The Inclination Towards "Filling In The Blanks"

Gestalt psychologists have pointed out the interesting tendency of human brain to fill in the blanks in order to achieve an understanding of the world or sense data. Humans are incessant interpreters. They are all the time trying to figure out what something means.

One sees a CIRCLE and a BOX. However, these are just lines that could possibly not even be related. But, the brain makes a figure out of them.

This quest and inclination has a helpful hand in enabling man to make a sense of things he cannot understand. He inputs data from his own previous experiences into otherwise seemingly meaningless data. Man is a puzzle solver and his attempt through hypothesizing and associating data with other data has given rise to a plethora of philosophies and ideologies. Especially, when the conjectures appear to be pragmatic and working well, the interpretations usually become sealed for posterity until someone is able to find a loophole in it.


The negative aspect of this inclination could be false suspicion and negative doubt. This process has been illustrated in many a novel and play of tragedy in literature. It also follows from a desire to make a sense of things happening; however, bad data and a wrong process of reckoning lead to false conclusions.

This is even more important in the context of spiritual faith. The spiritual man compares spiritual matters with spiritual matters. The natural man is not able to make any sense out of spiritual things. The Bible does not encourage blind faith; however, without faith one cannot even know God at all.

Assassins of Faith Vs Keepers of Faith - A Study

Excerpt from the Author's Explorations of Faith: Studies of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11 (2009)

ASSASSINS	KEEPERS
Doubt Desire Division	Confession Conduct Communion

THE SCRIPTURE warns us not to be slothful but to be diligent in faith (Heb. 6:12; Judg. 18:9). Faith is not only to be guarded (Rev. 14:12) but also to be contended or fought for (Jude. 3); for it is only by fighting that one keeps one’s faith (2Tim. 4:7). The crisis of faith is a condition brought in by at least three faith-assassins: doubt, desire, and division.

Doubt. Doubt is helpful in the pre-faith condition by narrowing one’s direction towards truth. That is to say, as doubt breaks all the false beliefs of the past one by one, a person is set in the direction of knowing the truth. In this sense, doubt is the precursor of faith. However, the moment faith is torched by truth “all the darknesses of doubt are dispersed”, to use Augustine’s expression. Doubt no longer has any place but its place is taken by the certainty, peace, and repose of faith. But even in the pre-faith condition, doubt cannot be segregated from seeking faith. Absolute doubt, in the sense that the possibility of truth is hung in perpetual doubt, can never come to truth for though it may see it face to face yet its doubt would prevent it from recognizing it as so. A mind committed to doubt can never submit in faith to truth. Therefore, absolute doubt is the greatest enemy of true faith.

There are chiefly seven Greek expressions that have been translated as “doubt” in the New Testament (KJV): aporeo (Jn. 13:22) meaning “to be perplexed”; diaporeo (Ac. 2:12; 10:17) meaning “to be thoroughly perplexed”; meteorizo (Lk. 12:29) meaning “to suspend as in mid-air”; airo psuche (Jn. 10:24) meaning “to keep the soul in suspension as in air”; dialogismos (Rom. 14:1; 1 Tim. 2:8) meaning “to reason” or “to argue”; diakrino (Mt. 21:21; Rom. 14:23) meaning “to judge differently” or “to discriminate”; and distazo (Mt. 14:31; 28:17) meaning “to waver”. We can learn of the different ways in which doubt finds intrusion in one’s life by looking at the usage of these words.

First, doubt appears in the form of perplexity or a loss of answer. This is indicated by the word aporeo. For instance, when Festus introduces Paul the prisoner to Agrippa the King, he says that the Jews were accusing Paul of some questions related to the Jewish religion; but since he was not well acquainted with this religion he was at a loss of answer or doubt (aporeo) how to judge him (Ac. 25:20). Obviously, the KJV would have done better to translate the word as “was perplexed” or “confounded” instead of “doubted”. But, still it is also true that perplexity is a condition of doubt since it contains the element of uncertainty. Festus lacked the confidence to judge Paul because he was confounded by the complexity of the problems that this trial presented to him. Therefore, he doubted about this matter of judging Paul. He was at a loss of answer. An intense form of this perplexity is indicated by the word diaporeo which means to be thoroughly (dia) perplexed. Perplexity indicates the condition of doubt as dilemma. It is the condition of neither knowing nor not knowing. It is the condition of being totally unable to understand something that seems to be significant and demanding an answer. Undeniably, faith does sometimes come across situations that confound and perplex it for a want of answer. There are things that can happen to us that we can’t explain by any rational means, for instance. Or, there can be a question put forth before faith which it immediately lacks an answer for, though it knows that there must be some answer to it. However, in many cases when complexity presents itself to us the temptation is to turn away to simpler things. This is a natural instinct. One tries to avoid unwanted complications, especially when they appear insoluble or even too demanding. One tends to walk around the problem and if incapable of, tries to turn on it. This is what happened with those disciples who turned away from Jesus because they felt He was becoming too complicated for them to get along with (Jn. 6:60, 66). But when Jesus turned to the twelve and asked them if they would also go away, Peter gave an answer which is a classic response to this dilemma of faith. He answered: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68, MKJV). Peter understood the fact that there cannot be a turning away from something without a turning away to something else. There is no middle ground. Peter knew that this was an either/or situation. One could choose Christ and eternal life or choose to relinquish both. He made the wiser decision to stay with Christ despite the inability to understand several things. A more practically existential situation confronted Job, as seen earlier. It was practically existential because the absurdity or perplexity of the suffering that he went through was thoroughly personal and its answer too evading (Job 7). Yet, he knew that there could be no turning back from God. God was where his world came to an end. God was his no-returning point. Therefore, despite all the confoundedness of his suffering, Job held on to God in faith. And when his wife reprimanded him for holding on to his faith and told him to curse God and die instead of bearing the brunt of this absurd life, he answered her saying “You speak as one of the foolish ones speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10, MKJV). In other words, he in turn demanded from her an explanation for considering experience of evil as sufficient proof for turning away from God, even if such evil came from God. The finality of his faith in God could admit no doubt in God.

Another way in which doubt presents itself to us is suspense. The word comes from the Latin suspensus meaning “suspended” (akin to the Greek meteorizo and airo psuche, see above). The word indicates a condition of uncertainty fraught with intense curiosity, fear, or anxiety. Jesus told His disciples to stay away from such a condition (Lk. 12:29). Feelings of anxiety due to uncertainty may come to suspend our souls in doubt, but they should not be allowed to take hold of our lives; in other words, worry or anxiety should not become the condition of our lives. For such anxiety can easily lead to despair and a total shipwreck of faith. Similarly, unwanted curiosity can also be fatal to faith as seen in Eve’s case. For when the devil told her that the forbidden fruit was forbidden not because God sought her welfare but because He didn’t want her to be like Him, she immediately was convinced by his words (Gen. 3:4-6). Her curiosity regarding the forbidden fruit led her obey the devil’s lie. If God has forbidden us something, there is no danger greater than trying to conduct a scientific analysis of the forbidden thing. It is no surprise then why the Ephesian believers burnt all books of curious and magical arts[1] when they accepted the Lord (Ac. 19:19, KJV, Amplified). This is so because such curiosity can lead to a departure from faith. It is in this regard that the Mosaic Law commanded the Israelites to destroy all images and things related to false belief to prevent their influence from corrupting the Israelites (Deut. 7:3-5). The images represent the symbols of false beliefs that stand against the faith of God. They are doors to disbelief. Therefore, sympathetic curiosity towards what is logically known to be wrong must be avoided. By “logically wrong” is meant those ideas that contradict the rational sense. For instance, in the story of Eve she turned towards the illogical belief that she could become like God (who is spiritual and infinite in wisdom) by eating a physical fruit and to the false idea that God was either jealous or afraid of her becoming like Him; as if she could become like Him and that God was afraid of His own creation. Similarly, the sympathy towards idols is absurd since an idol is not only a lifeless object but also symbolic of the vanity and falsehood of man. Therefore, one must guard oneself against any fear or excitement that is both irrational and godless.

