The problem with works is that works don’t work, whether works of the Law or works of the conscience (4:2, 4); works would produce pride, not humility, & works would place God into the position of being obligated to give us eternal life, a situation which a holy God will never allow.
God justifying us by faith should humble us even further, when we recognize He was not obligated to do so.
God worked in Abraham’s heart to implant faith within him. Abraham was promised a son with his wife, Sarah, being well past the age of bearing children. Considering her 90 year old body and the impotence of his own body, Abraham believed (Genesis 15:1-7), but only after God took him outside the tent…
In the tent, Abraham could only see his weaknesses, his failures, his circumstances.
But God took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars if you able to count them.” It was in looking at the beauty, power, and glory of God that faith was formed in the heart of Abraham. The principle of faith is this: faith is not a giant work that we need to produce, but the abandonment of self, of striving, of dependence on our own ability. It is the admission of our own spiritual impotence.
Righteousness can never, ever be earned, but is only imputed when we look to God; then it is the trust in God’s work, not ours. It is when we reach the limit of our abilities, of our wisdom, that our faith is ignited and matured and cleansed of self-reliance.
What is your belief system? Is it based on your ability, what makes sense to you, what you have experienced so far in life…in other words, do you have a tent theology? May God take us outside of these limiting things, that our faith would be based on His ability, not ours.
(Special thanks to Doug Brown, pastor in Kansas City, for giving this illustration years ago; it still moves me!)
3 Comments:
I think I probably wrestle with this constantly, alternating between belief and doubt. I wouldn't usually say out-loud at the moment that I'm not trusting. But inside I struggle to believe that God is with me and has my best in mind.
Where I really see this is in my anxiety. I get anxious about all kinds of things... and what is anxiety but failing to trust God with the immediacies of my life?
I wonder if Abraham got that familiar tightness in the pit of his stomach when God promised to do all kinds of crazy things in his life and then told him to leave his family and move to a far away land?
By
Scott Davis, at 7:29 PM
As a child all I had was faith. I did not worry about anything at all. I just knew that if I prayed for something that 9 times out of 10 I would get what I prayed for. That 1 time I did not get whatever it was that I prayed for I knew that God did not want me to have it at that time.
As a young adult my faith was challenged. I would pray and pray and my prayers were not answered. I could see the prize but the hurdles and pot holes to get to the prize were neverending. I did not understand. Why was I being denied these things I craved? Wether it be that cute boy I just met, a new dress, that great job, anything. It was all unattainable. I was denied denied denied.
I lost a lot of faith.
Now, as I have started this new walk with God. I have come to the realization that all the denials, hurdles and pot holes were God's way of telling me WHOAH are you sure you want to do that!!!!!
Had I TRUSTED in my faith I would have seen what he was trying to tell me. He was telling me that you cannot have this becaus something even bigger and better is around the corner.
I have learned to trust in him unconditonally and I will NEVER want for anything.
I found a couple of quotes on Faith that I thought I would share.
H. K. Barclay
When walking through the "valley of shadows," remember, a shadow is cast by a Light.
Elton Trueblood
Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.
By
pnh, at 8:22 AM
Right now, my life is in such a state of turmoil that I am wrestling with my faith. I moved into a new workplace - one that is "faith-based" in support. I guess you don't realize how weak your faith is until it is all you have left. And of course, God does not provide a huge system of flying buttresses and platforms to reinforce that faith. He just stands there and asks, "What are you trusting in?" And then He starts taking away the things that you weren't realizing you were really relying on - the security of a steady paycheck, the support network of co-workers you used to see every day, even the confidence in your own abilities. And then you hit bottom.
I can understand why Abraham would waver. Sometimes when you go following God off into some bizarre land where it is just you and Him - it sounds like it is going to be exciting and adventurous. But before long, you just look like some idiot standing on a sand dune. "No, I'm not stupid. God told me to stand here." So you start looking for other ways to make things work out (the handmaiden, a more secure job "just in case"). And you get scared. And until you can completely trust in His righteousness and His strength, those feelings of loneliness and fear won't go away. What a good reminder. (It goes without saying that the "you" in the above post should have been replaced with "I".)
By
David M. Staples, at 8:25 AM
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