The Impossibility Of Faith

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

As this devotional is all about, faith, from time to time it is necesarry to reexamine this thing called "faith." Faith comes in all sizes, shapes, ideologies, theologies, and subsists in the minds of people in varying degrees. But, when faith comes in the form of opposition to common sense it becomes fanaticism. On the other hand, when common sense becomes opposed to faith it becomes rationalism. both extremes are the end result of misplaced faith. To brings these two extremes together into a right relationship with one another requires an understanding as to what faith is and what it is not. Common sense is not faith. Faith is not common sense. They stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual,  of impulse and inspiration. Let me give you something to think upon: Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense. Whoa! you say, this borders on blasphemy! Let see, Hmmm... "turn the other cheek", "love your enemies", "deny yourself", "sell everything you own and come follow me".  Where is the common sense in all that? The words of Jesus is revelational sense and it reaches out where common sense fails.

Here is a truth, for faith to be faith it must be tested and tried. Without this testing is will never become actual in a person's life. We often quote this verse, generally in part, "And we know that in all things God works for the good," (Romans 8:28a). So then, no matter by the providence of God He transfigures the ideal faith into actual reality. A quick sidenote, "of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28b). I you don't love Him, and have not been called, then this verse is not true for you, disregard this devotional. God always work in the personal lives of His children, His purpose is that our ideal (idea of) faith becomes real in His children.

The common-sense of life reveals the fact of God whereby we can prove in practical experience what we believe God to be. In vs. 6 of Hebrews 11, the word for faith is "pisto-o" an active Greek verb which always puts Jesus Christ first, it doesn't make sense, it seems to be madly insane, but we venture out into faith to obtain a personal possession of it and it is a fight always, not just sometimes. God brings us into circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make its object real. We must come to know that Jesus, God is not some abstraction, that we cannot have faith in Him--"Anyone who has seen me has seen the father" (John 14:9b), we have something that is real, and faith is boundless.

Faith is the whole of man rightly related to God by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Therefore, faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him--I will remain true to God's character whatever He may do. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15a). This cry by Job is the most profound utterance to be found in the Bible. May it become the very essence of your faith.

Daily Prayer:

Father, in midst of fear, worry, I see your faithfulness, your trying of my faith to bring me to yourself. I thank you for that is love and as I grow in faith towards you may my life reflect that love to others. I trust you and you alone.                                Amen