The third kind of doubt is more intriguing. It appears in the form of reasoning or argumentation and is indicated by the word dialogismos meaning that form of argumentation that is controversial, unending, or false. It is in this sense that it is sometimes rendered as “imaginations” for its speculative nature is averse to any conclusion. In other words, dialogismos is doubt that expects no final answer. The imagination keeps going on finding no final ground to stand on; thus, hanging suspended (meterorizo) in curiosity and doubt all the time. I think our age understands this form of doubting better than any age before since, in our age, it is this kind of a scholar that is highly appreciated while the one who claims to have the answer is labeled as fundamentalist and narrow-minded. While in the past the wise man was he who had more answers and fewer questions, now he is one who has more questions and fewer answers. The modern wise man is like the Greek sophist who excelled in clever arguments but had no belief in absolute truth: his arguments generated more doubts than solutions. Our English word “sophistry” comes from this “sophist” and means “clever, misleading, and deceptive argument”. Obviously, this form of doubt or methodological skepticism is deliberate, proceeding from the bias that detests absolute solution to any problem. That is the reason why the Scripture warns several times to keep away from such love for show of cleverness and unhealthy disputing that signifies pride and rebellion instead of humility (Phil. 2:14; Rom. 14:1; 1Tim. 2:8; cf. 1Tim. 6:3-5).

The next kind of doubt is diakrino meaning “to judge by analysis” or “to make a difference”. In relation to doubt it means “to make a different judgment”, “to think otherwise”, or “allow for some other possibility as well”. It is in this sense that it is used in Matthew 21:21 when Jesus tells His disciples “Truly I say to you, If you have faith and do not doubt (me diakrithete), you shall not only do this miracle of the fig tree, but also; if you shall say to this mountain, Be moved and be thrown into the sea; it shall be done.” (Mt. 21:21, MKJV). Similarly, James says: “let him ask in faith, doubting nothing (meden diakrinomenos). For he who doubts (diakrinomenos) is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed” (Jas. 1:3, MKJV). Obviously, this kind of doubting is antithetical to faith since it introduces a rival element (a foreign particle) into one’s framework of belief. This kind of double-thinking is what leads to distazo or to the inability of holding on to faith, thus becoming unstable (as in Peter’s case when he walked on water and then started sinking due to fear); for the natural thoughts of the mind are set in conflict against the supernatural truths of God leading to a weakening of faith. The imbalance and instability caused by diakrino can be compared to an airplane (on flight) that loses its balance due to some technical failure to keep up with the laws of aerodynamics. That technical failure may be compared to diakrino when the plane wobbles between the law of aerodynamics and the law of gravity, for instance. The loss of balance is due to the plane’s inability to totally comply with the law of aerodynamics. The problem is solved if the airplane keeps to the purpose of its design, which is to be in air till it lands safely on the ground; the tragedy is when it fails to do that by giving in to anti-elements. Now, the anti-element may not be false in itself; for instance, the law of gravity is true as well as the fact that Peter could not naturally walk on water. However, in matters of faith the natural must submit to the supernatural and not vice versa. Even as the airplane is designed to fly in air, a man of faith is designed to sail on the winds of God’s promises. Abraham was a man of faith. He was not a man of a double-opinion or double-thinking. Therefore, there were no regrets about his obedience to God; neither was there any possibility of a return for him. The Scripture testifies about him that “he staggered not (ou diekrithe) at the promise of God through unbelief (apistia); but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. 4:20). Apistia is the antonym of pistis which is faith. Thus, Abraham didn’t allow an anti-faith element to make him double-think about and doubt the promises of God.

Desire. The second enemy of faith is false desire. Desire is the drive of the human will. Therefore, it is always seen as desire to do something or to get something in the sense that the mind is set on that particular thing, ultimately leading to action in that direction. In this sense, to will something is to desire that thing. In fact, the Greek word thelo is translated as both “to will” and “to desire” in the New Testament. However, in human experience, desire is often ambivalent as the Scripture says: “For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do” (Gal. 5:17, Amplified). And again, “I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am [ever] doing” (Rom. 7:19, Amplified). Obviously, there are two kinds of desires at work here and the either one gives in to the other in the struggle for letting out. One is lawless; the other, lawful. One is brutish; the other, rational. One is carnal; the other, spiritual. One is godly; the other, ungodly. One is sinful; the other, holy. While spiritual desire is rationally sound, emotionally stable, and conscientiously clear; lawless desire bypasses reason, corrupts the feelings, stalls the conscience, and captivates the memory. That is the reason why the Scripture says, “Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul” (1Pt. 2:11, Amplified).

The fatal blow of desire is its luring the mind to justify wickedness. This is when faith is jettisoned and deception sneaks in. Sometimes even a whole nation can fall prey to the rule of passion by rebelling against truth. In his Republic Plato quotes Damon as saying “when modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the State always change with them.”[2] We may not totally agree with Plato’s view against musical innovations; but when one sees the unrestrained wand of passion displaying gestures of rebellion in any art-form, one cannot but suspect that values are being redefined. The Word warns, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).

The simplicity of Abraham despite the blessings of God on his life is evident from his contentment to live in tents all the days of his life (Heb. 11:9). It is also evident from his contentment with what only God gave to him and not desiring even a shoe lace by any other means. He made a covenant with God to never be blessed except he was blessed by God; therefore, when the king of Sodom came to him offering the spoils of war, he replied: “I have lifted up my hand and sworn to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a shoelace or anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich” (Gen. 14:22, 23, Amplified). Abraham knew God’s promise of blessing to him and wanted nothing more than that. That is faith.

The Scripture warns us that they who are minded to be rich fall into temptation and many foolish, irrational, and hurtful desires that lead to perdition (1Tim. 6:9). One example of it is Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the prophet, who ran after Naaman the Syrian and, in the name of his master, took from him stuff that his master had refused; but when Elisha questioned him where he had gone, he replied “nowhere”. This man had seen even the dead raised through Elisha’s prayer and still found the courage to lie to him. His conscience and memory were smeared by lust and greed to the extent that he believed that everything was okay despite his sinful act (2Kgs. 5:20-26). Similarly, David when captured by the lust for Bathsheba forgot all bonds of wickedness. He not only committed adultery with her (breaking God’s covenant) but also got her good husband ruthlessly murdered. This man, who once was so zealous for God in faith that he single-handedly defeated the giant Goliath, had now fallen prey to a woman’s beauty (2Sam.11). One doesn’t know what irrational justification his mind was framing in order to not lose the opportunity and companionship of lust. But it broke the heart of God. The same was also true of Judas Iscariot who sold the Lord for 30 pieces of silver after being with Him for three and half years. It is foolishness to think that one’s environment or conditions of living determine the strength of one’s faith. Adam and Eve were in a perfectly sinless environment before they fell into sin. Lucifer was an angel of God. Judas, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the chief priests saw Jesus in person and yet went against Him. Many of us often imagine that if we were as close as the disciples were to Jesus much of our spiritual struggle would be solved. Many desire at least one vision of Christ in this life. But one must understand that all such spiritual and sacred experiences put together can easily be suspended by the onslaught of lust; for lust hijacks all emotion, intelligence, memory, and conscience. Therefore, one must guard himself of all ugly desire that, though seemingly fulfilling, is disastrous in the end.

Division. By division is meant the lack of real spiritual fellowship and communion with God. This causes alienation and distancing from the knowledge of God. As a result, faith suffers loss. Division manifests itself in three forms: discord, dissension, and disunion.

Discord. Discord means a lack of agreement or harmony between two persons. While discord between men may be expressed or unexpressed, discord between man and God needs no expression since God knows what’s in the human heart. Discord between God and man is a matter of perspective and will-towards-something rather than ratio-empirical disagreement (as in matters of scientific or philosophical research). This is so because the relationship is not of the nature of this spatio-temporal pluralistic world where things stand divided from each other in space and time. God is unlike the world and its objects; He is not far from us, as the Scripture says, and we live and move and have our being in Him (Ac. 17:27, 28), which means His presence is more real than the world around us. Therefore, discord or concord between God and man is unlike discord and concord between worldly things, in the sense that it is not primarily a matter of ratio-empirical dispute. It is a matter of perspective, a matter of faith. Discord with God is not justifiable since it is not based on rational judgments but on the choice of will propelled by desire. Therefore, the Word says that God has given up those who, falling to evil desire and reprobate thinking, disgusted themselves by abominable practices (Rom. 1:21-28). The Bible says that the carnal mind is unsubmissive to the Law of God (Rom. 8:7). This lack of submission is not in the sense that it has some logical reasons for not submitting to God but in the sense that the intentions and actions of the carnal mind are opposite to the Law of God. The perspective-shift (from carnal to spiritual or vice versa) can be in a split of a second or gradual. It may be a reaction to a temptation or a moral decline through negligence. Whatever way, the perspective-shift is indicative of a shift from faith to practical disbelief.

