Yesterday we talked a little about the interrelationship between faith and doubt. I shared my definition of faith based on Hebrews 11:1 (ESV translation): "Faith is not the absence of doubt. It is the choice to believe in spite of doubt." For without the possibility of doubt there is no need for faith.
We also said that Abram walked by faith as he learned to trust God. The hard thing about faith is that we have to learn to trust God who we cannot see. Not seeing makes faith difficult. However, it does not make faith impossible. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, the apostle Paul encourages us when he says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
The truth is that God who we cannot see is more real than lots of the things we can see. So "not seeing" makes faith difficult, but not impossible because our faith is in the living God!
In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 1:18), he makes a similar affirmation: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." If we read on through verse 25, we see Paul flesh this idea out even more. You see we live in a world where people trust their eyes more than anything else. What we see we "believe", but what we cannot see we treat with skepticism and doubt. But God's wisdom is Christ (His life, death, and resurrection), which is foolishness to this world. Yet what appears to be foolishness is wiser than human wisdom because it is in fact God's power revealed!
So we are called to place our faith in the person of Jesus Christ because through Him God reveals His amazing power of salvation for all who believe. Peter also says in I Peter 1:8-9 "Though you have not seen him (Jesus) you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
May this faith and this joy be yours, through God's power and His Holy Spirit. Amen!
So share what are your thoughts about the relationship between faith and doubt? Is this a new way of thinking about faith for you? Has it encouraged you in any way? Are there other scriptures to which you would like to bring our attention? Let's discuss!
I think it is easy for me to have faith in god because I can see the work he does in peoples lives, and in my life.
ReplyDeleteThat is great, Brandy. God is the living God, and He is still active today. Thanks for sharing! Keep looking for God's activity in your life and the lives of others and give Him thanks often.
Delete