Volume 47   Number 1                                                           September 2004

Everyone has faith in something. Some put confidence in the things they see such as people, money, intelligence, or good health. Others trust in spiritual things not yet seen. The question we should all ask ourselves is this: "What kind of faith will save my soul?"

There are times when it might seem smart to approach life without faith in God. Having a humanistic faith in technology instead of God can actually seem to be a sort of noble vision. People love to sing the praises of technology and how science will one day conquer all evils and create utopia on earth.

However, if you take another look at man, visible things, and our limited science and technology, you will find that trusting these things will eventually let us down. In the end, trust in man is like leaning on a sharp-ended staff which supports for a while before finally piercing you through. (2 Kings 18:21)

The entire history of man is the story of how he cannot be trusted; how money takes wings and flies away; and how nearly every scientific advance creates even more problems! Pick up a magazine on science, for instance - you will read about the old ideas we 'used to believe' followed by the latest theories which are now acceptable by those 'in the know.' Such thinking will produce dizziness in an honest heart, but dizziness does not save anyone. Man's shifting word can never produce genuine faith.

God calls out to us in love, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." (Psalms 146:3) Right in the very middle of His Holy Word He says, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." (Psalms 118:8) How much better to put your trust in the One Who made us! There is no shame or confusion in trusting the Living God and His Son. "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Romans 9:33) "They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded." (Psalms 22:5) Trust in God. He will never disappoint or cause you any shame!

God's record of dependability is available for inspection. Read His Word and you will see how He makes promises and always keeps them, unlike men who always need to revise, regret, or renege on what they say. The Lord even reminds men of promises He has made rather than behave like a man who hopes you will just forget about his earlier boast. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20) In your own life, hasn't God been faithful to consistently bless you every day?

"The just shall live by his faith" is one of the main themes of the Bible (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4). God has made faith in Him a requirement for our salvation today under the New Covenant. God has always been seeking people who will just take Him at His Word rather than walk by what is seen. God gladly accepts anyone who has lost faith in this world.

"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."( Hebrews 11:6) Without faith in God, He is not pleased with our lives and is under no obligation to reward anyone's good deeds. We can fool others, but we cannot mock God and think we will be acceptable on the Last Day without complete trust in Him.

The word 'faith' is translated in the New Testament from the word pistis and means persuasion, or moral conviction. Faith describes a condition of the heart where the Word of God is believed and accepted without further doubt or question. "If you believe with all your heart, you may." (Acts 8:37ff)

In the Bible we read this divine definition of faith, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is the support and the proof for what we do not see. "For we walk by faith, and not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) The things we see do not inspire confidence. But the Creator we do not yet see is completely reliable and more than worthy of our whole-hearted trust!

Having faith in God is not a one-time act, but a lifestyle! As Jesus said to His friend, Martha, "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:26) "Lives and believes" describes a continuous practice which keeps us spiritually and eternally alive!

In order to be saved, you must put your confidence in God instead of yourself. Before this writer became a Christian, he knew about Jesus and believed He was the Son of God. But that faith was nothing more than mental assent to facts; a nice thought that had never really been put to the test. Until I put my trust in Jesus to change my life, my feet were as unmovable as concrete shoes. I could not be saved.

In order to be saved, I had to use my faith! Faith that the God Who was calling me by the gospel would also provide the strength to remain faithful to the end. Confidence that He Who began a good work in me would finish it - "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1:6)

How is it with you, friend? Do you have faith in the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ, or is your trust invested in the fading things of this life? Are you fully persuaded or are you like King Agrippa (Acts 26:28), 'almost' persuaded? "Almost" can never save anyone. Listen to the Savior: "Have faith in God." (Mark 11:22b)