Dissension. Dissension is the violent and aggressive form of discord in which the disagreement is vociferously expressed. While in the former case, discordant questions may not be expressed for fear of causing obstacle to the faith of others (see Ps. 73:15), in this case all shame and fear is set aside. The Bible uses different words to describe dissension; some of them are: murmuring, complaining, scoffing, mocking, blaspheming, strife of words, evil talking, perverse disputing, railing, speaking in hypocrisy, ungodly talking, etc (Phil. 2:14; Ps. 1:1; 1Tim. 4:2; 6:4, 5; 2Tim. 3:2; Jude 15, 16). Jesus warned His disciples that on the Day of Judgment men will have to give an account of every idle word that they speak (Mt. 12:36). Dissension comes from a heart of unbelief. It was because of such vehement and vexing ungodly talks that the Israelites were destroyed in the wilderness (1Cor. 10:10). All their opposition was based on their lusts and whims and not on any logic. God had shown such wonders to them that He had never shown before. He foiled the skill of the Egyptian magicians, broke the strength of pharaoh and his forces, tore the Red Sea into two, and walked before them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. I do not know of any nation on earth as a whole who had seen so much of God and yet disbelieved Him so much. They broke God’s commands whenever they liked and spoke whatever came to their mouth against God’s servants. Jude tells us that God destroyed them because of their unbelief (Jude 5).

Disunion. Disunion refers to a break-away from faith in God, thus from God. This is the severing of relationship with God. This disunion is the final end of a life of ungodly speech and action. It is the moral failure to hold on to faith and a good conscience and is characterized by a blasphemous lifestyle (1Tim. 1:18-20). This is what the Scripture also calls as a departure from faith by giving in to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils (1Tim. 4:1). The doctrine of the devil is nothing but ultimate rebellion against God and His truth. The life without faith in God is a life of falsehood. It is a life of self-opposition (2Tim. 2:25). Therefore, says the psalmist, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous (Ps. 1:5). The sinners who walk after ungodly counsel and associate to scoff at the revelation of God will not be justified (cp. Ps. 1:1). But the just shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17).

The Scripture warns believers against this alienation from God’s truth. It is the sin that brings a division between God and man (Isa. 59:2). The sin of willful commitment to unbelief and disunion with God is unpardonable. It leads to death (1Jn. 5:16). The book of Hebrews tells us that there is no chance of renewal for those who, after knowing the irrefutable truth of God, fall away from the faith (Heb. 6:4-6); for it is evident in their case that their falling away from faith is self-willed and not because of weakness in understanding the truth. The truth was crystal clear to them. Similarly, Peter says that the final condition of those who turn away from the knowledge of Christ after having escaped the pollutions of the world is worse than the first; for, he says, it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then willingly turn away from it (2Pt. 2:20, 21). Such a life becomes blasphemous, godless, and a willful opposing of the ways of God.

KEEPING FAITH

Now, there are three chief ways in which faith can be kept; they are: confession, conduct, and communion. Let’s look briefly at each one of them and see how Abraham not only kept his faith but grew stronger in it by following these and by refusing false doubt, ungodly desire, and any sin-induced division. We do not say here that Abraham never made mistakes but despite of all his weaknesses and shortcomings he was justified before God because of his holding on to the Lord. He loved the Lord and no matter what he had to go through, he didn’t stagger in faith, since he knew that he could never leave the Lord that he knew as the true and gracious God. For him there were no regrets and no turnings back.

Confession. Confession is the verbal establishment of inward belief (Rom. 10:10). It is the public testimony of private faith. And when confession is heartily and confidently done, then the internal and the external dimensions of human experience are reinforced in the integrity of faith. Abraham’s confession of faith is captured in his single statement to the king of Sodom. He said: “I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich” (Gen. 14:42, 43). He confessed here that it is God alone who could have the absolute right of claim over all of Abraham’s blessings, that his sustenance came from God, and that everything of him was God’s and what was his was what God had committed to him. This shows his total trust in God and no side-glances at anything else. His mind was steadily focused on God and His promises. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Abraham never sought any clarification from God. But whenever he did that it was in humility of spirit and never in the haughtiness of pride characteristic of the dissenters. For instance, when God told him that He would bless him with a seed that shall become a nation, the Bible says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). But when God tells him in the next verse that he was going to inherit Palestine, he asked for a way to know how that would happen. He knew that he was living in tents here and that there were little chances that this tent-living could be given up soon since the land belonged to the different tribes that inhabited it. But God showed him how he would do it giving assurance of it by means of a covenant. He told him that his seed would go to a foreign land whom they shall serve but then return back in the fourth generation to take this land into their hands by punishing the inhabitants of it. Accordingly, the next two generations of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob too lived in tents, went to Egypt and returned after about 400 years to take the Promised Land. Obviously, there were things that Abraham didn’t understand but he confessed what he knew and trusted God for things too difficult for his understanding. And God was faithful to reveal His counsel to Abraham. Similarly, spiritual facts like being saved, being forgiven of all sins, being heirs of Christ’s righteousness and the Kingdom to come must be confessed again and again in faith or else the devil will gain place by introducing guilt-feelings, doubts, and fears in the heart of the believer. One must acknowledge one’s sinfulness and inability to save oneself, submit to God, and then resist the devil.

Confession brings the mind in subjection to the line of verbal reasoning manifest in the assertion of faith-statements. It awakens the consciousness to the truths of God. It enlightens the memory with the optimism of divine assurance. It is the active choice of the believer to set his mind on the things of God. It is this reason why Christ confessed God’s Word and His purposes by quoting the Scripture when the devil came to tempt Him. He told him that “Man shall not live by bread alone” when the tempter challenged His divine sonship. He need not prove anything to either the devil or to anyone. By confessing the Scripture, Jesus declared to the devil God’s counsel of sending Christ as man to this earth; and that this material world is not an end in itself – bread is not the ultimate thing: to turn stones into bread would mean to look at any object of nature with selfish intentions.

Conduct. Conduct is the factual establishment of faith. It is the behavior of faith. It is the phenomena of active faith. It is not mere asserting but the confirming of faith through action. It is the conformity of life with faith. It is the finalizing of the meaningfulness of belief. One can only live out that which one considers to be livable or meaningful and significant. Therefore, conduct is the establishment of faith in fact and in deed. There is not one instance in the Scripture where it is mentioned that Abraham disobeyed God. Whenever God told him anything to do, he immediately did it. We have seen his obedience of faith in regard to leaving Ur and also, at a latter point, sacrificing his only begotten son. His obedience is also seen in the case of sending Hagar away. When Sara told Abraham to send Hagar, his concubine away, we are told that this thing was very grievous in his eyes because of Ishmael, his son by Hagar (Gen. 21:11). However, when God told him to quit feeling grievous about this and do as Sara had said since God was in control of everything and was going to bless Sara’s son, Abraham rose up early in the morning, packed up things for Hagar and Ishmael and sent them away, without grieving, having been assured of the promise of God regarding the maid and her son. Abraham’s emotions were controlled and directed not by any worldly wisdom but by his faith in the truth and power of God. He knew His God very well and, therefore, he followed Him wholeheartedly. Of course, his half-truth about his wife (Gen. 12:13; 20:2) due to fear evinces his use of cleverness in escaping difficult situations instead of trusting totally in God’s ability to protect him. Similarly, his giving heed to Sara in cohabiting with Hagar, according to their custom, in order to have a child was a hasty and humanly rationalized way (Gen. 16). But one must remember that, in the former case, Sara was truly his half-sister and Abraham’s tactic was something to prevent a possible enemy’s foil act. It was not motivated out of a failure of faith at all. Anyone who has read about the tactics that believers of the underground churches employed in order to prevent the enemy’s success in sin should not be hasty to indict them as failing in faith as if God could not protect them. In fact, they did so because of their unflinching faith in God Whom they could at no cost deny. Obviously, no one generally stretches these things to such an extremity to say, for instance that footballers should give up their play tactics or army men should give up their war stratagems in order to walk according to faith. I am here only trying to prevent hasty and unjust accusation against Abraham; not to justify Abraham’s actions. What for me is important about Abraham is that God never accused him of what most people accuse him. Even if he failed, God would not have accused him since God knew Abraham’s faith and it is before his Master that he falls or rises, and even if he falls God is able to raise him (Rom. 14:4). One will also remember that Christ never condemned Peter for denying Him thrice but understood the love that was in the depth of his heart. Similarly, in taking Hagar as wife, this might have been so because God’s revelation of giving a son through Sara, specifically, is revealed only in Genesis 17. Further, Abraham’s listening to his wife to give her as she desired should not be interpreted as wavering from faith; for, even in doing so there was no indication of his disbelief in God about anything; there could not be. In addition, God never treated Abraham’s child through Hagar as the product of a mistake, but instead blessed him as well. At any cost, none of these things were indicative of any weakening of Abraham’s faith; the truth being that in every instance of God’s specific commandment, Abraham was obedient without question, hesitation, or second-thought.

