God's Word
If ye continue in my word,
then are ye my disciples indeed;And ye shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free.
John 8:31-32
UNITY IN FAITH
by Clint Harper
When the word “faith” is uttered it brings to
mind many different thoughts. What it means to one person isn’t necessarily
what it means to another. One person uses it in one way and causes
confusion in another because they do not have a common understanding of
the word.
The term as used today - Most of us
have heard it said that “faith” is a trust or belief without proof.
Sometimes it is said that faith is a leap in the dark. The World
Book Dictionary (1995) defines faith, “a believing without proof; trust;
confidence.” Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (1992) defines
faith, “1) Confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's
ability. 2) belief which is not based on proof: He had faith that
the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.” These definitions
support the modern usage of the term. Therefore, by this usage of
the word the Atheist can say that he has faith that life exists because
of evolution. After all, there is no proof. It is just some
leap in the dark or hypothesis which he hopes the facts will substantiate.
This is also the way many religious people
use the term. A sign outside a denominational church building read,
“If you don’t know the answer, faith it.” On an episode of a modern
television show the question was asked of a person, who was playing an
angel, “how much faith does an angel need?” Near the end of the show
the answer was given that angels don’t need any faith, they have knowledge.
Within this, there is the idea that faith is something estranged from knowledge:
i.e., when faith exists, we don’t need knowledge and when knowledge exists
we don’t need faith.
Given this definition of faith, does it matter
what we believe and teach? Some would argue that we walk by faith,
not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), therefore it doesn’t matter what we believe
and teach as long as it is done by faith. However, the modern day
dictionary is not our authority upon religious matters.
Biblical Faith - Jesus stated, “He that rejecteth
me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that
I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).
This being the case, we need to go to the Bible, and not the modern day
dictionary, for our definitions of terms which have a bearing on our relationship
with God.
Paul wrote, “.....faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This declaration
of the inspired apostle Paul indicates that biblical faith is produced
by instruction or knowledge, not estranged from it. In the great
“hall of fame of faith” we have many examples of people who did things
by faith. All of these have at least two things in common.
The first thing they have in common is that they all “did” something by
faith. Their faith was not a dead faith. The second thing is
that their faith was produced by instruction. “By faith Noah, being warned
of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the
saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir
of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). Noah
did not build the ark because of some blind faith, neither was it some
leap in the dark. Noah was instructed by God to build the ark and
Noah by faith did what he was told. This example and the entire of
the Bible teaches that biblical faith is produced by instruction or knowledge.
The only way we have instruction from God
today is through the Word. Therefore, to do anything by faith is
to have a “thus sayeth the Lord.” Peter wrote, “If any man speak, let him
speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11).
Unity in Faith - Does it matter if
we agree on matters of faith? Given the biblical usage of the word,
faith does not mean mine or your opinion. On matters of opinion there
is little doubt that we can disagree. However, on matters of faith,
there must be unity. Paul instructed the Corinthians, “Now I beseech
you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak
the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment”
(1 Corinthians 1:10). How is it that we can speak different things
and have divisions among us and still be following these instructions?
We pray to God at many different times under many different circumstances.
Sometimes we pray over and over about the same things. It seems that
some of our prayers never come true and this may cause us to think that
God does not favor what we are praying for. Jesus prayed, “Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I
in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). Can you imagine how Christ
feels knowing the way many look upon unity today?
Conclusion - It does matter what we
believe. Our faith must be based upon instruction or knowledge from
the word of God. The only way we will ever have unity in faith is
to insist upon a “thus sayeth the Lord” and a “book, chapter and verse”
for what we teach, preach and practice. Is this what is taught where
you go to church, or do they teach that it doesn’t matter what you believe?
If you would like to hear more about this
or other Bible subjects or have questions I may be able to answer, please
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