WHAT IS TRUE FAITH?

WHAT IS TRUE FAITH

Hebrew 11:39- “...And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise”.

                                                                                                                                 

Not even the giants of faith got what they wanted. What is faith? And how can you be sure you’ve got it? Some Christians think of faith as an almost magic force: If you muster up enough of it, you’ll get rich, stay healthy and live a contented life, they say. Yet how does one ‘muster up’ faith? What are the signs of true faith?

Hebrew chapter 11 dubbed the ‘Faith hall of fame’ contains a detailed description of faith. ‘Without faith’ Hebrew says bluntly that ‘it is impossible to please God’ (Heb. 11:6)

Not what you’d expect

But the picture of faith emerging from these chapters contains some surprises. Words and phrases like “persevere, “endure”, “do not lose heart”. In many instances, the heroes cited did not receive the promise they hoped for; some ended up flogged and destitute, hiding out in goat skins (Heb. 11:36-38). Many died horrible deaths.

Faith, the author concludes, most resembles a difficult race. The runner has his or her eyes on the winner’s prize, and despite nagging temptations to slacken the pace, refuses to give up until he or she crosses the finish line. “Throw off everything that hinders”.

Is it worth the struggle?

Why do people punish their bodies to run a grueling marathon race? Most runners name two reasons: the sense of personal reward they get and the physical benefits of the exercise. The same two rewards apply in the spiritual realm: great prizes await those who persevere and the very process of living by faith builds strong character. In this race, no one loses. If you finish you get the reward.

Hebrews holds up Jesus, who endured great suffering for our sake, as the ultimate example. The Christian faith is not sugar-coated. God does not guarantee a life of luxury and ease. It is tough faith: a constant commitment to hang on and believe God against all odds, no matter what.

Analyzing and meditating on the following scenarios, what is your definition of true faith?

Scenarios

Scenario 1: A man who obeyed God lived with his wife for years without children into their advanced years. God promised them a child and in addition the man will be a father of many nations. In the wife’s bid to solve her barren problem, gave her maid servant to the husband to have children with. The maid servant delivered a male child but it gave the woman and the man no peace till the man let the maid and child leave his house. Finally the old wife gave birth to a son. God instructed the man to sacrifice the only son. Being as faithful as he is to God, the man obliged and nearly sacrificed the son if God has not intervened. God passed the man of the test and commended him a faithful servant and friend. So what is true faith?

Scenario 2: An old man was instructed by God to build an Ark on a dry land because He was going to destroy ‘evil earth’ with water some day. The old man did not look at his age, strength or the non-availability of water on which the ark will sit. The old man obeyed the instructions to the latter and did exactly what the Lord had instructed him. Indeed the rains came and water was formed for the ark to float. The old man and his family who obeyed God to enter the ark were saved throughout the rains. So what is true faith?

Scenario 3: By faith the parents of a male child, fearing the death of their child in a foreign land and seeing the child as extra-ordinary, hid him for 3 months from the eyes of the killers; later placed him in a river hoping that the child would be found and taken care of. Indeed, the child was discovered, taken care of and later became the deliverer of his people from slavery. However, this male child deliverer could not set foot on the promised land God gave them but just saw the land. So then, what is true faith?

Scenario 4: A group of three strong young men, wise and intelligent were sent into slavery but did not forget the God of heaven. They were asked by the mighty king of the foreign land to bow and worship a molded statue or else be thrown into a burning hot furnace. They refused to worship the statue and stated with confidence that even if their God will not deliver them, they will not bow to the statue. They did not bow and were thrown into the hot furnace. Those who threw them into the furnace got burnt but they did not and instead of three people in the furnace, they became four. They did not burn and were brought out unscathed. So what is true faith?

Scenario 5: A widow with a son living in a famine-stricken area decides to eat their last morsel of bread from flour and oil left. They had an unexpected prophet visitor, who instructed the woman to bake from the last flour and oil for his meal. After some persuasion, the woman obliged and baked for the prophet. After the encounter, food never finished from the widow’s house throughout the famine. What is true faith then?

Scenario 6: A woman had an issue of blood for 12years. She had spent most of her money on physicians to heal her but to no avail. She one day heard about Jesus coming to pass her area and thought that if she could only torch the hem of Jesus garment, she would be whole. She did it and instantly her illness was gone! So what is true faith?

Scenario 7: A centurion (an Officer in the Roman Army) one day came to Jesus to seek healing for his servant who was sick. Jesus wanted to go to his house to see the sick servant. The centurion, thinking highly of Jesus, pleaded with Jesus to just speak and he believed that the servant will be healed. Jesus indeed spoke and when the centurion got home, the servant was healed completely. What is true faith?

Scenario 8: Peter and his colleagues went on their usual fishing expedition but caught none. Jesus asked them to go throw their net again. Experts as they were, they thought they had done their best. They however obeyed Jesus and went to cast their net again. Bible says that they got so much fish for which their net should have torn but it didn’t. What is true faith then?

Scenario 9: God promised to deliver the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Just when they got to the Red sea in the course of their journey, they had nowhere to go; meanwhile the Egyptian army was coming after them in the other direction. The people doubted God to be their deliverer but God instructed Moses to lift a rod and the mighty water of the Red sea parted and they escaped on dry ground. Thereafter, the Egyptian army tried to cross the sea after them but they were swallowed up, as the Red sea rolled back. A battle was won without combat, neither a sea crossed with ship. What then is true faith?

Scenario 10: A knowledgeable man called Saul (later Paul) persecuted the early Church so dreadfully to kill it. After having an encounter with Jesus on one of his missions, he believed Jesus and was used as an important worker for Christ. However, throughout his missionary journey, he went through persecutions of various forms, jails, beatings, etc. to his frustration. Finally, he ended up in prison. What is true faith then?

Scenario 11: Peter, a worthy disciple of Jesus Christ and appointed the ‘stone’ through which the church was built on Jesus Christ- ‘the rock’, ended up being gruesomely imprisoned and murdered that he could not set eyes on the glorious day he preached. James and John the Baptist were both beheaded for the truth they preached. So what is true faith?

Now help me

Question 1: I was sore sick and visited the hospital and the doctor gave me some medicines to take. Upon a second thought, I did not take the medication and believed God for my healing instead. Is this true faith? Do medicines need my faith to work?

Question 2: After successfully completing my course at the University, I came out with a Bachelor of Science (first class honours). On campus, I dedicated most part of my time to God’s work with success. After my national service, a company invited me for an interview after which there was evidence that I did well. When the reply came, I had been denied the job. I have after been considering the Christian toil on campus in addition to the hard academic work and faithfulness to God. Should my true faith in God end like this?

Conclusion

Heb:11:13: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth….. Amen.