Communion. Communion is the relational establishment of faith; the personalizing of faith in relationship. One can only be one with someone one is at one with; and one can only be one with someone who is like that one, i.e. basically personal then other points of aesthetic and ethical agreement or harmony: therefore, communion is the personal relationship with God through the harmony of faith. Communion with God is the living out of the I-Thou relationship with Him. It is the establishment of the fact of faith as relationality and not just as subjectivity. Communion can never be one-sided. Communion can never be fantastical. Therefore, communion is the objective establishment of faith in a real divine relationship. When Abraham was 95 years old, God spoke to him saying “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Gen. 17:1). The command to walk before God was the command to be in perpetual agreement and fellowship with Him. The command to be perfect was the command to be wholeheartedly committed to God in this relationship. The Bible tells us that as soon as Abraham heard this voice (he was still called Abram till this point), he fell with his face prostrate on the ground. He didn’t even speak a word. Anyone who reads the life of Abraham can see him not only as a man of few words but also as a man of diligence and great reverence for God. His communion with God was so close that the Scripture calls him “the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23; 2Ch. 20:7); yet, it was only with reverence in heart that Abraham ever approached God. This can also be seen in the case when he intercedes for Sodom. His intercession is not like one demanding something from God by right though he was God’s friend. For instance, when he enquires the second time he says: “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27) and goes on to make his petition. Remember God’s confession about Abraham just before this session; God said “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do… for I have known him” (Gen. 18:17-19, MKJV). God could trust Abraham as a friend could trust his friend. That was the depth of communion between them because God knew the genuineness of Abraham’s faith and his absolute and indefatigable holding on to the truth of God. Abraham knew God and glorified God as God; therefore, he was blessed by God.

Thus, we see that through faith and obedience to God Abraham inherited the promises of God. The anti-faith elements of doubt, sinful desire, and division could not find place in his heart full of trust and faith in God. Abraham’s words, actions, and feelings were all tuned up with the will of God. Therefore, he only kept moving onward and never turning back in his walk before God. While the world groped in the darkness of unbelief and falsehood around him, Abraham recognized God’s call over his life and followed Him not knowing where he was going.

NOTES
[1] The Greek periergos means “busy about trifles” indicating curiosity about unwanted things. The English word “occult” used for all such curious arts comes from the Latin occultare meaning “hidden” or “concealed” indicating the non-normalcy and unhealthiness of all such practices.

[2] Plato, The Republic and Other Works, p. 113.

Skeptical Fideism

The Enlightenment thinkers felt that reason had come to age and elevated it above faith. But, mathematics is not the book of life. It is impossible to expel faith. As the wise sage Pascal observed, reason has to be find support on something, and that something can't be reason itself, to avoid circular reasoning. Reason is also based upon faith. Again, he showed that reason cannot irrefutably prove God, but it can neither disprove His existence. It proves nothing.

Spiritual skepticism is the willingness to concede that our minds cannot have certainty alone by themselves. This is not to deny certain certainties that are axiomatic and undeniable. For instance, one can't contradict the law of non-contradiction. However, it certainly means that one has no confidence in his own reasoning and wisdom. Only this form of skepticism regarding self can truly set us free to find our fullness and certainty only in Him.

Hindrances and Helps to Faith

Jude 1:20 - Building up in your most holy faith....

HINDRANCES TO FAITH
1. Not hearing God's Word (Luk 8:12; Rom. 10:17; Matt.13:15)
2. Forgetting the Word (James 1:23; Psa.119:16)
3. Doubting God's Word (Matt.14:31; Matt.21:21)
4. Worldly and Carnal Distractions (Matt. 13:22)
5. Not Seeking Pure Conscience (1Tim.1:5,19; 3:9; Tit.1:15; Heb.10:22)
6. Not Fighting the Good Fight of Faith - Being Slothful (1Tim.6:12; 2Tim.4:7; Heb.6:12)
7. Lack of Prayer (Jude 1:20)

HELPS TO FAITH
1. Listening to God's Word (Rom.10:17; Acts 4:4)
2. Speaking to each other Words of Faith (2Cor. 4:13; Eph.4:15; 5:19; Mark 11:23)
3. Acting according to Faith. Matching faith with actions (James 2:17-20)
4. Trusting God with all our heart and not relying on our own understanding (Pro.3:5,6)
5. Having constant communion with God (Ps.42:8; 130:5-6; 1Jn.1:3-9)
6. Having regular fellowship with saints (Heb.10:23,24; Matt.18:20; 1Thess.5:11; 1Cor.12:20-26)
7. Loving God above all (Eph.3:17; Gal.5:6; Philem 1:5; James 2:5)

Justified True Belief?

flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matt.16:17)

People usually do have reasons for their beliefs, though not all may be able to instantly enumerate all their reasons when asked for. The believer in Chi power might even demonstrate his grounds of belief. So will the homeopath, the allopath, the evolutionist, the Yogi, the Advaitin, and the astrologer. But, it is also possible that one cannot demonstrate proofs and yet decide to go on with what one is convinced about, in whatever sense whatever. The Jews knew that there were no witnesses to incriminate the Christ; however, when He announced who He was, they decided that His statement was proof enough of blasphemy. But, on what grounds?

The work of a preacher is certainly to persuade by means of reasoning. For some it may mean persuasion through exposition of scriptures; to others, through spiritual encounter and signs and wonders; to others, through contextually relevant reasoning (as in the case of Paul in Athens). However, no preaching, no matter how profoundly apologetical and persuasive it is, can ever convince any man no matter how wise and persuasive words may seem.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1Cor.2:1-2)
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. (2Cor.1:12)

Now, this doesn’t mean that a man’s will is not involved. The very idea of responsibility and accountability involves the irrefutable fact that a man is responsible for his beliefs and his actions. Sloth and indulgence make an inexcusable fool by his own choice. And, yet, the slothful are not without reasons.

The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing. (Prov.20:4)

Certainly, flesh and blood cannot reveal Christ to man. Yet, divine revelation must be met by faith; or else, it is ineffective.

the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. (Heb.4:2)

It is possible for one to be arduous, diligent, and passionate in the path that he considers to be true. In other words, one may be misled and yet not because of sloth. However, it is certain that if there is true sincerity in a quest, then obedience to faith will not be a problem when revelation comes.

And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood (Gal.1:14-16)

although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (1Tim.1:13)

I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19)

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (Jn.4:23)

LITTLE FAITH VS GREAT FAITH

If I believe that God created the entire universe, but fail to believe that He controls everything, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that Christ forgave all my sins, but I still feel bad and guilty, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that God cares for the flowers and the sparrows, but I still worry about food and clothing, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that Jesus became a man, yet I feel life is meaningless sometimes, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that Jesus healed all the sick, but wonder if He would heal me, am I not a man of little faith?
If I can believe what God did in the past and what He will do in the future, but fail to believe Him to do something now, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe He rides over the waves and the storms, but am terrified by the sound of the wind, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that He loves the world and cares for even the sparrow, but I feel unloved sometimes, am I not a man of little faith?
If I believe that Christ rose for my justification, but still am afraid of some guilt or curse that may be over my life, am I not a man of little faith?

The difference between little faith and great faith is not in quantity; it is in quality. Little faith is self-contradicting and wavering. Great faith is absolute, complete, unrelenting, and unconditional to the end. Only believe!

Faith as Absolute and Unconditional

"Faith is the foundation..." (Hb.11:1, SLT)

The empirical philosopher, whose method is chiefly inductive in nature, fails to understand faith. For he sees the faith of God as impossible and the explanations of a theologian appear to suffer faith to die the death of a thousand qualifications. Such is the case illustrated in the Parable of the Invisible Gardener by John Wisdom. Antony Flew, in his agnostic period, analysed the parable in the following empirical terms:

Let us begin with a parable. It is a parable developed from a tale told by John Wisdom in his haunting and revolutionary article "Gods." Once upon a time two explorers came upon a clearing in the jungle. In the clearing were growing many flowers and many weeds. One explorer says, "Some gardener must tend this plot." The other disagrees, "There is no gardener." So they pitch their tents and set a watch. No gardener is ever seen. "But perhaps he is an invisible gardener." So they set up a barbed-wire fence. They electrify it. They patrol with bloodhounds. (For they remember how H. G. Well's The Invisible Man could be both smelt and touched though he could not be seen.) But no shrieks ever suggest that some intruder has received a shock. No movements of the wire ever betray an invisible climber. The bloodhounds never give cry. Yet still the Believer is not convinced. "But there is a gardener, invisible, intangible, insensible, to electric shocks, a gardener who has no scent and makes no sound, a gardener who comes secretly to look after the garden which he loves." At last the Sceptic despairs, "But what remains of your original assertion? Just how does what you call an invisible, intangible, eternally elusive gardener differ from an imaginary gardener or even from no gardener at all?"

