OCTOBER 11 READING…JEREMIAH 36-37 & HEBREWS 11
Faith! What is it? Is it merely a system of beliefs…or is it demonstrated by our actions based upon that system of beliefs? Faith is only as good, or as effective, as the one toward whom it is directed. You can have faith in anything…that does not mean your faith is sound, or effective. The king of Judah had faith in the message of his counselors and “prophets”…he rejected the words of Jeremiah, he actually burned the inspired scroll dictated by Jeremiah to the scribe. The king’s faith was misplaced…and as a result his faith had no power to save him, or the nation. Some teach that you just have to have faith, sincere faith, and it does not matter where that faith is directed, you just have to have it. Some have been so foolish as to encourage people to have “faith in their faith”…faith in anything or anybody other than God is idolatry! Faith should never be determined by whether we like what is said, or it is beneficial to us…but it should be based on the truth. We live in a world that requires faith in everything but God and His Word…their faith is both meaningless and powerless. They like the king of Judah, will find themselves in bondage and slavery, because they have rejected God, His truth, and his way. Hebrews 11 tells us that biblical faith is always directed toward God, and is a genuine belief that what God declares is true and right, even when we cannot see it, or the results of trusting in it. There is a long list of people in this chapter that have completely trusted God by faith, and in each case, regardless of the consequences of their faith, we venerate them for their faithfulness. There are also many whose names we will not know this side of heaven who paid the ultimate price for their faith in God. When everything is said and done, only those who have genuine biblical faith in God through Jesus Christ will find that their faith is well founded, and able to make a difference in eternity.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…JEREMIAH 38-40 & HEBREWS 12