Study Faith Yourself
As I’ve reflected on it since, I felt like I rushed a few things during our get-together and may not have been clear so I wanted to try and do that now as well as share a few other things.
Clarifying a Few Things
First… I didn’t want to give the impression—or I hope I didn’t—that all the themes we listed were elements necessary for faith. That would seem very overwhelming and more than what the Bible says that faith is. Saving faith is faith in Jesus — who He is, what He did, and our response to Him. Then exercising faith, after the fact, is believing in the promises of God and the authority of His Word. This was where we spent our time.
I couldn’t remember if we discussed the Bible’s definition of faith or not.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen.” The assurance of things hoped for… in the Greek the word assurance carries the context of setting under a support, or foundation. I read that Greek authors would often use this word to describe something having an actual existence or substance, it’s real. Faith is the assurance. It’s the under support or foundation of things… hoped for. Not wished for.
And it’s also the conviction of things not seen. Now the Greek behind that word carries the concept of proving or proof. That by which a thing is proved or tested.
I’m pretty sure that at some point, James 1:3 came up. It says, “The testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Courage in the Face of Obstacles
The passages we studied revealed that the people Jesus encountered typically faced some obstacle or difficult circumstance that was beyond their control. They couldn’t heal themselves, couldn’t drive out demons, and couldn’t command the forces of nature.
In a passage we didn’t cover, but’s included in the master list, is the account of a woman with an issue of a flow of blood lasting for 12 years. That’s a chronic Illness. Both Mark and Luke mention that, “she had spent: ‘all she had’ and ‘all her living on physicians’” however “was no better but rather grew worse.”
So this woman spent all her money on doctors. She exhausted her options and nothing worked. Mark tells us that, “She had heard the reports about Jesus” and told herself, “If I even touch His garments I will be made well.”
Mark also tells us, “There was a great crowd that followed Him” and according to Luke, there were people that had “pressed around him.” So in order to even get to Him, she had to make her way through a great crowd, but she didn’t let that stop her. She was confident in Jesus’ ability to heal her.
Jesus says to her (in Matthew 9:22), “Take heart Daughter. Your faith has made you well.” You may (or may not remember) that the phrase “take heart” can mean to have courage. So she had to have courage to push through the crowd.
Faith Stronger Than Fear
In one of the groups, an observation was made from the passage of the Roman centurion. That in spite of any negative kickback or criticism he might have received from his employer, co-workers, or whomever, his faith in Jesus and His Word was stronger than his fear of rejection or criticism.
A similar response is found in a passage we didn’t study.
Remember the account of the paralytic and his friends? A crowd has gathered around Jesus at a house. Mark notes: “many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door.” These guys couldn’t get their friend in, but didn’t let that stop them. Their solution was to rip a hole in the roof and let him down right there in front of everybody. They certainly made a scene but didn’t care. Their friend’s need and confidence in Jesus’ ability outweighed any embarrassment they might have been scared to feel. For this “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’”
There it is again, “take heart;” have courage. The same exact thing Jesus said to the woman.
Forgetting Jesus’ Faithfulness
And now let’s revisit the account of Jesus walking on water.
But before we do…
Let’s flashback to earlier that same day. The disciples saw Jesus feed 5000 with five loaves and two fish. On a different day (in Matthew 15) they watch Jesus feed 4000 with nothing but seven loaves and a few small fish.
Now soon after that (in chapter 16) Jesus makes a statement about leaven. The disciples completely misunderstand and say amongst themselves, “We brought no bread.” Jesus aware of this rebukes them, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?”
He goes on to ask them, “Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered (which was 12 by the way)? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?” (which was 7).
Somehow after both of those amazing experiences the disciples are still concerned about the lack of bread.
Seems like they should know by now that the provision of bread is no issue for Jesus. In fact, in both of those accounts the scripture tells us not only did they just eat but they “were satisfied.” He gave them not just enough to curb their hunger, but more than enough to completely fill them so as to have plenty left over. But they had forgotten. It didn’t even come to mind.
The Stormy Night at Sea
So now sometime between 3 and 6am we are back out on the Sea of Galilee.
The disciples see something approaching them on the water and are completely freaked out and “cried out in fear”, “It is a ghost!” But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And there it is again, “take heart;” have courage. The same exact thing Jesus said to the woman, the paralytic, and now the disciples. They needed to have courage in the face of fear. But isn’t that what courage is? Facing uncertainty when unsure of the outcome? Taking action in the face of fear?
Peter’s Bold Step of Obedience
So now Peter, somehow, gets this idea and says to Jesus,
“Lord if it’s you command me to come to you on the water.” So in a way, that’s a personal request, if not what we might consider a prayer. Perhaps like you or I asking, “Lord, if you want me to do such and such…then…”
And, Jesus says, “Come.”
Peter gets out of the boat because he trusts what Jesus says and follows through in obedience. Have you ever thought what an amazing experience that would have been and felt like? Peter is doing something no other human has ever done or is even able to do.
Here’s something I observed. Peter didn’t jump out of the boat on a whim—if he did, he’d sink like a rock.
He didn’t just go with his gut or lean on his experience as a fisherman. He didn’t do it out of tradition, comfort, or habit. He didn’t consult with the other disciples. He didn’t calculate surface tension or run multiple “what-if” scenarios. Silly, I know. But I think you get the point. He did so at the command of Jesus. He’s trusting in Jesus’ word and following through in obedience.