In this parable we can see how what starts as an assertion, that something exist or that there is some analogy between certain complexes of phenomena, may be reduced step by step to an altogether different status, to an expression perhaps of a "picture preference." The Sceptic says there is no gardener. The Believer says there is a gardener (but invisible, etc.). One man talks about sexual behavior. Another man prefers to talk of Aphrodite (but knows that there is not really a superhuman person additional to, and somehow responsible for, all sexual phenomena). The process of qualification may be checked at any point before the original assertion is completely withdrawn and something of that first assertion will remain (Tautology). Mr. Wells' invisible man could not, admittedly, be seen, but in all other respects he was a man like the rest of us. But though the process of qualification may be and of course usually is, checked in time, it is not always judicially so halted. Someone may dissipate his assertion completely without noticing that he has done so. A fine brash hypothesis may thus be killed by inches, the death by a thousand qualifications.

Contrary to such a situation, the Bible doesn't portray the faith of God as a conclusion reached through inductive reasoning or on the basis of mere empirical reasoning. On the other hand, faith precedes understanding and is the first premise from which all other conclusions are derived. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews says, "Faith is the foundation..." (Heb.11:1, SLT).

The faith of God cannot be contingent like the faith of this empirical universe. God is absolute; therefore, the faith of God is also absolute. It is not based on something else but is the foundation of everything else. It is not based on evidence. It is the evidence. It is unconditional and doesn't fluctuate or waver no matter what the circumstances are. It trusts in God like Job even when surrounded by adversity. It, like Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, declares that God is able to deliver, but even if He didn't, they would not bow to fear or anything false. It is not utilitarian, the means, but is the substance. Faith is willing to let go off Isaac, because it is not based on Isaac, but is unconditional acknowledgement and trust in the goodness and power of God. Inductive reasoning can never be final; therefore, those who look for signs in order to believe can never really believe. Their hearts are divided, mixed, and faithless. However, those who come to God believe that He is and is the rewarder of those who seek Him. Faith sees evil, but is not destroyed by evil. Rather it overcomes it. For, trials cannot extinguish faith; trials strengthen and reinforce faith. Faith doesn't become weak and doubtful and stops praying because it has seen that the billows don't quell down despite all their cries; faith remains soundly restful on the pillow of peace that proceeds from the acknowledgement of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Faith is not irritated, frustrated, or exasperated with situations. Faith changes situations; for one who believes can move any mountain.

Viktor E Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and founder of Logotherapy, when faced with the question of faith in the midst of suffering and the problem of evil, observed:

Either you have your doubts. Then you have to start your skepticism, to quote a figure in a novel by Dostoevsky, you have to start it with one single innocent child that had to suffer. Or else, you will maintain your faith in God irrespective of any number of victims. Because either you have a belief in God which is unconditional, which you maintain under each and every conditions or the faith is too weak and will sooner or later break down. So, religious belief, as I see is to be an unconditional one. And the most and honest and appropriate approach is that.. of Job. After trying to bargain as it were with God, he then says that "I shut my mouth. I see I don't know enough to argue with You. You know better. I believe in You that You are not only omnipotent, but also omniscient and omnibenevolent." So, he confesses and this is... a thread that goes through out the history of the human spirit... So this skepticism has to turn itself against itself. This is the only approach we have.. approach by a believer. To say that "Up to Auschwitz I was a believer, from Auschwitz on I am no longer"-- this is impossible. Now, the strange thing that most of American theologians seem to forget or overlook, to my knowledge or, better to say, to my experience: those who were religious, among those who were, had been, religious personalities, the absolute majority, in view of the holocaust they had to go through themselves, and in spite of the holocaust and what they had to live through themselves, they not only maintained their faith, but... even their belief was fostered or strengthened because it had been an absolute one and an unconditional one. While the weak faith was crumbling, the genuine faith was strengthened. This is my personal experience with only a few exceptions.

Faith and Nothingness

"God..calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom 4:17)
-----------------------------------------------
Emptiness, the seeming void around;
Frustration of silent blankness;
Impatience, the restless hunger inside;
Darkness, the unknown nothingness;
Faith that triumphs over all, for it calls
Things that are not as if they are.

Faith and Willingness

Faith relates to the will. It doesn't matter what one feels. Faith is the willingness to accept the truth when one is face to face with it. Unbelief, on the contrary, is willful rejection of truth despite all evidences. Unbelief is unwilling to sincerely consider the evidence. But, faith doesn't listen either to feeling or to desire; it listens to the word and responds to it in a willing embrace. Faith judges the fact of truth and doesn't doubt. When doubt arises, it shows the mirror of truth on its face and exposes the insincerity and hollowness of doubt. Therefore, faith overcomes.

Doubt Vs Trust

Doubt has single-handedly destroyed many families, friendships, and futures of people in the world. But, what is doubt?

Doubt is a thought. It is a hypothetical thought that uses expressive forms such as “May be”, “Perhaps”, “Suppose”, “Seems like”. Doubt casts a dark cloud of suspicion on the mind of a person against truth. Slowly things begin to look darker by the influence of this cloud. Everything begins to look different and supportive of the doubtful thought. Supportive evidences seem to flock around the suspicious idea in the same way that birds of the same feather flock together. The problem becomes vicious when one actually nurtures a deep grudge, fear, or anger. Then, thoughts turn villainous.

Doubt is the enemy of trust. Where doubt enters, trust quivers. But, where trust takes a willful stand, doubt can find no entry point. Therefore, the believer confesses again and again: ‘I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”’ (Psa 91:2)

Trust is a relationship of love. One has to love the truth in order to be able to trust in the truth. Trust is a commitment. It is faith in personal relation. How do we know blind faith from true faith? Jesus said, that one knows a tree by its fruits; a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matt.7:17,18). God is the Good Tree who always bears good fruit. Therefore, the Psalmist sings aloud "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psa 34:8) When one trusts in God, there is light and no place for the darkness of doubt. When one trusts in the Lord with all one's heart, there is relationship and love. Doubt only destroys people. But, trust only builds and edifies always. Trust in the Lord is a powerful foundation that will endure forever. "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever." (Psa 125:1)

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Scriptures on Trusting the Lord

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (2Sa 22:31)

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. (Psa 4:5)

O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me, (Psa 7:1)

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. (Psa 9:10)

In the LORD I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain"? (Psa 11:1)

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psa 18:2)

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (Psa 18:30)

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psa 20:7)

In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. (Psa 31:1)

But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." (Psa 31:14)

The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. (Psa 34:22)

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. (Psa 37:3)

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psa 37:5)

And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him. (Psa 37:40)

He has put a new song in my mouth; Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD. (Psa 40:3)

Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. (Psa 40:4)

The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory. (Psa 64:10)

In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. (Psa 71:1)

For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. (Psa 71:5)

But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works. (Psa 73:28)

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." (Psa 91:2)

O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. (Psa 115:9)

O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. (Psa 115:10)

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. (Psa 115:11)

It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. (Psa 118:8)

It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. (Psa 118:9)

Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever. (Psa 125:1)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (Pro 3:5)

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.'" (Isa 12:2)

Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. (Isa 26:4)

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD! (Isa 31:1)

"Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God. (Isa 50:10)

"For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.'" (Jer 39:18)

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nah 1:7)

I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD. (Zep 3:12)

But I trust in the Lord that.... (Php 2:24)

Child-Like Faith

In this article, we will be looking at three simple aspects of child-like faith:
1. Primacy of Faith
2. Purity of Faith
3. Practicality of Faith

Primacy of Child-Like Faith
For a child, faith precedes understanding. His faith doesn’t say “I am never going to drink milk until I understand how a brown cow can eat green grass and produce white milk and yellow butter.” In modern times, there is a great clamor about providing evidences for belief; however, the Bible always talks about the primacy of faith over evidence. In fact, Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as itself being “the evidence”. This might appear to be very troublesome for some; however, the history of the Church has giants such as Paul, Anselm, Kierkegaard, and Barth who have affirmed the primacy of faith over understanding. We will try to understand this with the help of two examples from the Bible; but before that, it is important to understand that biblical faith doesn’t encourage blind-belief; in fact, truth is integral to faith: faith without truth is blind; truth without faith is powerless.

