Where is your faith?

No matter how hard we try to avoid life's circumstances, it is inevitable that they come. Sometimes circumstances seem more difficult than others and sometimes they seem almost impossible to overcome. In the gospel's of Matthew, Mark and Luke we find a story of Jesus and His disciple traveling by-way-of boat, which we will look at in Luke's account. "Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (Luke 8:22-25)

As we see, what started out as a simply boat trip turned into what seems to be a life threatening situation. What I want to draw our attention too, is the question that Jesus asks His disciples after He commanded the storm to cease. His question is what believes need to ask themselves when one of life's trying situation comes upon them. "Jesus said to them, "Where is your faith?” Jesus would not have asked this question if He did not expect the disciples to have faith to either deal with the storm or to have faith that with Jesus in the boat, they were safe. When we look closer at what was going on, we see that fear, "Master, we are perishing" had griped the lives of the disciples. The Bible shows us that the type of fear that the disciples were experiencing was not from God, "For God has not given you a spirit of fear..." (2 Timothy 1:7) This type of fear, timidity, fearfulness, cowardice is akin to doubt. When a believer deals with fear, he/she actually doubts God's Word, His ability, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) This is precisely what happened with the disciples. Believers must always keep in mind, fear neutralized faith.

Although faith is predominately a New Testament word or term, God has not changed His approach to humanity in all of human history. What do I mean? The writer of Hebrews gives us some great insight into the realm of faith and those who were not under grace but under the Mosaic Law. The Book of Hebrews was written to the Jewish believers. Many of the Jewish believers who had left Judaism for Christianity wanted to reverse their course in order to escape persecution by their countrymen. The writer of Hebrews exhorts them not to turn back. His appeal is based on the superiority of Christ over the Judaic system. He tells them…

• Christ is not only better than angels, but He is worshiped by them…
• Christ is better than Moses, because He created him…
• Christ is better than the Aaronic priesthood, because the sacrifice of Himself was once for all…
• Christ is better than the Law, because He is the mediator and surety of a better covenant…
• Christ produces tested faith, self-discipline and a visible love reflected through one’s life…    

In short, Christ is superior over the prophets, angels, Moses and Aaronic priesthood. Christ has established the New Covenant in His blood and this New Covenant is superior over all covenants and will not change. "My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34) Although this is an OT Scripture, God’s Word does not change. Again, we must keep in mind that this letter is to the Jews. The writer drives home the issue of faith. Faith triumphs over and accomplishes the impossible. "Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)  "So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:22-24)

One of the most quoted scriptures from Hebrews is, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) This verse is not limited to the New Testament believer, it refers to how all men are to approach God and His response to all men. When reading through Hebrews 11 we find that these Old Testament saints operated in faith. Through faith, they were all commended and approved by God to the point that their names are recorded in the Word of God for us. The fact is, they did not receive the fulfillment of the promise, that is, they did not receive all that was promised by God. They all still looked forward to some future promise. But it is not so with us. Believes do not have to look ahead for what God has promised, by faith we receive all the promises. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)

When we think of these Old Testament saints we must also keep in mind that the Holy Spirit was with them. However, for believers we see something even more remarkable. Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17) The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer. With this in mind, should not the church do greater exploits for the Lord than the Old Testament saints? "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." (Hebrews 11:33-34) Most certainly! It all comes down to the same question that every believer must ask themselves, "Where is your faith?"