Trust Without a Doubt

Last night our family read in Romans 14:1, "Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things."  While it is perfectly legitimate to have convictions or beliefs from one another, we should not welcome or incite disputes and arguments--especially about controversial subjects.  It is interesting how we can be moved to dispute over particulars but completely miss the heart of the matter.  The Pharisees did this when they were careful to religiously weigh out a tithe of each herb but neglected mercy, faith and the love of God.

I remember once delivering a sermon from Judges 11 about Jephthah, a mighty man of valour who is mentioned by name in the "hall of faith" in Hebrews 11.  I was met afterwards by someone who politely made it a point to say they did not agree with my interpretation of the passage.  He believed what some modern rabbis teach, that Jephthah did not do unto his daughter according to his vow.  My Bible in the margin classifies Jephthah's vow as "rash," though the passage says he did so filled with the Holy Spirit (Judges 11:29-31).  It would be a terrible tragedy to debate the rashness of Jephthah's vow and to miss his example of unwavering, costly faith in his glorious God.  It would be better for us to be people of our word before God and man than argue over a word.

At a conference years ago I heard pastor John MacArthur speak about an incident that occurred in seminary.  A point came for all students when they prepared and delivered a sermon to all the students with all the faculty present who would provide a critique.  MacArthur spoke how he poured himself into his studies, intent on impressing everyone with his mastery of the text.  There was one professor in particular he wanted to please.  He said while addressing the crowd he noticed his professor in the back of the auditorium shaking his head.  After collecting the responses of the staff, he opened the paper from his professor which simply said:  "You missed the whole point."  It was a lesson for him and for me too.  We can have our theology neatly arranged, understand the meaning of words and form interpretations that miss the whole point of the passage.

Instead of debating over doubtful things, let us be convinced in our own minds of the veracity of scripture, our need to apply lessons personally in our lives and to turn our eyes towards Jesus in faith.  There are many passages which for whatever reason can be controversial, but we ought not be contentious.  It would be silly for a starving man to saw into a bone after pushing the meat off to the side.  Psalm 37:3 says, "Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."  The LORD is faithful, His word is true and this is without dispute.  When it comes to the goodness and worthiness of God to be trusted, there is no doubt.

Faith Beyond Borders

During a worship service recently I was struck by the awesomeness of God, how He can do things for us before we ever thought to ask.  Countless wonders He has fulfilled by His grace and only rarely are we made aware of them.  It is not that God isn't listening, speaking and doing great things, but our faith and minds are awfully small.  A ship only need be about 12 miles apart from another ship at sea before they drop below the horizon and out of sight, and this illustrates well our inability to see all God has purposed and is accomplishing right now.

We sang words to Hillsong's Oceans:  "You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail. And there I find You in the mystery. In oceans deep my faith will stand."  This song was written in 2013, several years after my family and I immigrated to Australia located across the Pacific Ocean.  While the song hearkens to Peter being called by Jesus to come to Him on the stormy Sea of Galilee, the adventure of faith God has led me on was to go to a great country and people unknown to us.  In the process of being established in Australia God has already been faithful to do more than I could ever ask or think.  As I considered the lyrics it was wonderful to realise how God had already shown Himself faithful to answer this prayer in the past, and He also will remain faithful for all my future.

The refrain goes, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders."  To physically walk upon the water as Jesus did is a very little thing compared to the value of trust and reliance upon Christ right where we stand.  No matter what country we reside, regardless which ocean we traverse, faith in Jesus will always bring us to His desired end.  God has brought me to the opposite side of the globe from where I was born, and during the night of worship it was clear God has even more in store:  not distance measured in nautical miles but spiritual growth through faith in Him.  If faith has borders it is confined by my unbelief, not by God's inability.  At the same time God chose in His wisdom to divide the borders of Israel so each tribe and family would have their own inheritance by faith to enter into and possess.

Sometimes a great conquest of faith is not to go far away from what is familiar but to remain content where you are when the world beckons.  It was faith in Jesus that enabled Paul to learn contentment whether he enjoyed abundance or suffered lack, whether he sailed safely or was shipwrecked.  It is faith in Jesus that bid apostles to go, and it was faith  in Him that prompted some to stay as led by the Holy Spirit.  David sang in Psalm 139:17-18, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! ¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."  Grains of sand can be numbered, but the thoughts God has are beyond counting.  Our faith in such a great, good God ought to go beyond borders.

Purpose and Reason

I have heard people say, "Everything happens for a reason."  Like many Christian-sounding cliches, this is not a phrase you will find in the Bible.  This sentiment is possibly a hackneyed quote from Ecclesiastes 3:1 that says, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven..."  It is important to point out that "purpose" and "reason" are not synonyms, though we might use them interchangeably in common conversation.  Purpose is the target to be reached, and the reason is the cause.  Purpose is all about plans and intention of the will, while a reason is what causes something.

When Solomon spoke about God having a time for every purpose under heaven, it means God has an intended end for everything He allows to occur.  Perhaps a good illustration to explain the difference between purpose and reason can be seen in answering the question:  why is the kettle boiling?  One might explain how the heat causes the water to boil as the reason why the kettle is boiling, but the purpose of the kettle boiling is because I want to make a cup of tea.  We often desire to know reasons while God is working at purposes we cannot fully comprehend because He is God, and all His ways and thoughts are above ours.  We imagine knowing a reason for our suffering will provide some comfort, but it is only in God we find peace, rest and beauty by faith in God who is good.

