Complications set in when a man defines ‘Faith’ beyond the scriptures.
Recently, I heard a man present what to many would have been a reasonable explanation of ‘Faith and Works’ from James chapter two. I too may have been convinced of his teachings but for the fact that I knew his definition of ‘Faith’ to be unbiblical. To put it briefly: He believes that ‘Faith’ is a gift from God that is miraculously endowed upon a chosen few – without any choice in the matter.
Since his view of ‘Faith’ is not found in the Bible, we must teach the truth to him and others, and pray that they cease from distorting the Biblical definition of ‘Faith.’
I know that some will find my previous paragraph jarring. In a world where there seems to be fewer and fewer people claiming faith in Christ, we become more and more reluctant to challenge the beliefs of those we meet.
It should go without saying that believers strive to enter all conversations with a view to learn. We treat every occasion on which someone is willing to talk to us about Jesus as a privilege. Always seeking to become experts at bringing convictions to the surface—ours and theirs—and to “speak the truth in love.”
Never should we allow ourselves to be accused of ‘Checklist Evangelism.’ The irony of such an approach is that the more we claim to be without a creed-book the more our critics are convinced that we have one.
Knowing that “Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ,” it behooves us to make sure that we are conversant with all the Words of Christ—starting with Genesis one verse one. The sceptics have so successfully cast doubt on the authenticity of the Bible that many Christians just take them at their word. Believe me, ‘Faith’ defined under such conditions is no faith at all.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
John Staiger
0 Comments