The Case of the Rich Man and Lazarus
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the parable of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus, who sat at his gate in misery. The rich man died and found himself in great agony in hades. But, when he looked over the other side and saw Lazarus with Abraham in paradise, he wished that Abraham would send Lazarus to relieve him of his misery. When Abraham tells him that this is impossible, he requests Lazarus to be sent to his brothers instead, hoping that they would certainly believe if they saw someone raised from the dead. However, Abraham makes a classic statement about human nature when he says, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” In other words, if one is not able to have faith in the words of Scripture, there is no other persuasion possible for such a person. Evidently, here, for a believer who starts with faith every blade of grass resounds with praises of God; however, for an unbeliever, who keeps looking for evidence, no evidence will suffice.

The Case of the Apostle Paul
In Acts 7-9, we read the story of an angry Saul, breathing violence against Christians. He was a person well educated in the Jewish Law and had these to say about himself: "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." (Phil.3:5,6). For Saul, the Christian claim that Jesus was unfounded. He saw no compulsive evidence for the statement that Jesus is the Christ. However, in Acts 9, Christ encounters him and his life is instantly transformed. He is transferred from darkness to light and the veil that was over his mind earlier, when he read the Old Testament, is removed (2Cor.3:15,16). After this conversion experience, we find something amazing about Saul. We are told that he "immediately preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God", and that he "increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ." (Acts 9:20,22). Now, previously he did know the Scriptures about the Messiah, but he didn't understand them as referring to Christ. However, it was after his heart turned in faith towards Christ that the Scriptures began to come alive to him.

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis talks about how he found out, after his salvation, that the various theories of atonement weren't able to perfectly describe the fact of atonement, and yet the failure of the theories could not in anyway disturb Lewis' faith in the atonement of Christ. When we first believe in Christ, our minds aren't very compounded with theological questions and debates. A believer looks at theology as only an attempt to understand faith. There may be differences in the approaches people take to understand faith. However, it is very important for a Christian to not lose his first child-like faith due to the complexities of theology and experiences in the world, no matter how hard those experiences are. When we retain that original child-like faith, the Scriptures will come alive to us. If not, not even Lazarus sent from paradise can help us.

Purity of Child-Like Faith
The child's mind is not muddled with conflicting ideas that an adult has come to hold and experiences that he has underwent. The child's mind is pure and able to receive faith in its pure form (1Pet.2:1,2); therefore, the child's faith is pure, i.e. consistent. However, a variety of conflicting thoughts compounds the adult's mind with dispositions towards both faith and unbelief at the same time. Therefore, it is very important to have child-like pure faith. We must note that only pure faith is faith in the Bible, and Christ often refers to it as "great faith". Impure faith is equal to unbelief or little faith.

The Case of the Centurion
In Matthew 8:5-10, we read the story of a centurion whom Jesus praises for his great faith. The centurion's faith was great not because he had a large quantity of faith; it was great because it was pure and consistent. It was great in quality, in purity. His faith was unmixed; it was pure. Thus, he was able to see a logical connection between his authority over his soldiers and Christ's authority over diseases. He said, 'I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."' The words "I also" indicates his recognition of the authority of Christ. He reasoned properly and was able to apply his knowledge of authority in military office to faith in the power of Jesus over sickness. That's why Jesus called His faith as "great".

The Case of Peter Walking on the Water
However in Matthew 14:31, we see Jesus rebuking Peter for having little faith. It was because when he saw the storms and the waves, this latter experience made him forget or take into account the fact that he was still walking on the water because of the word of Christ. His adult-experiences of the fatal storms and waves interfered with his experience of Christ. Thus, he allowed fear to overpower his faith which resulted in his losing balance, prompting Jesus to rebuke him for his little or inconsistent faith.

The Case of the Disciples and the Epileptic Boy
In Matthew 17:14-20, we see Jesus rebuking his disciples again for failing to cast out a demon. These disciples had earlier gone out and cast out demons in Jesus' Name. However, when it came to this epileptic boy, unbelief interfered with their faith. Perhaps, the demon began to act up and twist the boy as if intending to kill him when they had began to command it, which disturbed them intensely and shook off their faith in authority of Christ. Perhaps, as a result unbelief took over their hearts and they weren't able to cast out the demon. Whatever, Jesus was not happy with the disciples for lacking faith even like a mustard seed. Mustard seed faith is not about small faith or big faith; mustard seed faith is about consistent and whole faith. As the mustard seed, though small, is complete in itself and able to bring forth and mustard plant, similarly when the disciple's faith is whole and complete and is free of all inconsistency and fragmentation through doubt, he can instruct the mountain to be removed and cast into the sea, and it would obey.

To have child-like faith means to have pure, consistent, and logical faith; one in which memory and logic are not confounded or perplexed by immediate oppositions of faith, one that doesn't forget the Word and works of God.

Practicality of Child-like Faith
James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). If one asks the question, "What are the things that prevent adults from practising what they believe?" he will not be surprised to find that these are entanglements created by man himself: social pressure, economic pressure, position, reputation, false ideas, imaginations, and all worthless worldlings. Jesus said that these thorns and thistles prevent the seed of God's Word from bearing fruit in a person's life. However, child-like faith is not like that. It is prompt to put faith into action. There is a reason why Jesus said that it is difficult for the rich (meaning those who are slaves to the being-rich-mentality) to enter into heaven; it is because they have grown up in the wrong way and it would be impossible for them to practice or act out faith at all until they had undone the evil effects that mammon has had on them. That was one reason why Jesus asked the rich young ruler to sell his all, give it to the poor, and come follow Him; the young man had to be born-again, to become a child again.

Why was it so difficult for the pharisees and the sadducees to accept Jesus when the marginalized and even gentiles were flocking towards him? Why is the case that traditional Christians have difficulty in experiencing the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit while newcomers instantly receive healing, salvation, and the gift of the Spirit? The reason is simple: the traditional ones have grown up the wrong way and that wrong way prevents them from accepting all that Christ has for them. Now, this is not to say that this is the case with all traditional Christians. However, it often is. But, when one is broken down, when one has lost all hope and willing to do anything that Christ asks of him, then grace is given to the humble, the empty hand of faith is filled, and the child receives what he longs for.

Summary
1. Faith is primal. Often times, a child of God may not understand things, but his faith is unshaken because he knows whom He has believed. His faith is personal.
2. Faith is pure. The faith of the child of God is not mixed with unbelief or fear; his faith doesn't have a short-term-memory of God's works in his life and the life of the saints. The child of God is surrounded by a cloud of witnesses and he runs the race looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of his faith (Heb.12:1,2).
3. Faith is practical. The faith of God's child is active and effective. He gets what he prays for because he does what he believes and acts in accordance to his faith. His faith is not a blind wager; it is evidence, it is substance (Heb.11:1).

He Stills the Storm to A Whisper: An Unforgettable Boat Ride (Story with A Lesson)

An Unforgettable Boat Ride

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. (Psa 107:29 NIV)

One day, the Bible tells us in Luke 8:22, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples. There were many times that Jesus chose to have a boat ride along with His disciples. If you have been on a boat sometime, you may remember it as a very pleasurable experience. But, for those who have travelled in a boat many times, almost everyday, the ride is as common as going to school in a school van, car, or an autorickshaw.

But, this was a ride that the disciples could never forget. How do we know that? Because they spoke about it again and again, and we read about what they spoke in the Bible. You never speak about your everyday walk or ride to school in general. But, if you had some unusual or very different experience, you would surely tell. And, in case you had an unforgettable experience, you might even want to write about it. So, what was this experience that the disciples of Jesus had?

It was the experience of a windstorm. You might have heard of storms, but there are different kinds of storms, like the hailstorm, the rainstorm, the snowstorm, the ice storm, the sand storm, the dust storm, the fire storm, the thunderstorm, and the electrical storm. If someone was driving a car and suddenly there was a hailstorm, it could make them terribly afraid. The hailstones would start pattering hard on the car roof, the big icy stones could even crack the window and front glasses and cause great damage. Sometimes rain comes like a storm; then, we call it a rainstorm. In some places, during a rainstorm, houses collapse and trees fall. Also, the roads and streets become filled with so much water that people have to use boats to move around the town. That may seem very exciting, to go about in boats, but it is not really exciting after all because the water is stinky and very dirty, and one cannot even live in one’s house anymore, even at night!

Storms of all kind are very destructive. But, to people in a small boat caught right in the middle of a huge lake, a windstorm means death—it is very scary, really. So, the disciples were scared. They began rowing the boat as fast as they could, but it was not possible to fight against the winds. The winds were stirring the waters of the lake like one stirs sugar with a spoon in a glass of water. Just imagine a tiny little boat with people in it in such a glass of water. Can they fight against the spoon? A windstorm is like that spoon stirring the water. And, the disciples were really terrified. But, do you know what Jesus was doing in the midst of such danger? Perhaps, you can imagine what any person would do. Well, but Jesus was just different than all the others. He was fast asleep in the boat. That is amazing, isn’t it? Actually, it shocked the disciples.

