Golden Nuggets

Paul’s CALL FOR A FAITH QUIZ

I have often wondered why Jesus asked the rhetorical question, “Will I find faith on the earth when I return” (Luke 18:8)? What did He foresee that could possibly cause an erosion of faith in the hearts of His followers? Of all the qualities that are inherent in the life of the Christian, why did Jesus single out faith as the barometer He would use to evaluate us upon His return? The answer is simple: the longer we live, the harder it is see genuine faith in operation.

The reason the term “genuine faith” is used is to differentiate it from any counterfeit version, or an attempt to masquerade wishful thinking as real faith. What is genuine faith? It is the type of faith that is described in the Bible. It is the type illustrated by Christ in this story of the woman who was going to believe God at all costs.

Genuine faith is not a natural quality or characteristic, but it is spoken of in the Holy Scriptures as a gift, and as a fruit that is dispensed by the Spirit of God. Real, Bible faith is not just having an attitude of optimism, always being upbeat, or looking on the bright side of life. Those characteristics are wonderful, and to be pursued, but they are expressions of the natural man, not the spiritual man.

Therein lies the difference. One is natural and the other is spiritual. For us to be able to respond positively to Christ’s question, we must learn all we can about the type of faith He will be looking for upon His return. To accomplish that task we must go to the manual that covers the subject of faith. That would be the exclusive purview of the Word of God. God created faith, defined it, employed it, supplied it, and will inspect us when He requires an accounting for how we used the faith we were each given.

Because there is so much controversy today regarding the subject of faith, perhaps we should begin by seeking to understand God’s, not man’s, definition so we are all on the proverbial “same page.” The Holy Spirit inspired the writer to the Hebrew Christians to define faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). If I may paraphrase that for you, it means faith takes ownership BEFORE it takes possession.

The easy illustration of this principle is when we order something over the phone and use our credit card. The moment we give them our card information, we are technically “owners” of the item. We have all ordered supplies or equipment using this method. When the order was complete and we had agreed to the terms of the sale, the item was ours. Never mind that we did not have possession, we had ownership. EBay said the item was mine, and NO ONE else, no matter how large his or her credit limit, could have it. I OWNED IT. However, I did not yet have it in my possession. The rules of commerce state, “You must own it before you can have it.”

See how easy it is to operate in faith on EBay, or with Sears, or when ordering one of Mr. Gaither’s kackajillion music videos? By faith, you declare you want something, and you offer what is required to get it. Then it is yours. Should unexpected problems arise, they may want you to provide “Proof of Purchase” information. You can only do this when you have legally taken ownership of the item by meeting all the criteria of the sale. The delay was not in taking ownership, but in gaining possession of the item. You did your part, now they must do their part to get the item into your possession. Remember, ORDERING is our part: SHIPPING is their part. Shipping is something you have very little control over either in the natural or the spiritual worlds.

That simple example of Hebrews 11:1 has shown how you must take ownership BEFORE you can take possession. This is confirmed by many other Scriptures about faith. Jesus said, “According to YOUR faith be it unto you.” If your faith can take ownership of the item, then your faith will result in its possession.

Let us now look at the qualifiers God instituted for us so we can insure that we are operating in His kind of faith. These could be seen as the litmus tests of faith. It is similar to the process assayers use to qualify the purity of gold or silver. There has to be a standard for measurement in both fields and God graciously provides that for us regarding our life of faith.

Notice what the Apostle Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves…” This is a remarkable instruction where perhaps many of us have failed to be in compliance. He says we are to check ourselves to see if we are in the faith. If we are commanded to do this, then it is incumbent upon God to give us the standard by which we must measure ourselves. Thankfully, He provided SIX elements to His standardized test. Let’s take a look at what God’s criteria are for passing the “Faith Test” with flying colors.   (1) The first sets the tone for the remaining five by stating that “if you have faith” you will demonstrate specific attitudes and behaviors. The words are recorded by Christ in Matthew 17:20. He says, “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” The first question on the test is, “Do you talk TO your problems?”

