Faith is a gift . . .

 

Where does faith come from? Why do I believe that if I plug in my hair dryer and turn on the switch it will run? Why do I believe the sun will come up in the morning? Or that the news will be on at 6 p.m. every night? This kind of faith is based on experience and confidence in the reliability of electricity, the sun, and the television station. At least two of them could fail and then my faith would be shattered.

Biblical faith is not quite the same. For one thing, it is a gift from God — He grants the ability to believe what He says:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

I can look at evidence in creation and believe God exists. I can realize that there is something or someone far beyond my experience, but unless I go for affirmation about who that is by the way He revealed it, I could come up with all sorts of ideas about who or what God is:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature . . .  (Hebrews 1:1–3)

The faith that is given by God is not the faith that can be conjured up by human reasoning, or experience, or logic, or supposition. It is a gift from God and this gift includes revelations about Him that we cannot otherwise know. For instance: “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)

I recall how I believed in evolution when Jesus saved me, even argued with my mother about it. However, faith wins . . . for in a short time I realized that creation by God was true. I cannot see that or prove it by scientific experiment, but I just know that it is true — because God said so.

This is how biblical faith works; it reveals as God speaks and gives insights that unbelievers can’t know, such as how the physical universe began, where it is heading, and how it will end. I know Who governs the universe and how I fit into the total scheme of things. I know why I exist and how to invest my life in matters of eternal consequence. This is all because of Christ and the marvelous gift of faith that comes with Him:

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:14–16)

MacArthur says that most people refuse God’s counsel. They believe the enemy’s lie that God does not exist, or that He does not want the best for us, or that His book is out of date and cannot reveal unseen matters to us. However, such things aren’t beyond the realm of knowing—if a person is willing to be taught by God’s Word.

The Bible clearly states that God spoke the physical universe into existence, creating visible matter from what was non-physical or invisible. He “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” (Romans 4:17) These are not observable but understood by this gift of faith in which God opens our heart to His realm, to His realities. The most brilliant human minds cannot see such things but those who have this faith can say with the psalmist, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.” (Psalm 119:99–100)

PRAY: Again, I know that faith is not my own doing. Jesus, it is Your gift to me, a gift that comes by grace — Your goodness and sacrificial love. All praise to You, the God who reveals Himself to sinners such as I.

PONDER: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world . . . .” (Psalm 19:1–4) The gift begins with what can be seen in creation yet it culminates in Jesus Christ. I want Him to always enable me to proclaim Him in every possible way every time that He reveals Himself!

 

 

Becoming what I already am . . .

 

READ 1 John 1–5

This fall I was elected by a non-profit organization to the position of governance. I knew nothing about what that job entailed but was assured that it was not beyond my ability to learn and do. I’m still on that learning curve and realize it is much like being enlisted in the army. Most new solders bear the label — “You are a soldier” — but must train for the task. Boot camp and years of experience happen before the label fits.

It is the same for Christians. We are saved, then spend the rest of our lives learning how to be what we are, mostly by enlightenment from the Holy Spirit and the example and teaching of those who came before us. According to much of the NT, if that is not happening, then we were not enlisted in the first place. John is a favorite instructor. He says:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that your joy may be complete. (1 John 1:1–4)

Of course joy is not the only result of walking with Jesus, but a good teacher puts emphasis on the positive. John has more to say about what happens when a person truly becomes a Christian. For instance, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” and “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1:7; 9)

He also says, “Whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” and “Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.” (2:5-6; 10) These are identification marks of a genuine Christian. There are fakes though . . .

John warns about antichrist who denies the divine identity of Christ, and those who keep on sinning. Neither can claim to be a child of God. This is not how true salvation works. Instead, becoming a child of God changes our attitude toward sin and toward others. We are able to love on another, even though the world may hate us.

God also answers our prayers, gives us insight into the spiritual realm, and the ability to discern truth from error. The greatest change is loving one another, confessing Jesus as the Son of God, and an ability to overcome the world (fleshy desires and pride). John says this is all true because:

. . . . God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (5:11–13)

This is an amazing thing — to just “know that we are from God . . . . and also understand that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” but also that “the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (5:19–20)

This is what faith is: just knowing. It is not assumption or wishful thinking. When a soldier puts on that uniform, he knows he is a soldier, yet he may not know much about how to act like one and will learn many lessons about this new life. Belonging to Jesus is like that, yet greater and permanent. John writes in this short but beautiful letter:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (3:2–3)

For me, this is joyful assurance and heart-settling. I am God’s child. I’m not yet all that I will be, but have His assurance that one day I will be like Jesus. Praise His name!