Let me ask you something now. We spoke about rain sometimes coming like a storm. What did we call it?... Yes, a rainstorm. Suppose there was snow coming like a storm. What would we call it?... That’s right, a snow storm. What about troubles coming like a storm? What would we call it?... That’s right, a trouble storm. And what happens to people when such storms come? Evidently, as it happened to the disciples, they usually become very afraid. They panic. But, that is what Jesus doesn’t want anybody of us to do. He doesn’t want us to panic, for He Himself never panicked when there was a storm. He was actually soundly sleeping in the midst of the storm. What would you think of someone who was fast asleep in the midst of a storm? Well, first of all, I would think that it would be impossible to be asleep when there is a storm. So, it would surprise us. It surprised the disciples too.

So, the disciples began to wake Him up saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Now, what happened next is the really interesting thing. It was the thing that the disciples never expected, because they never ever had thought that something like that could happen. You know what, Jesus simply arose and scolded the wind and the raging of the water, and they stopped, and there was a great calm. To you this may look very normal, because you expect Jesus to do just these kinds of things; that’s why He is Jesus right? That’s what makes Him different from the disciples. But, to the disciples it was too amazing. They had never seen something like this in their life, and never thought that something like this could ever happen.

But, Jesus was not happy with the disciples. He turned to them and scolded them asking, “Where is your faith?” Actually, Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that for children of God, it is not normal to panic in the sight of danger. God doesn’t expect that of them. If they were the disciples of Jesus, they should never be afraid of storms; whether it is a rainstorm, a hailstorm, or a trouble storm.

Now, people usually wrongly associate one thing with the other. They say that every cause has an effect, which is true in many ways; but it is not always true in the way people think. For instance, there are people who think that we should not move ahead on the road after a black cat has crossed it. They say that if we do that, there will be an accident. They even tell stories of people who went ahead after a black cat crossed the road and had an accident. But, this is false. The black cat crossing the road doesn’t cause accident. But, for some people this idea has become so permanent and unchangeable that even if they may say in their head that a black cat cannot cause accident, they would still be afraid to move ahead on the road, because they would think, “Suppose, the black cat did cause the accident, then?” That is what we call little faith.

The disciples also suffered from it. For them, it was a like a scientific law to believe that a storm meant certain destruction. Some of them were expert fishermen and they might have many times heard the stories of people who got caught in a storm and lost their lives. Now, when they were in that same situation, the only thing they could think about was death; they couldn’t think of anything else. Of course, they knew the power of Jesus, of how he could feed 5000 men (besides women and children) with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. But, when it came to boat riding, their previous experience took over and they became very frightened. Now, there was nothing but death that they could think about. So, they began crying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

It happens with elders too many times, especially when they have experienced a particular sequence of events multiple times. For instance, they see people who get cancer that they die, and also hear stories of people who die of cancer. So, they form a pattern of thinking in their mind and permanently associate cancer with death. They can think of nothing else. But, that doesn’t need to be so. There are people with cancer who got healed and cured. One doesn’t need to be frightened by it. Similarly, there are different cause-effect patterns or relationships that people form in their minds; patterns that are not necessarily true. But, the saddest part of it is that these thinking patterns prevent them from trusting in God who can calm any storm, even if it were a cancer storm or TB storm or poverty storm or misunderstanding storm. But, the children of God must learn to trust in the presence and power of God. Because Jesus is with us, we have every reason to believe that these storms cannot destroy us.

Now, sometimes it also seems that we are perishing and Jesus is just asleep in the boat, doing nothing. It seems that He doesn’t care. For the disciples, at least Jesus was bodily present with them in the boat; but, what about us? How hard it may sometimes be when we are only praying and it seems Jesus is nowhere around. It seems that He is not only invisible, but He is also sound asleep. But, Jesus wants us to trust in Him even in such situations. Jesus knew that the storm could not kill Him; the storm could not also kill the disciples, because Jesus had a work to finish first and He also had a plan for His disciples that no storm or wind could destroy.

God also has a special plan for you. He doesn’t just have a plan for you but is in the boat, the car, the bus, the room with you. Of course, when a storm comes, you must do what you can, but, you should never forget that God has a purpose for your life. Whatever storm it may be, it could even be the storm of examination fear, of not doing well in the exam; don’t panic, study well and trust in Jesus. I know of a young boy whose very good friend died in an accident, it was a very big storm of sorrow in his life. But, his parents comforted him and soon he understood that such storms are not forever. God is in control of all things. There was another boy who was really very good and loved Jesus very much, but some people started to speak very bad about him and began accusing him of all kinds of wrong things that he knew nothing about. It was a storm of accusations in his life. It was almost impossible for him to fight against all those accusations; he learnt that it is better not to try to prove himself in the midst of such storms but to have faith in Jesus who was with him in the boat in all this. Soon, all those who spoke against him were ashamed and God gave this boy great honor and respect in the eyes of the people who despised him. We must learn to trust in our Lord. He is the one who stills the storms to a whisper and hushes the waves of the sea.

The Power of Scriptural Implication and Application

There are a few truths that are discovered before their experience. Some scientific theories fall under this genre. For instance, the theory of relativity came first, then much later on its predictions were verified through experience.

The pronouncements and predictions of Scriptures are much certain than what humans discover through mathematical analyses of experience.

One doesn't need to be experienced in certain areas in order to be able to receive truths of Scriptures by faith. One's experience or lack of experience cannot alter the immutable truths.

For instance, in the late 19th century, a group of students under the leadership of Charles Parham began to study God's Word and discovered that the gift of tongues always followed the baptism of the Spirit. They inferred that this is what they must expect to experience when they are filled. Soon, on Jan 1 of 1901 when Parham laid hands on a girl who was waiting on the Lord in prayer, she received the gift and spoke in Chinese. Interestingly, Parham himself had not received the gift yet. He didn't have the experience but had received what was implied by the Scripture.

Smith Wigglesworth used to say that he didn't walk by what he saw or experienced but by what He knew the Bible said.

I believe the Bible teaches us all wisdom we need for life, work, marriage, business, counseling, and ministry that most books based on pure experience alone cannot teach. If we have succeeded to rightly infer and know what implications God's Word has for our situation, we can apply it to our life and live according to the Word

Don't Allow the Spirit to Be Crushed by Worldly Pressures!

"The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?" (Pro 18:14 NLT)

Therefore, don't allow the spirit to be crushed, no matter what. The only way for the spirit to be crushed is by allowing the physical issue to overpower it; i.e. by looking at physical well-being as evidence for spiritual well-being; but that is not the way God has made us: the body can never bear the spirit in the same way that the bridge cannot bear the cables it is suspended upon.

I know of servants of God who got crushed under pressure and lost hope and purpose in life; not that God didn't have a purpose for them; but, they allowed the physical to become so strong that their spirits were crushed. If the spirit is strong, that helps the body; but, if the body overpowers the spirit, then it becomes like a very heavy roof that overpowers the strength of the pillars and crashes upon the whole building. We know of some of these roofs that become so heavy with snow in winter that these could collapse unless people take immediate steps to remove the snow. Similarly, we must do our best to not allow what we see (or wished we saw) or what we hear or what we negatively imagine and feel to overpower our spirit. I know it is difficult; but, when we make up our mind to not fix ourselves in faith, nothing can trouble us anymore.

"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Act 20:24 NKJ)

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair." (2Co 4:8 NLT)

The Difference Between Little Faith and Great Faith

Little Faith is the Faith that Fails to Reason

For instance, if someone can believe that God created the universe, then he should be also able to believe that God is in complete control of the universe and all things. However, if such a "believer" begins to lose faith in the control of God or provision of God, he is a man of little faith.

In Matthew 6:30, Jesus rebukes those people as having little faith who know that God provides for the flowers and the birds, but they fail to apply that logic consistently to their life; they fail to believe that God can also provide for them. Such faith is inconsistent, and is called "little faith".

In Matthew 8:26, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their little faith because they knew that Jesus was with them in the boat, and still were not able to reason, or logically conclude that no storm could harm them if their Savior was with them. They had a broken, fragmented faith that failed to bind two experiences together consistently with faith.

In Matthew 14:31, Jesus rebukes Peter for having little faith because he was walking on the water but when he saw the winds he almost seems to have forgotten, or was not able to take into consideration, that he had been actually "really" walking on water, and if he could walk on water, then what could any storm do to him.