Jesus taught that we must evaluate the words proceeding from our mouths. Solomon also strongly urged the importance of the words we speak numerous times in the Proverbs. Do not overlook the importance of this test of your faith. Good words produce good results: bad words produce bad results. Therefore, if you do not like your harvest, check out the seed you are sowing with your lips. Jesus teaches us that our faith will help us SEE what we SAY.

(2) The next section of the faith-test is covered by Christ in Mark 11:24. There He says, “Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” The second question on the faith-test is, “Do you accept that your petition has been heard and that the answer is already on the way?”  The Greek here has it in the Past Tense. It literally says that you must believe that you HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED what you have requested. This is easy for us in the natural world. We tell everyone what we “have” coming from Sears, EBay, Bass Pro Shop, or wherever we have ordered our item. We have no trouble accepting it as a “done deal” when we have taken ownership. Jesus states that our faith-test must show evidence that we are living our spiritual lives with the same confidence in Him that we have in the company where we have just placed an order. This involves having assurance or trust in God and anticipating the delivery of the things we have requested of Him.   (3) The third section of the test is covered by Paul in Romans 4:17. There he recalls God’s conversation with Abraham (formerly Abram in Genesis 17) where He told him that He had made him a father, just like Himself, who, “…quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” The third question is, “Do you use the authority Christ has given you to speak of God’s promises as already done by saying ‘He did,’ and not ‘He will’?”

Not many people want to venture into this arena of making alive, those things that are obviously dead. Abraham had to look at the “DEAD PARTS” of his and Sarah’s anatomy and believe they would, once again, show signs of life. When Abram was 98 years old, God changed his name to mean, “Father of a multitude.” Abraham then began calling himself what God was calling him, even though, at that time, he and Sarah were incapable of producing a child. In his heart, he was seeing himself become a father because God already saw him as a father. In the life of faith, it is perfectly acceptable to call yourself what God calls you. By agreeing with God, Abraham’s faith quickened the parts of his body that were dead.

Two years later, when Abraham was about 100 years old and Sarah was 90, Isaac, “the son of promise,” was born (Genesis 21:5). However, the saga of Abraham’s faith did not end with Isaac’s birth. Nearly seven years after Sarah died, Abraham, nearing 143 years of age, married Keturah. His second wife bore him six more sons before his death at 165 (25: 1-7). According to the chronicles of Bible history, his dead body parts had been “quickened” and had remained very much alive and productive for 66 years.

Abraham was also told he could “call” (literally SUMMONS) things which were not in existence as being in existence. This further describes the principle of taking ownership before you have possession. According to God and His Word, faith ALWAYS talks in the PRESENT TENSE. If we sincerely examine ourselves, we must evaluate whether or not we are describing what God is going to do, what may happen in the future, or what we hope to have someday. God declares we should say, “By faith I believe it is done, and I take ownership of my promise and provision NOW in Jesus’ name.”

(4) The next area of the faith-test is found in Hebrews 4:3. There the writer states, “For we which have believed do enter into rest…” The fourth question in the faith-test is, “When you are exercising your faith in God’s Word, do you act more BLESSED than STRESSED?”

This is such an important part of the life of faith. Are you living a life filled with anxiety, worries, fears, cares, constantly uptight or stressed-out? Then you are not living the faith-life that is spoken of in the Bible and depicted in the great hymn, “Living by Faith.” Notice in the lyrics how Mr. Wells obviously passed his FAITH TEST in 1918. Will you choose to live the same way in the 21 Century?

