"...' I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:24, NIV).
Some skeptics will tell you that seeing is believing! Actually, it's the reverse: believing is seeing! Augustine said, "I believe in order to understand." Philosophers will tell you all knowledge begins in faith with some presupposition you cannot prove. When our hearts are opened by the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit we do see things in a new light though and the eyes of faith see things that the unbelieving world cannot. There is nothing that will make an unbelieving person see--no amount of light can restore blindness! It takes a supernatural work of God to open the eyes of the blind (spiritually speaking).
Just like the hymn that goes, "I was blind, but now I see." Then we have a new perspective on life with Christ as the center focus. And He gives us purpose and meaning that only He can do and no other religion can do. As the psalmist wrote, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (cf. Psalm 119:18, NIV), so we were blinded by Satan and could not see any spiritual truth until Jesus set us free from bondage. Indeed, we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free! We should be eager to see things in a new light!
"Faith is not about how much we believe but how well we obey." It has been said that it's not believing in spite of the evidence but obeying despite the consequences. Faith has legs and goes somewhere is an action word--it goes somewhere, for we walk by faith, not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). James 2:18 says, "I will show you my faith by my deeds." While Paul would complement that with: "I will show you my good deeds by my faith." Abraham by faith obeyed God! His faith was confirmed by his act of circumcision, not begun. We verify that we have faith in the eyes of others and become God's witnesses.
Faith is suspect without works and we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone (the Reformer's formula). It has been also said that we are not saved by works but unto works! Not by good behavior but unto good behavior! We must validate our faith by works though. In short, we're not saved by good works, but not without them either! As James said, "Faith without works is dead," so we must desire to live it out and grow from faith to faith. We must bear in mind that dead faith doesn't save. And so it is something seen, going somewhere, not just possessed. Just like good soil produces fruit, so saving faith produces good deeds.
The point is that when we see faith in action in others it encourages our faith and it becomes a witness to a blinded world--we must show our faith and be bold to not be ashamed of the opportunity to stand up for Christ. We only need mustard-seed faith to be saved and the object is what saves, not the faith. We don't have faith in faith! One problem in the church is misdirected zeal and zeal without knowledge or fanaticism. This kind of faith does more harm than good. The faith you have is the faith you show in essence and it's your knowledge in action. We must never divorce faith and faithfulness, for these two go hand in hand as we grow in the faith.
CAVEAT: We must beware of head belief or storybook faith that is not a conversion of the heart and transformation of the whole soul. In the final analysis, we must prove we have saving faith that springs from sincerity and good deeds--a conversion of the heart, mind, and will--we will know them by their fruits.
Concluding thoughts: There is just enough light to see for the willing and enough darkness not to see for the unwilling; at any rate, we must turn our creeds into deeds and express just like John MacArthur said, "True faith manifests itself in obedience only." Soli Deo Gloria!
About Me
- Karl Broberg
- I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.