In Matthew 16:8, Jesus rebuked the disciples because they failed to reckon their experience of seeing Jesus's miracles with the loaves and fish and began thinking of lack of bread again.

Faith is not anti-reason. When people fail to properly reason and have faith in consistency, they are people of "little" or fragmented faith.

Little Faith is equal to no faith. What is called as little faith in one Gospel is called as "no faith" in another (Mark 4:40; Matt 8:26)

Jesus said that if someone had faith like mustard seed and does not doubt then he can move mountains (Matt 17:20; 21:21)

Remember, Faith like mustard seed is NOT small faith or little faith. A mustard seed, though small is complete and consistent. It can give rise to a plant. But, if that seed is broken into pieces, it becomes inconsistent and useless.

Similarly, people who can believe God about one thing but cannot believe God for other things are having broken, fragmented, and inconsistent faith. If they can believe that God can forgive sins, but cannot believe that God can heal diseases, then they have "little faith". But, if one has faith as consistent as a complete mustard seed, then no matter how small and insignificant that faith looks to other people, that faith is enough to do great things.

Faith always has results – “Your faith has made you well” (Matt 9:22)

Great Faith is Faith that is Consistent and Does Proper Reasoning

For instance, in Matthew 8:10, the Centurion reasons:
1. I am a man of military authority and what I say my soldiers obey.
2. Jesus is a man of supernatural authority, so what He says the elements must obey.
3. Therefore, if Jesus only says a word, my servant will be healed.

He reasoned properly and was able to apply his knowledge of authority in military office to faith in the power of Jesus over sickness. That's why Jesus called His faith as "great".

Similarly, in Matthew 15:28, Jesus calls the faith of the Syro-phoenician woman as great because she had a very rational and reasonable reply to Jesus. Jesus said to her that it is not good to give the bread of children to dogs (He called her dog!). But, she immediately reasoned, "But, even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the Master's table". She only needed the crumbs, she said. That was great faith!

Let Not the Honor of Man Prevent You From Experiencing the Power of God!

One of the greatest hindrances to faith is the fear of being rejected or of losing honor in the sight of men. Jesus said to the Jews, "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?" (John 5:44).

Let's take the case of a young man who is being blessed by the simple truths regarding the things of God shared by a man of God who is known well as a man full of faith and of the Spirit. However, one day he meets a worldly wise man who appears to be very noble and has good knowledge of theology and philosophy. When asked of his opinion about the former minister, this theologian remarks that all such teaching is folk theology. If this young man falls prey to the despising attitude of this worldly wise man he has allowed water to fall on the little sparks that were catching fire in his heart.

Why?

Given that quite a many of these simple ministers have erroneous opinions, it is also certainly not the case that quite a many of the worldly wise men do not have erroneous opinions. The more intellectually disposed world is more anti-faith disposed as well. But, the fear of being despised and counted as one of the simpletons or folk-religionists is much enough for many to just keep off from the despised camp.

So, what is the result? The simpletons tell us what they found out in the Word of God and how they put it into practice and saw results. They even quote many stories from their own experiences. On the other hand, the worldly wise men talk difficult, over the head things and continue to despise the simpletons. Looking at the Pharisees, it seems that spirituality and theology are not for the common man. But, what do we learn from Jesus?

He was a simpleton in the eyes of the world. He spoke in parables and His words flowed deep into the hearts of the common people. He touched the sick and healed them. He drove out demons. He preached the Kingdom of God and called men and women to repentance. He raised the dead. He didn't set up a University, but He made disciples and showed them faith, becoming a model to them. The high-minded ones didn't like Him. Some may have found things of practical interest in Him; but, then they found out that if they appreciated Him, they would lose prestige and honor among the big guys; so, they chose to look great (while remaining miserable in their personal lives).

But, the fishermen and the sinners whom these intellectuals thought to be the common ones, became the ones struck every corner of the world with the lightning flashes of the Gospel.

I understand Peter was too simple; but, he walked on water. If you wish to live like Christ lived and live like He wants you to live, look at Him, listen to Him, and don't allow the fruitless high-mindedness of humans stop you from seeing the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

Faith Versus Religious Conversion

The only time Jesus used the word "proselyte", it had a negative connotation. He boldly pointed out that the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites as they were, traveled land and sea to win one convert, and when they had done that, they made him twice as much a son of hell as themselves (Matt.23:15). It was a pointer towards the fact that religious conversion doesn't change a person; perhaps, it may worsen his condition.

The New Testament speaks of discipleship, but never speaks of religious conversion. In fact, there were secret disciples as well, who were never condemned for being secret disciples; and, when the open disciples like Peter and James went into hiding during the crucifixion of the Lord, it was these secret disciples like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who came forward to fulfill the prophetic word (Jn.19:38,39).

The New Testament speaks of faith and obedience to faith (Rom.1:5) and of the Gospel of Salvation (Rom.1:16). Real conversion is not about change of religion (whatever it is); real conversion is about transforming faith.

The New Testament does not speak about going to the ends of the earth and converting people. It speaks about bearing witness (Acts 1:8) and making disciples, teaching them to observe the commandments of Christ (Matt.28:19,20). And, the commandments of Jesus were not about changing names, renouncing language or culture, or embracing some tradition of Christianity (as interpreted by them). The commandments are clearly given in the Gospels; nothing more. In fact, it is not even necessary to consider a Christian tradition (say denomination or anti-denomination, whatever) when deciding to have faith in Christ. The Lord is more interested in faith that is child-like than in faith that is burdened with human complications. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus used the word "converted", but the Greek word there is not proselutus, but strepho which means "to turn around". He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mat 18:3 NKJ). When He spoke about this child-like faith, He didn't talk about receiving Christianity (whatever it is) but about receiving the Kingdom (Mark 10:15). There is a simplicity and freshness associated with this that no historical tradition can contend against.

There are cases of those who have stronger faith in Christ than the ones who think they are closer to Him; and, Jesus said that it is the former that will sit with Abraham in the Kingdom (Matt.8:10,11,12,25,26; 15:28).

The Testing of Faith (James 1:2)

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (Jam 1:2-4 NKJ)

Viktor E. Frankl said once, "Just as a small fire is extinguished by the storm whereas a large fire is enhanced by it-likewise a weak faith is weakened by predicament and catastrophes whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them."

The power of an engine can only be assessed after it has been tested. What is said or thought before the test may be mere opinion, and opinions do not matter much until the test is over. Many a teacher have made the mistake of making judgments about the abilities of their students before the students had gone through the test. Many still didn't realize that the real test was not the school examination the student sat under, but a forthcoming test in real life that would uncover the real strength and abilities of the child. There are many stories of people who had been misjudged, rejected, and not given an opportunity to try; but, who, when they found an opportunity, so excelled that those who rejected them earlier were ashamed later. It matters very less what people think about us, or even what we think about ourselves; it is the test that reveals who we really are.

A test can be a humbling experience, because it reveals that what we have thought of ourselves was not so right. A test may shock us by showing that we weren't what we thought we were. Perhaps, we weren't as strong as we thought we were; or even, that perhaps we weren't as weak as we thought we were. A test may surprise us with facts that are important for us to know in order to face reality.

The presence and strength of faith can only be detected when faith goes under fire.

Tests act like mirrors. We can either get discouraged for being able to see what we really are, or be happy to see what we really are so that we can correct what can be corrected and improve on what can be improved.

Testing is the fire that elongates faith in time and molds it into the shape of patience. Patience is nothing but faith elongated by the fire of trials. Testing uncovers faith.

Testing is an opportunity to exercise faith and strengthen its muscles. Where there are no tests, faith is not put to work. To put faith to test is to put faith to work. Testing increases the strength of faith.

Testing may be of various kinds. There are various trials. However, a million varieties of trials cannot change the nature of the singular faith that one has in God. All testing only purifies the nature of faith (1Pet.1:7).

Testing is not in order that God will know what we are, but in order that we will be what He wants us to be, that we may lack nothing. In fact, He has already searched us and known us before, we have ever thought or have done anything (Psa. 139:1). He knows what we will be thinking about in the future, even before we ever knew the categories that would form the vocabulary of such thoughts. He understands our thoughts from afar off  (Psa.139:2).

There is no testing that is outside the knowledge of God. He knows our sitting down and our rising up (Psa.139:2).

Therefore, the Bible tells us to rejoice when we fall into various kinds of trials. We are not to desire to fall into trials and temptations. In fact, we must pray to not be led into temptation (Matt.6:13). However, when we find ourselves in temptation, we must remember that this testing is not to destroy us but to strengthen us (1Cor.10:13).