According To Your Faith

What does a life of full faith look like? What does earnest prayer and dedication to God mean?

The measure of our faith is important to God. Faith determines how He chooses to work through us and the limits by which He will manifest Himself. God wants us to increase our faith, both for His glory and so that we might bear fruit. We are to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:22). Jesus and the angels are working with us to help our faith flourish, not to barely meet the requirements of day-to-day life. He wants us to experience true joy and shine brightly as lights in this world. Faith growth requires our attentiveness and determination. Faith must not be static. Its increase is essential for the man and woman of God. Our faith is the basis of our justification (Romans 3:28). It gives us confidence in the judgment of our Lord (1 John 2:28).

But what does a life of full faith look like? What does earnest prayer and dedication to God mean? How does a sincere life of faith affect our decisions and priorities? Is it visible?

The Lord Jesus Christ acknowledged faith when he saw it. He marveled when he saw the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:10). Those infirm and with great faith were told, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Matthew 9:22). Later, the charismatic gifts in the first-century ecclesias were distributed by God’s view of one’s faith (Romans 12:3). When the gift of prophecy was given, believers were encouraged to “speak out with as much faith as God has given you.” (v. 6 NLT). Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that he longed to see their faces and to “supply what is lacking in your faith.” (1 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV). Paul celebrated the faith of the Thessalonians because of their “work of faith.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). To the Colossians, he remarked that he had “heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:4). To Timothy, Paul wrote of the “unfeigned faith” that was in his immediate family, and in many of the members in Ephesus. (2 Timothy 1:5).

We can witness faith, and it is what distinguishes us as a spiritual creation in Christ. The disciples, when being exhorted on the Lord’s standard for forgiveness, declared, “Lord, Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5). Jesus encouraged his disciples to know that if they just had just a small portion of faith, like the mustard seed, their faith had the enormous potential to grow to “become greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” (Mark 4:32). Even if our faith is small, the husbandman will prune and purge the vine so that we can bear more fruit (John 15:1-7). 

Unbelief is the enemy of faith. This situation happens when our confidence is in our own sufficiency, and we reject the sovereignty of God. The parable of the Sower described the seed that fell on stony ground as germinating but then withering away under trial because there was no root. Since the beginning, men and women have struggled to trust God when there was no visible way to resolve their fears. Our Lord wants to nurture strong roots in us that not only survive the trials of life but allow us to bear much fruit.

Sometimes, we speak of our doctrinal beliefs as being our “faith.” Certainly, these beliefs make up the platform of our faith. These are the doctrines we have embraced after study and prayer. They clarify how the Lord works in the world and our personal lives. But having an intellectual knowledge of these doctrines, as vital as they are, never saved anyone. Belief demands faith. Fundamentally, faith is about an internal belief and trust in God rather than in ourselves. This environment is where all faith can grow.

Faith Defined

Hebrews 11 defines faith for us. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith growth is built on this surety. It gives believers a perspective that otherwise could never be discerned by the carnal mind. Our perspective of life today is different because of our faith. Our vision for the future is shaped around our faith. Hebrews 11 is all about men and women who were convinced, who saw beyond the present, and whose focus was on the resurrection and the future glories in Christ.

Years ago, a mentor in the truth shared with me a valuable way to look at faith. Hebrews 11:6 is a popular verse because it speaks of how a lack of faith limits us. However, it is written in a negative sentence format, effectively conveying an important message. Without faith, we cannot please Him. When we reformat the verse, taking the negatives out, what emerges is a very compelling and helpful message for the disciples’ lives.

But without faith,
it is impossible to please him.

We may all wonder from time to time if we are bringing any pleasure to our God. We need to be cautious so that we don’t create false, legalistic religious measures to help us feel that we are giving Him honor. At the end of the day, what pleases our God is true, unfeigned faith, being people who fundamentally believe and trust Him. While it may be difficult to examine our hearts accurately, our God correctly assesses our faith. He knows exactly where our faith is strong, as well as the areas of weakness. Because of this, we can be assured He is correcting us by providing trials to strengthen our faith. (Hebrews 12:5-10). He does this for our thinking to be “exercised,” bringing about the “peaceable fruit of righteousness.” (v. 11). God is working intimately through His Son to help us build faith.

How is Faith Grown?

One’s faith is manifested by behavior. Our behavior is the window to view the authenticity of our beliefs. When we choose to love in the face of conflict and distress, this is a visible sign that our faith is governing our actions. Of course, the opposite is true. We feel great sadness as we examine ourselves and see that our behavior does not demonstrate the faith we aspire to. Yet this is what the Lord wants for us. He wants us to come face to face with our need to increase our faith to rebuild our belief. These moments of disappointment become the seedbed for growth, the roots that sustain.

Lessons From Science

There’s a fascinating case study about the need for adversity and trial in nature. The Biosphere 2 was constructed between 1987 and 1991. It was a domed 3.2-acre closed environment in the Arizona desert. Originally, Biosphere 2 was meant to demonstrate the viability of closed ecological systems to support and maintain human life in outer space as a substitute for Earth’s biosphere.1  The Biosphere 2 dome had seven self-sustaining biomes, ranging from rainforest to wetlands to desert. Eight scientists lived in the dome for two years, followed by a second mission for eight months. Much was learned about sustaining life in such a controlled environment. Some plants thrived and grew faster than in a normal environment. But they noticed a very interesting phenomenon about the growth of trees.