I care not today what the morrow may bring,  If shadow or sunshine or rain,  The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,  And all of my worries are vain.   Refrain: Living by faith in Jesus above, Trusting, confiding in His great love; From all harm safe in His sheltering arm, I’m living by faith and feel no alarm. 
Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise, Obscuring the brightness of life, I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies— The Master looks on at the strife.  
I know that He safely will carry me through,  No matter what evils betide;  Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,  If Jesus walks close to my side.  (Copyright renewal, R.E. Winsett, 1946)

(5) The fifth area of the faith-test we are observing is found in Galatians 5:6. There Paul instructs us that, “faith worketh by love.” This question on the self-examination of faith is, “Are you complying with God’s warning against trying to live by faith while you are not at peace with others?”

This part of the test is critical because, as the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (Greek, LOVE), I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Here you have this powerful word by God, Himself. Having all the faith in the world will do you NO GOOD if you cannot get along with others. You cannot afford the luxury of a fuss, schism, ruckus, fight, brawl, or a feud, and expect your faith to work for you. God simply says, “IT WILL NOT WORK.” This is why He commanded us to examine ourselves to see if our faith is really working. Could it be we are fooling ourselves by thinking we will be the exception to His rules on the life of faith?

(6) The final part of the faith-test is given by James, the brother of our Lord. In James 2:14 he asks, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith (alone) save him?” Then in verse 17, James responds with, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” The last question on the examination asks, “Are you engaging in corresponding actions that puts legs to your faith?

The Apostle James told the Church that the initial element of our faith (“believing”) does not negate the important requirement to join the physical expression (“doing”) with out faith. His inspired writing in Chapter 2 of his Epistle gives explicit examples of the faith tandem “believe and do.”

Though the tandem is seen elsewhere in Scripture, it is nowhere more overtly stated than here. In Jesus’ ministry you could seen this tandem utilized; “If you believe, go wash: If you believe, arise: If you believe, go tell the priest: If you believe, go fishing: If you believe, pour the water into another container: If you believe, tarry in Jerusalem.

Christ is seen utilizing this concept of faith plus actions, and His schematic for a dynamic faith-life has never changed. The last rule we cover in the examination is the conjoining of our faith with our corresponding action. Do NOT fail any part of the exam, especially James’ admonition.

In Acts 27, we see Paul’s persistence of faith demonstrated during a horrible situation as he is screaming to the 275 men so he can be heard above the roar of the winds, the waves and the cracking of the ship from the storm Euroclydon, “…Sirs, I believe God.” He went through a raging storm where they could not eat for fourteen days, a shipwreck, and snakebite without losing his faith in God’s Word! Throughout his three missionary journeys, that took him into every manner of problem and difficulty, Paul continued to examine himself to see if he was still passing the faith-test. He knew that in the pursuit of God’s promises and provisions, faith required him to say it before he would see it.

Here are some things he contended with and some things he learned along the way (Acts 21:11-14):  No matter what others are saying about my Future,  No matter how SEVERE THE STORM,  No matter how unrelenting the SEA SICKNESS,  No matter that all natural hope that we can be SAVED is gone,  No matter how devastating and destructive the SHIPWRECK, and  No matter how deadly the SNAKEBITE,

I will be of good cheer for I believe the Word of the “Most High God" It shall be even as it was SPOKEN to me (Acts 27:25).

Once Paul heard God’s Word on a subject, he was not hesitant to say what God had said. This is the essential catalyst for his faith, and ours. Many of you have passed the faith-test and received glorious blessings from the hand of God. I pray many more of you will sincerely examine yourselves in the light of these Scriptures and see how you measure up against God’s standard for the life of faith.

****A Personal Word to Our Readers from Dr. Frazier****

There are great insights to be derived from the study of the Greek New Testament. Each month I will endeavor to share a nugget of truth from the Book of Truth, God’s Eternal Word.

These will be concise and should not intrude into your time or opportunity to explore the richness of the vein from which they were extracted. That is for you and the Holy Spirit to excavate together. These nuggets are just to let you know where to begin the digging, if you so desire. They are NOT designed to be an exhaustive commentary providing all the answers on the subject. The Spirit will guide you in how deep to dig. Please feel free to share your questions, observations, or insights with our readers and me.
Website: http://www.donfrazier.com