Faith UNDERSTANDING TRUE FAITH
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8.
One of the great reasons why people don't believe, why there are so many unbelievers, as we call them, is because the devil keeps a constant misunderstanding of God before us, to prevent us from having faith in Him. Although, as Hebrews 12:1, 2, tells us, Jesus is both the author and the finisher of our faith, even the faith of which He was the author fades away if you don't do more about it than just nod your head.
Jesus said in our text for today that when the Son of man comes, He is hardly going to find faith on the earth. We are told that in the last days the earth is going to be almost destitute of true faith (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 94). There will be people everywhere who will be saying, Believe, believe, only believe. But this is not genuine faith. Genuine faith comes as a gift from God, and grows as it comes in contact with God's Word. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." So the first necessity for faith of the deeper hue is a knowledge of God and His Word. Yet even this knowledge is not enough. There must also be an understanding and accepting of God's Word.
One day Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He saw that they had a problem with their understanding. They had been like people with veils over their eyes. Jesus opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). It would be worthwhile for us, rather than merely reading the Bible for knowledge, to pray for understanding as well; to pray that the misunderstanding of God that Satan is constantly urging upon us will be recognized in their true character.
The third ingredient for genuine faith, which comes as a result of the knowledge plus the understanding, is trust or confidence in God. As we see Jesus, who came to reveal God, and as we spend time in seeking Him, in coming in contact with His Word, in order to become acquainted with Him, we will see through the devil's deceptions regarding the character of God. Our misunderstandings of God will be corrected, and we will come to have the confidence and trust in God that is genuine faith.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8.
One of the great reasons why people don't believe, why there are so many unbelievers, as we call them, is because the devil keeps a constant misunderstanding of God before us, to prevent us from having faith in Him. Although, as Hebrews 12:1, 2, tells us, Jesus is both the author and the finisher of our faith, even the faith of which He was the author fades away if you don't do more about it than just nod your head.
Jesus said in our text for today that when the Son of man comes, He is hardly going to find faith on the earth. We are told that in the last days the earth is going to be almost destitute of true faith (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 94). There will be people everywhere who will be saying, Believe, believe, only believe. But this is not genuine faith. Genuine faith comes as a gift from God, and grows as it comes in contact with God's Word. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." So the first necessity for faith of the deeper hue is a knowledge of God and His Word. Yet even this knowledge is not enough. There must also be an understanding and accepting of God's Word.
One day Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He saw that they had a problem with their understanding. They had been like people with veils over their eyes. Jesus opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). It would be worthwhile for us, rather than merely reading the Bible for knowledge, to pray for understanding as well; to pray that the misunderstanding of God that Satan is constantly urging upon us will be recognized in their true character.
The third ingredient for genuine faith, which comes as a result of the knowledge plus the understanding, is trust or confidence in God. As we see Jesus, who came to reveal God, and as we spend time in seeking Him, in coming in contact with His Word, in order to become acquainted with Him, we will see through the devil's deceptions regarding the character of God. Our misunderstandings of God will be corrected, and we will come to have the confidence and trust in God that is genuine faith.
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