Now what’s interesting to me is that, as far as I know, Peter never wrote about that experience.
Does that strike you?
I mean, wouldn’t you think he would bring it up in his letters, or writings, or teachings?
He could explain what happened. How in one moment, He was fully trusting Jesus, and then what flipped and caused him to start sinking. Wouldn’t you like him to tell us what went through his mind or heart so we would know what to avoid. But as far as his letters that were inspired by the Holy Spirit that are considered scriptures, he’s silent.
The Refining Fire
But he does bring something up. In 1 Peter 1:6,7, Peter writes, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you’ve been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, that perishes though it is tested by fire. May be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
It’s the metaphor of a refining fire. Of your faith being more precious than gold, that itself perishes even though it gets tested by fire.
James was clear, right?
“Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”
So as we go through life, there’s always going to be those refining processes. It seems evident that faith-testing is very much a part of our spiritual growth. And I’m just not sure how refined our faith can be without those trials.
And I believe that’s something Peter knows from first-hand experience, right?
When He stepped out of the boat and then started sinking, Jesus didn’t congratulate him for his supernatural endeavor, rather He, “Immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”
Later, on the eve of his betrayal, Jesus told him that Satan demanded to sift him like wheat. That’s an ultimate refining fire wouldn’t you say? So he doubted and he failed, but his faith didn’t fail. I wouldn’t think that Jesus would pray for his faith not to fail, only to have his faith fail. Would you?
So when Peter writes, He doesn’t write about the experience itself. But rather what results from the experience.
What’s Most Important
When God asks us to take a step of faith, it’s not the step itself that’s most important. But rather the authenticity of our faith, the deepening of our relationship with Jesus that’s most important. Peter’s talking about the tested genuineness of faith, not getting out of the boat.
At various times in our lives, there will come opportunities to choose to trust God and take Him at His Word. And why? In order to produce genuine, real, authentic faith that comes through refining.
As I reflect on my own walk, I’m reminded of times when my faith grew substantially through a faith-refinement. I faced the challenge of trusting God, in spite of my fears and the outcome being totally beyond my control or ability to see. What’s most important to me now is how those experiences took me deeper with God. How I’ve grown to trust and depend on Him more. Sure, the stories are unforgettable but the relationship is irreplaceable.
Jesus’ Purposeful Refinement
The last passage for today is from Matthew 6. Jesus, once again talking to His disciples, says, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, Oh, you of little faith?”
As you know, that passage talks about anxiety in the things of life. What to eat? What to drink? What to wear? First century people had to concern themselves with those basic necessities in a way that we just do not. But Jesus, in a very stark contrast, is telling them they don’t actually have to worry about them at all because, as He goes on to say, “Your heavenly father knows that you need them all.”
And that is the lead up to 6:33, “But seek first, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” This verse that we often quote is connected with faith (and in this case the disciples’ little faith). Little faith focuses on how to acquire the things themselves. But what Jesus is saying is “Instead of seeking and being anxious about all that I’m going to provide for you, here’s what I want you to do, seek first, my kingdom and my righteousness. Seek me. Be about me and my business.”
But it’s interesting, isn’t it? With regards to the disciples, Jesus kept bringing up “little faith.” But why?
It seems to me Jesus (knowing all things) knew what was in them that held them back from full faith, full trust in Him and His Word. He knew what needed to occur that would propel them forward in order to carry on His work.
So He and the Father chose to put them through faith-refinement.
Keep Walking by Faith
In the book, “The Words and Works of Jesus Christ” author, J. Dwight Pentecost, writes this about Peter’s water excursion:
“Peter had obeyed the command of Christ. He had begun the walk by faith. But the fact that he began his walk by exercising faith did not mean that he could stop walking by faith. When Peter ceased to walk by faith, even though in the will of God and in the presence of Christ, he began to sink.”
We will often believe God for “the thing” (whatever it is). But once we step into the midst of “the thing” we start to give it all our attention and so we take our eyes off of Jesus. We stop walking by faith and start walking by sight as if to say, “‘Preciate it! I’m good.” Instead, we need to walk by faith when we’re in the middle of his provision, keeping Him the main focus of our lives. The more that we do that, the more we see his gracious provision.
Our Response
Would Peter’s experience have been different had he remembered how Jesus…healed the centurion’s servant, calmed the storm, healed the paralytic as well as the woman, and fed the multitude?
How often, when facing a step of faith in: asking God for guidance in a decision, trusting Him for provision, or teetering on whether to take Him at His Word and simply obey, do we forget the pattern of faithfulness He’s already demonstrated in our lives? If God was faithful then, and since He never changes, wouldn’t He be faithful now?
So how should we respond? Perhaps by recognizing, like the centurion, the authority and power of God’s Word? By loving Jesus much, like the sinful woman, because of how much He has forgiven us? Choosing to be “the one” instead of “the nine” lepers, praising Jesus and thanking Him for all He has done in and through us?
That was the impetus behind why I wanted to spend three times studying faith that’s: rooted in God’s promises, anchored by His faithfulness, and sustained through Jesus and His Word, even when fear and doubt surface from the murky loch.
Since God is true to His Word and will keep His promises, that certainty directs both your personal life and your personal ministry, calling you to step out boldly wherever He leads.
More on that another time.
Until then…