Faith in God
What is faith all about? Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the evidence of what is unseen, the conviction of what is hoped for.” Everyone believes in something, they put their trust or faith in it. Think about the many athletes who push the limit of what we thought was impossible to achieve the possible. Until it took place, many are not sure or did not have the conviction it was real. Faith in God leads us to believe the impossible and then come to the reality or conviction of what we hoped for.
Jesus went to John the Baptist in the Jordan river and in his baptism, two things took place; 1) he told John to let it be for this was the will of the Father to fulfill all righteousness and then when he is baptized, upon coming up out of the water, the Holy Spirit is seen coming to him and the voice of the Father saying, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:14-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34) Here John also says he is a witness and states this is the Son of God.
In the story of the transfiguration, we hear the voice of the Father again, say, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35) Each of us must ask ourselves if we are willing to listen to Jesus (God) and follow his voice. If we do, God will lead us to know him and he will help us to journey in this life to live with him forever in heaven.
In a court of law, we listen to witnesses tell their story and then the jury and judge must decide what the truth is. The world is full of witnesses who have experienced God and tell their story to others trying to convince them of the truth. Until a person at some point discerns what they have heard from others and then accepts the truths of God, they may feel that God is very distant to them or what they have heard is not real. What does it take for a person to be convinced that God is real?
Part of the problem in our world today is genuineness. People feel they have been deceived by others, so they can be skeptical. Everyone has the right to discern by taking the time to consider the facts and making their decision. I believe most people are convinced when they see another person witness and show by their living, that God is real in their lives. My own journey took time and it took many people showing me the love of God by being patient with me and continuing to converse with me over time. It was in those conversations and when people prayed over me that I had significant healing in my life. In fact, I was in a church when a woman stated out loud, “My people you are healed”. I had sinus issues and was very stuffed up. Instantly it went away and I started to be convicted that God was very real.
But does it take experiences like this or can I look at the facts and put my trust or faith in those facts. Someone once showed me the following image.
We put our faith in the facts of God through sacred scripture and church teachings leaving our feelings trail behind them. As we continue to trust God (faith) our conviction is solidified like coal stoking the engine. Remember, St. Paul in the scripture tells us, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.'” (Romans 1:16-17)
Here the Church considers two things:
1. It denotes the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh revealed through the history and Scriptures of Israel. God shows himself righteous when he keeps his promises and fulfills his covenant commitments to bless the righteous and rain curses upon the wicked.
2. It also denotes an inward grace that establishes the faithful in a right covenant relationship with God. These two meanings work together in Romans, especially in 3:21-26.
From start to finish, the Christian life advances by faith. The expression Paul uses here suggest he envisions a steady increase in faith.
God in his faithfulness sent Jesus as his witness and Jesus witnessed the greatest love by laying down his life so we might have salvation by shedding his blood for our sins. We have only to accept or put our trust in this truth (faith) and ask Jesus to come into our lives. We know that God raised him from the dead and he is faithful, “And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phillipians 1:6) Put your faith, your trust in Jesus and you will come to a conviction that all he said and taught is true.