God is able to make all things beautiful in His time according to His glorious purposes.  Paul says it this way in Romans 8:28:  "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  God had redemptive purposes in the suffering of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and He has given eternal life and liberty to all who believe.  In His wisdom and grace God has revealed this to us in His word, though He does not reveal everything.  Job fervently desired to know reasons God allowed him to suffer, yet God never even revealed the source of his trial was Satan himself.  God allowed many questions Job asked to go unanswered, yet He was faithful and gracious to answer with a glorious revelation of Himself.

The reason why there are devastating floods in eastern Australia at the moment is because there has been an incredibly large amount of rain in a short time.  The reason why hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Ukraine today is because it has become a war zone.  The reasons are not hard to explain, but I cannot explain how God will bring good from them.  But because God has purposes in flood and drought, in times of war and peace, we can look to Him with full assurance of faith He will make all things work together for good to those who love God.  I am grateful and thankful God remains good when times are bad, and how He can take what man intends for evil and turn it into good.  Choosing to place our faith in the almighty God is always reasonable, even when we cannot know His purposes.

Our Miraculous Helper

Genuine faith in God is established in knowing Him and what He has done.  Those who are convinced of God's power displayed in creation and salvation are enabled to rely upon Him presently.  Psalm 121:2-3 says, "My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. ³ He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber."  God's miraculous power demonstrated by making the heaven and earth reveals His timeless wisdom, authority and strength.  He Who made us can help us, and He is our only Hope.

Psalm 121 clearly connects the miraculous deeds God has done to helping us today and for the future because He is eternal.  He made the earth long ago and helps us now; He will not allow our feet to be moved.  God in His wisdom established the earth on nothing, and nothing is hard for a God who can conceive, design and order such things.  Placing our faith in God as revealed in the Bible who created us and helps us is the most intelligent, wise thing a man can do.  It is faith in God that opens our eyes to see our need for Him and how He has ever been faithful to meet those needs even before we thought to ask.

Recently I read an amusing anecdote from G.K. Chesterton:

"It is assumed that the sceptic has no bias; whereas he has a very obvious bias in favour of scepticism.  I remember once arguing with an honest young atheist, who was very much shocked at my disputing some of the assumptions which were absolute sanctities to him (such as the quite unproved proposition of the independence of matter and the quite improbable proposition of its power to originate mind), and he at length fell back upon this question, which he delivered with an honourable heat of defiance and indignation:  "Well, can you tell me any man of intellect, great in science or philosophy, who accepted the miraculous?"  I said, "With pleasure.  Descartes, Dr. Johnson, Newton, Faraday, Newman, Gladstone, Pasteur, Browning, Brunetiere--as many more as you please."  To which that quite admirable and idealistic young man made this astonishing reply - "Oh, but of course they had to say that; they were Christians."  First he challenged me to find a black swan, and then he ruled out all my swans because they were black.  The fact that all these great intellects had come to the Christian view was somehow or other a proof either that they were not great intellects or that they had not really come to that view.  The argument thus stood in a charmingly convenient form:  "All men that count have come to my conclusion; for it they come to your conclusion they do not count." (Chesterton, G. K. All Things Considered. CreateSpace, 2018. page 103)

There are sceptics who prefer speculation over established facts, sceptics who are ignorant of something, and sceptics because they want to be.  There are many things in this world of which I am sceptical because I do not trust the source or that it is in my best interest according to what I already know.  When foreign students came to my front door selling "original" artwork I was very sceptical because I know quality paintings command a high price and are not sold door-to-door, and thus could not be bothered to browse their selections.  The thing we are sold on we are no longer sceptical of.  When I was given a shot of penicillin as a kid when I had strep throat, I did not explain medically or scientifically what was happening.  But all scepticism I had before the shot evaporated when within minutes my fever broke and I had a ravenous appetite after days of being sick.  I have come to find that God is greater than any medicine because He is our Maker who miraculously helps us today.  His word is ever true, He remains faithful and He rules over all things.

The man whose heart is established in God according to knowledge shall not be moved.  I can testify of biblical examples of those who hearts were strengthened in God in the midst of trials, and I have been an eyewitness of this as well.  I have seen people rejoice when they naturally would have collapsed in despair and others look to the LORD with hope when all hope seemed lost.  Faith in God has healed hearts, miraculously transformed lives and perspectives.  As one who has been born again the only reasonable explanation is it was God in the person of Jesus Christ who revealed Himself to us who lives, keeps us and is continuing to change us for good.  The supporting evidence of God's miraculous works and help is beyond reckoning, and I am convinced the chief reason people pay God no mind is because they would rather not.

If those who know God is their Creator and help actually live like this was so, it would certainly bring glory to God through the interest which would be fostered.  When everyone else is wringing their hands with anxiety, we can raise our empty hands in praise to God who helps, keeps and saves us.  Who do we have in heaven but Him?