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Commentary on "Faith"

ROY TINKER

 

Day 4: Tuesday, April 7, 2009

When we think about exercising faith, there can be a tendency to think of our faith as the cause and God's work as the effect--as if we can influence God into doing something for us that He wouldn't otherwise do if we didn't have the faith.

There is a subtle error in this approach. I have three thoughts to share regarding Biblical exercise of faith.

First, God's promises to us who are saved are true whether we believe them or not. The early Christian saying went (as recorded by Paul), "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" (2 Timothy 2:13). We who are saved are part of God's covenant people, and His promises to us cannot be revoked. If you are saved, you are "in Christ" and an heir of God's promises. Here are some promises in Scripture that are for those who are in Christ, whether they trust in them at a particular time or not:

"He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5).

"For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:9-11).

"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

God is good and will take care of us. If we trust in Him and His perfect love for us, then we can be free from fear.

Second, our faith in God is what really matters, not whether a particular circumstance turns out in a particular way. John the apostle writes,

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4)

Trusting and believing in Jesus Christ and knowing Him has the powerful effect of removing fear and worry -- and he changes our attitude to "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." His kingdom, His glory, and His will are what really matter ultimately, and in His eternal purposes He also will not fail to work for our ultimate good.

Third, as James the apostle writes, "You do not have, because you do not ask God." (James 4:2). In the life of faith, there is definitely room for asking God for things -- it is only natural for children to ask their Father for what they need and want. The requests that honor God come from already trusting in Him to ultimately provide for our needs, and they are in submission to His will. 1 John promises that if we ask according to God's will, He will give us what we ask. But James warns us, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:3). God cares about loving us and granting our hearts' desires, but it is so much more important that our hearts are right before Him. Thus, the Psalmist writes, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" -- namely, that His will be done and that He be glorified in our lives.

May God give us humble hearts as we approach the throne of grace: submitting to His will, trusting in His perfect care, and humbly asking for what our hearts desire.

 

Summary

  1. God's promises are true whether we believe them or not. If we are part of His covenant people (having received eternal life through faith in Jesus), He is our Father and nothing can separate us from His love.
  2. Our faith in God is what overcomes the world -- so our faith (trusting that God is in control and that He is with us and taking care of us) matters more than whether a particular circumstance turns out in a particular way.
  3. Asking God is a normal part of being a child of God. It is an act of faith, and thus pleasing to God, if it is done in an attitude of humble trust and submission to Him.

 

 

Copyright 2008 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised April 7, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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