.
Thomas eventually went all the way to India, where he
told people about our Lord for many years, and then he died for his Lord and his
God. I knew a man in Tucson who told me that he had attended a Church in
Pakistan that was founded by the Apostle Thomas. This Thomas, this disciple and
then apostle of Jesus, found true faith in God.
2) Human faith
Billy Graham has referred to those who come forward at
his crusades as "seekers," rather than as new
"Christians." It remains to be seen whether their responses to the call of God
are going to last. There are human benefits in an outward "faith" – People in Churches tend to be friendly, and many
adopt a human form of faith as a solution to human loneliness.
Jesus explored the various kinds of faith with His
disciples, which we can see in Matthew, Chapter 13. He referred to this "human"
faith in verses 20 and 21, calling it temporary in nature, and He went on to say
about it, "When persecution of affliction comes, he
quickly falls away." OUR best efforts to have faith will ultimately not
succeed – we must trust in the Son of God. It is His faith in us that we need.
3) Saving Faith
The Scriptures are what we need in understanding true
(saving) faith, and some excellent references are found in the Book of Hebrews.
In Hebrews 11:1, we find faith defined as the "substance
of things hoped for, the conviction (evidence) of
things not seen." True faith is something like a "SUBSTANCE" within you; just as real in its own way as
blood and bones. And this faith is not something you can create through effort.
It is not like Thomas, who merely believed when he saw.
This is like Paul, whose life was turned upside-down by the unexpected work of
Christ in him. God’s faith is seen in another place in Hebrews, where we find
that Jesus is the "author and finisher (perfecter)
of (our) faith"
(Hebrews 12:2). It is Jesus who created your faith and it is He who will cause
your faith to both last and grow. He does the work and it is our job to receive
what He has done. The highest act in life is to let the Son of God place His
faith deeply into your "heart" - forever.
In my experience, you can find His kind of faith when
you prayerfully study the written Word of God. It says, "The
Word of God is living and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as
the division of soul and spirit" (Hebrews 4:12). Theologians can’t even
agree if there IS a division between soul and spirit, but God knows everything
about you and can cause His Word to pierce the very center of your being. That
was what happened to me. I read the Bible, and then I prayed. He answered my
prayer and opened my understanding about what I was reading. The written Word of
God led me to saving faith in Christ.
He can do the same for us all. People are confused
because so many in Churches live just like those in the world. That’s because
many who like to be "religious" actually fall into categories 1) and/or 2) of
this sermon. Such faith is based on an intellectual decision or comes from a
need for human contact and acceptance in a lonely world.
Saving faith is not just some feeling which produces a
religious experience, and it is not merely an intellectual decision – He is the
One who loves you so much that He died for you. You and I were like broken toys,
and He has "fixed" us on the cross. Just let Him have His way, and true faith
will ALWAYS be yours. HE is the True Source of all faith that is acceptable to
God.
Jesus, we receive you now. We confess our sin and our
need of You. O Author of life, create Your true, saving faith within us. We
trust You, Lord. Thank You, Father, for giving us The Son. Thank You, Jesus, for
the faith You give. Thank You, Spirit, for leading us to Jesus. We receive You
now, Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.