They found that these trees wouldn’t completely mature. Before they could, they used to collapse. Later it was found that this was caused by the lack of wind in the biosphere. And it turns out wind plays a major role in a tree’s life. The presence of wind makes a tree stronger; it is thus able to mature and not fall down due to its own weight.2

Adversity and trials are essential for trees to develop roots that secure and sustain life. Without opposing forces, trees grow but ultimately fall. I am sure you can see the implied lesson about our faith. Untested belief, where opposition is either avoided or not encountered, doesn’t acquire a robust root system. This example reminds us of the man who built a house, “digged deep,” and laid the foundation on a rock. The house was not shaken when the flood and stream beat on it. (Luke 6:48). This is why building faith demands a willingness to be exposed to trials and persecutions. The fruit of these trials secures us when the storms come. Faith is not built in protective domes.

Outside the Boat

I’ve heard some criticize Peter for his lack of faith when he sank into the waters of the Sea of Galilee. I think this misses the point terribly. This account is a wonderful illustration of understanding what builds and limits faith. When Peter stepped out of the boat, he had literally blocked out all the sounds of the wind and the waves. Of course, they were there all along, beating on his face and the small wooden boat. But to Peter’s credit, the hazards of the wind and waves were to him irrelevant. He walked on the water because he was focused completely on his Lord. Unfettered, unfeigned faith can do just that. In our weakness, we are made strong. Peter’s faith failed, not by getting out of the boat (most of us would be with the eleven in the boat!), but when he took his focus off the Lord, he started looking at the threats all around him. His thoughts went from complete trust in his Lord to “What am I doing here?” But even when Peter began to sink, the Lord was there to lift him up. Our Lord still extends his hand to us today when we find our faith insufficient. He will not permit us to sink when we are still building an incomplete faith.

Faith is almost always grown outside the boat. Outside the boat is where the uniqueness of our belief is put to the test. The workshop for our faith is the workplace, the neighborhood, the highway, and the places we interact regularly with the world. The ecclesia can be that place to a lesser degree, but it occurs in a nurturing environment surrounded by other like-minded people. It is not often where faith is built, but more likely where it is reinforced. The most powerful tests of our faith occur when we stand alone in difficult personal situations. It is built when we determine to accept wrongful accusations at the workplace, demonstrating that we fundamentally trust in God’s care. Our faith is strengthened when we witness about our Lord to unbelievers, whether they listen or not. Faith can be built while dealing with a life-threatening illness or enduring patiently through financial hardship. These are some of the trials of our faith. In each of these challenges, we, like Peter, must keep our focus on the Lord. We sink into the mire when our faith in him is distracted or wavers. We must rely on him to lift us up.

How Ecclesias Can Help

Ecclesias have an essential role in helping to build faith. In fact, the Tidings has a charter that is “dedicated to increasing faith of individuals and ecclesias by creating and distributing valued content on spiritual matters and thus glorifying God as a unified community.” But do exhortations, Bible classes, and articles in a magazine really build faith? I think not. They may provoke us to build faith, but words alone do not form the full picture. It requires testing and application. I may read a wonderful article about forgiveness and be inspired by it. However, unless I apply the principles to real-life situations, it is unlikely that I will build my faith. Jesus knew that for his disciples to understand their need for faith better, it was not good enough for them to sit at his feet listening to his words. He sent them out in pairs and later the seventy. There was a fundamental need for them to make the words of Jesus their own, to embrace the rejections he felt, and the wonders of faithfulness they would encounter.

Having been raised in Christadelphian Sunday Schools, I am most grateful for the men and women who thoughtfully prepared the lessons and shared their perspectives. I remember when a teacher taught a lesson and then asked the students to put the lesson into practice. We once read about how we should prefer the needs of our brother or sister over our own. The following Sunday, we put this into practice. We sent cards to the infirm and shut-ins. We visited a local convalescent home to read the Scriptures with a wonderful sister. The Sunday School lesson was provoking, but the following activities helped me to remember this over a half-century later. We can have classes on preaching and preparedness to witness, but what really builds faith is the personal act of preaching. I remember the first time a mentor took me around the local ecclesial neighborhood to hand out invitations to a Bible talk. I was initially quite anxious. But I learned that most people cordially received the invitation. I realized that this was something I could do to serve my Lord.

God taught His people through His Word but also through their experiences. Ecclesias would be well served to encourage activities to help members and young people experience the testing of faith. A young man once told me his past church had a “development” program for their teen group. They did have classes on how to witness. But what made it real, what built faith, was when they all descended onto a local mall, witnessing to anyone who would hear and inviting them to a teen program. Ecclesias, youth groups, and Sunday Schools would all do well to contemplate how they might encourage members to put faith into action. The question is, “How can we create opportunities for our members to practice this spiritual principle?” 

Standing By

While we’ve discussed active ways to promote increased faith, there is much to say about standing and waiting, too. One of the real trials of our faith is trusting that God is in control, especially when He isn’t working on our desired schedule. It is a difficult test when we want something desperately, which we believe must be according to His will, yet it doesn’t seem to happen. I’ve been praying for years for some who have left our community and no longer wish to converse about God. It is so easy to give up. But the message, as Moses declared at the brink of the Red Sea, is to “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD.” (Exodus 14:13).

There is great value to faith in learning to wait on God. It builds faith when we know He is in control of everything. Like Abraham, we can say, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25). Jesus, who had faith without wavering, faced cruel abuse by committing “himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (1 Peter 2:23). When we wait on our God by trusting in Him, it builds faith, gives us peace, and pleases Him.

Paul’s Advice

The Apostle Paul was a man who always had zeal for God, but based his confidence on things he later described as “rubbish.” (Philippians 3:8 ESV). Activity alone doesn’t build faith. Activity must be based on following the character of our Lord. So, how can we pursue faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Paul explains:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9 NLT).

There we have it. Find what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Then, make a point to put these into practice. The great consolation is that the God of peace will be with us to build strong roots to survive the storms of life.

Dave Jennings