Have Faith in God

During the last week of His earthly life, Jesus with His disciples was staying at Bethany with Lazarus and his family. In the morning He walked to Jerusalem and returned at night. The city was full of transients coming to the Passover feast. Thousands lived wherever they could—in booths, in the open, anywhere. Going from Bethany to Jerusalem one morning, a distance of about two miles, Christ was hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf, He hoped to find fruit on it; but when He reached the tree, He searched in vain for figs. Finding none, Christ uttered the words: "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever," and with His disciples went on His way to Jerusalem. The next morning, passing along the same route, Peter saw the fig tree withered and dead. He called the Master's attention to it, and exclaimed, "Behold, the fig tree which Thou cursedst is withered away." Then said Christ:

"Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast ,into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:22-24.

Christ not only taught that we should have faith in God, but also that we shall receive from God what our faith grasps. "Only believe," said Jesus to the ruler of the synagogue whose daughter was dead. The same thought was often expressed by the Master: "He that believeth . . . shall be saved." "Whosoever . . . believeth in Me shall never die." "According to your faith be it unto you." "If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it."

This was Christ's teaching. All that the Christian has a reasonable hope to obtain from God comes through faith. Eternal life is God's gift through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not obtained by works or by merit, but through faith; for "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Christ recognized the law of God as the rule of right, but He never intimated that obedience to the law would save men from their past transgressions. Faith in Him as the Lamb slain from the foun­dation of the world brings hope and assurance of endless life. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

As taught by Christ, the meaning of faith is belief, a childlike, trusting confidence in Him as the Son of God. He claimed Sonship with God, and de­clared that faith in His name means eternal life to him who believes. Faith accepts this, and to the believer it becomes a fact. Faith amens every promise of God.

The manifestation of faith always honors God. When Abraham believed God and through faith obeyed Him, it is written of him:

"Being not weak in faith, he con­sidered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was im­puted to him for righteousness." Rom. 4 : 19-22.

Faith is, as it were, the electric wave connecting the believer to the throne of God. Faith is the invisible means of transmission of the power of the God­head to the Christian's heart and life.

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him." There may be limitless power at God's command to give, but without faith the means of transmis­sion and receiving are lacking, and the heart cannot receive the help avail­able.

God places all the riches of His grace and kingdom at the command of faith.

The very last message Christ left to find its way into men's hearts was, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. . . And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Ofttimes God has granted, in answer to faith, the healing of the sick, the bringing to pass of the seemingly im­possible, help in. time of need, and de­liverance when there seemed no visible way or means of escape. Many facts in the lives of His children prove to the Christian that God is a present help in time of need. Yet it must ever be remembered that the kingdom of God is spiritual and not carnal, and that temporal riches and honors are not promised through the gospel.

The sooner the Christian casts from him the idea that through faith he will become rich or great among men in this world, the more firmly will he place his feet on the solid rock, and walk with God in the furnace of want and suffering and trial. Christlike faith lays hold on eternal realities, and draws from Heaven help and cour­age for the battle against sin.

No recorded prayer of Christ asked material things from His Father for His own human comfort and happiness. He may have been hungry, but we do not find Him praying for food. He may have been cold, as were Peter and John at the high priest's court, but He asked for no fire. In the agony of Gethsemane, He submissively prayed, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." On the cross we hear Him cry, "I thirst!" but He asked none for drink. He was forsaken by all men, but He sought not human sympathy. He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" and gave up His life, with none to help or comfort Him. Through all priva­tions and suffering He kept His faith.

In the Bible we read of the suffer­ings of God's servants, their imprison­ments, scourgings, and even death be­cause of their faith. Hebrews eleven is a recounting of many experiences through which men and women have passed because of faith. Human beings they were, flesh and blood, with be­setting sins, but through faith they won marvelous victories. One cannot read this chapter reverently without increasing his confidence that he too can fight the good fight of faith. No wonder John wrote, "This is the vic­tory that overcometh the world, even our faith."