While I was getting ready to share God's word among my college students, for an early morning brief devotions, the Lord taught me certain lessons, which I share in this blog. Starters in the Christian faith may find it worth reading.
In the Old Testament, we meet some people, who made strong 'faith declarations', in varying situations in their life's journey. I find two such illustrations, fitting to simply clarify our ideas and beliefs about 'faith in God.'
1. 'IF THEN' faith
One of the patriarchs of the Israelites, Jacob son of Isaac, is a case in point. He was running away from his brother Esau, whom he deceived on more than one occasion.[ I am not bringing this character for our study here.] All I want to focus, is the dream Jacob had at Bethel. We have been singing at Sunday schools over the years, about Jacob's ladder. Genesis chapter 28 narrates this incident. After he woke up in the morning,Jacob realised that the presence of his father's God was even there in the wilderness, protecting him. Only thing was that he was unaware of it .
Gen 28:20 tells the readers, that Jacob made a vow to the LORD saying, " IF God will be with me and watch over me....... THEN the LORD will be my God......"This is what I learnt, the 'conditional faith' which is spiritually immature, has strings attached and focuses on the gifts rather than the Giver. This kind of faith rests on the particular circumstances of life. It hopes for an immediate deliverance of God. During the Old Testament days, under the given set of circumstances in which Jacob lived, it might be justifiable.
[We are not bringing the Abrahamic faith, a more mature faith, as a comparison in this blog.]
BUT, how many times, we who live under the grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ, having freely received the gift of FAITH in and through Him, still comfortably operate at this level, as 'spiritual babies'? We cannot reason it out. Our level of faith needs to mature more towards the 'even if not' faith. Those of us who are serious in walking close to Christ, have committed our lives to Him, have to aspire in growing in our faith, in Jesus, the only Son of God, who is the image of the Only God, His Father. The Holy Spirit of God is ready to teach us relevant truth. He is our resident teacher, to lead us into the full knowledge of Jesus Christ. Amen!!
2.' EVEN IF NOT' faith
The book of Daniel, begins with the historical narrative of the 'fiery furnace' at Babylon. There were Three young men, of royal lineage, taken as captives to Babylon. Their captors wanted to train them in Babylonian culture and language, so that the heathen nation could exploit their skills for its own good. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel was summoned to tell it and interpret it for him. On goes the narrative, at the request of Daniel, his three friends from Judah were appointed as administrators over Babylon. Daniel remained in the king's court, honoured and placed in a high position. (Daniel ch.2)
Daniel chapter 3 tells us a story very different from that of the previous chapter. The king made a golden image and invited all his officials for its dedication. He decreed that everyone should fall down and worship the image. We find that these three young men did not worship the image, true to their faith in obedience to the commands of the LORD their God.
The king ordered that they be put in the fiery furnace, since they 'paid no attention to the king's decree, did not serve the heathen gods, and did not worship the image he set up.' (Dan 3:12) .Furious with rage, the king warned the three youth and gave them them another opportunity, in the presence of all those gathered there,to worship the golden image he had set up.
The reply given by these young men of Judah, takes us by awesome wonder! How could that boldness be exhibited, in an alien nation, before an arrogant heathen king and his people? The answer lies in their faith in the living God of their forefathers, mighty in works and incomparable in counsel, wisdom and power!
The king said, " ..if you do not worship, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" (Dan 3:15).
Their historic reply is as follows : " O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. BUT EVEN IF he does NOT, we want you to know , O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Dan 3: 16-18).What sort of faith is this? It is the 'real faith', that is unconditional, has no strings attached to it, seeks only the Giver and not the gifts, relies not on immediate affirmative answer, but trusts in the goodness and the unchanging love of God, the spiritually mature faith.
Such a faith is what is described in Hebrews 11:1,2, to the Church of Christ of later centuries as, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."God's love is so strong, that even when all else gives way, the child of Christ still stands on the 'rock of ages cleft for him/her.' The challenge to us, the readers, whether we will strive towards such a TRUE FAITH, under all circumstances. When the believers of Christian churches persecuted and threatened, can live up to the 'real faith', is it not expected of us, who are not yet tortured for naming the name of Christ, to exercise boldly such a kind of faith, the EVEN IF NOT faith, for the sake of the Saviour's love and grace that 'brought us into His fold?'
I am sure that all of us shout, Amen !! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, slain from the foundations of the world!!
P.S: All Bible quotations are taken from the NIV edition of the Family Devotional Study Bible, India Bible Literature.
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