Faith That Is Seen

How Shall We Live?
Here are six directions from the Christian manual of instructions for life, The Holy Bible:

“The righteous shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4 (ESV)
“The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17 (ESV)
“And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith.” Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
“The righteous shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11 (ESV)
“My righteous one shall live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38 (ESV)
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

The plain and simple answer is that Christians are to live differently from non-Christians because the carnal mind has no capacity to learn about nor to understand faith. Nor may Christians consider the life of faith an option either, since it is faith that brings us to salvation in the first place. As we grow in that faith walk, our lives gradually and assuredly cease to resemble the lives we once led and are eventually free from the common practices and values of the worldly culture surrounding us every day.

It is important to take note of the imperative tense of these phrases from Scripture. The righteous do not “get to” live by faith, nor “choose to” live by faith, nor “occasionally” live by faith. That is a hard NO. Christians, says the Word of God, shall live by faith. It is only by faith that the justified can please God, endure suffering in this life, face persecution for the sake of Christ, stand strong against the opposing tides of social pressures, and avoid the pitfall of growing weary and giving up salvation all together.

Something to Think About
If you were to paint a portrait or share a photograph of what faith looks like, what do you imagine it would be? I asked Pam this question a few days ago and, as usual, her answer was perfect and inspiring. Before I share her reaction with you, I want to clarify some understandings and misunderstandings about the faith life and faith itself.

To Live by Faith
When we discuss living by faith, we are talking about more than bare existence or just breathing in and out while the heart is beating just like any other created being. This life is one of fullness as it promises the full sphere of noble conduct, personal communion with God, and membership in the family of our Heavenly Father as His children.

Faith living is vital spiritual life in holiness, joy, and endurance empowered by the Holy Spirit permanently residing in us. This is a life of overcoming trials, persevering to the finish line, and inheriting eternal life in its fullness. The person rescued from the world and made right in the eyes of the Father by Jesus Christ now lives immersed in faith like a fish that swims in the sea. If we are removed from it, we wither and perish.

What Faith Is
The word, “faith,” is often misunderstood and characterized as a blind belief wanting for credible evidence, but this is never the intent of the Scriptures. Faith is the result of being convinced and therefore holding certain relevant convictions because we have been persuaded by the confrontation of the Holy Spirit of a reality unperceived by human senses. God’s persuasiveness kindles a new flame of confidence and assurance within our souls that was previously unknown to us.

Faith is our trust in Christ for our salvation and our active, daily dependence upon Him born of that fresh holy fervor that now burns within our spirits. This is distinct from mere human confidence although it encompasses our minds, our wills, and our hearts. Ultimately, faith is our trusting response empowered by the Holy Spirit to God’s revelations and promises. We believe, not passively or irrationally, what God says and we possess a motivated, confident reliance on Him that reshapes our entire orientation toward spiritual phenomenon and toward everything in the world around us.

The Leap of Faith
Have you thought about the portrait you would paint about all of this or the picture you would share? While you continue working on that, allow me to share two possibilities. The first one I will describe is the one Pam shared with me that I alluded to at the beginning.

In the film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” from 1989, Harrison Ford plays the title character, a rational skeptic who deals with artifacts from history, yet who is forced into an action of pure faith to save his dying father. Indy reaches the final test he must face if he is to recover the Holy Grail. The final feat he must perform is called, “The Path of God.” Emerging onto a ledge marked by a lion’s head carved into solid rock, he faces an impossibly wide chasm with sheer drops on either side and no visible way to traverse.

In his hand, Indy carries his father’s diary describing the challenge cryptically as the “leap from the lion’s head.” Indy hesitates now and mutters to himself, “Impossible. Nobody can jump this.” And at this moment, he hears the words of his father weakly urging him from afar: “You must believe, Boy, you must believe.” Persuaded by the writings in his father’s notebook and his father’s voice calling out to him, Indy closes his eyes, places his hand over his heart, and steps forward into the empty space. His relief and gratitude are as evident as his surprise when his foot lands solidly upon an invisible bridge camouflaged perfectly against the rock face and canyon below.

Indiana Jones found faith when he was convinced by what his father wrote and what he heard his father say, trusting that he could move forward safely and successfully. When he stepped out, he discovered that what appeared initially as certain death was, in reality, a strong and sturdy hidden path all along.

The Walk of Faith
This second example is not a fictional story, but a historical event recorded for us in Matthew 14. Late one afternoon, Jesus sent his twelve disciples ahead of Him across the Sea of Galilee while He retreated upon a mountain for solitude and prayer.

The sea itself is a body of water prone to sudden, violent storms due to its geography. Cool air rushes down from the mountains surrounding it and meets the warm air over the water. The resulting squalls were often cataclysmic to the small primitive sailing vessels attempting to navigate through the brutal, destructive waves and winds that erupted abruptly.

The disciples struggled against a strong headwind and perilous waves throughout the night. Although several of them were experienced fishermen, they were all exhausted and terrified for their lives after hours of rowing with little progress. Into these dire circumstances Jesus approached them, walking on the water. Certain that they beheld a specter of some evil origin, the disciples were more apprehensive and frightened than ever, crying out in their fear. Immediately, Jesus answered their terror with the encouraging words of “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

One of the twelve, Peter, upon hearing the voice of his master requested a command from Jesus to an extraordinary act of obedience. Jesus spoke the word: “Come,” and that was all Peter needed to hear. Without regard to the fact that the task he had been given lay in the realm of the impossible, Peter was persuaded by the strong, calm, confident timbre of the Lord’s voice. He climbed out of the distressed vessel and stepped into the perilous expanse of the raging storm. Step by trusting, obedient step, Peter walked by faith to Jesus on the surface of the water!

Only Peter asked to join Jesus out in the sea. Only Peter stepped out of the boat by faith, convinced by the Master’s single word order. Only Peter acted upon that word even though his actions defied natural expectations. Only Peter believed the Word and accomplished the impossible.

As we are all aware, when Peter reached Jesus, he began to sink beneath the waves. But this brief lapse in faith was merely a slip and not his end. In fact, when Peter faltered, he cried out to the Lord in faith and was therefore rescued from certain death. His enthusiasm and courage, born of belief mixed with human frailties and fears, are the elements of a life of discipleship.

What Does Your Faith Look Like?
Jesus does not require perfection from us upfront, only a willingness to step toward Him when He calls and to call on Him when we stumble. Faith is born in our hearts when we are convinced by the Word of God and the call of God to recognize Jesus as the Son of God transforming how we face life’s turbulent waters.

Your Bible will quietly assure you of its truths, so read it carefully and often. The Holy Spirit will urge you and influence you in the best directions, so pray consistently and listen attentively. Whatever your own final picture turns out to be, I pray it will be accurately captioned:

“I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”