Word Faith Fallacy #5 The Redefining of Faith Hebrews 11:1 provides a biblical definition of faith concerning the believer. The believers faith is demonstrated by trust in the Lords commands and assurance of Gods enablement to fulfill His commands. These commands do not exist in a vacuum. The following verses in Hebrews 11 expounds upon those who faithfully had their hope in the eternal Christ. This did not enable them to escape suffering and to live free of trials. Faith is not simply the ability to conjure up better circumstances through biblical principles. Faith is not an escape hatch for tribulations. It is to trust Gods provision through trials. The Word of Faith proposes that faith is a substance used as a determinative force to reign and rule in life. This is not only a false premise of faith, but a faith which has its hope in the wrong object: self and temporal things. Biblical faith trusts in the finished work of God in Christ. True biblical faith always has an Object: Jesus Christ alone. Faith is not a force to manipulate God, but a gift imparted by Him to believe His Son, persevere in sanctification, and remain steadfast unto glorification with Christ unto eternal life. When faith is a means by which God is moved, conjured, prodded, manipulated, this is no longer the God of Scripture. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). However, these verses are not keys to unlock materialistic desires. Rather, reading the passage demonstrates that faith, by those in chapter 11, were directed toward the divine attributes of God. Faith, granted to them by God, enabled them to remain hopeful in Him even when they did not inherit what was promised. Some of those who had tremendous faith in the passage were martyred for it! So, biblical faith does not promise your best life now.. As it has been said, if this is your best life now, you are a resident of hell. Hebrews 11 faith was not concerned with temporal prosperity. Upon further reading, Hebrews 11 was concerned with being faithful to God through ill-treatment, suffering, and no visible fulfillment of His promises (some of which relate to the Abrahamic covenant). Gods reward is tied to the blessed sacrifice of His Son for sinners. It is often pronounced that the power of faith transforms lives. This is a lie. The power of God is what changes lives. He gives faith as a gift to believe in the change He has authored and will finish. Redirecting faith toward faith is to trust in faith, and neglect the Giver. Faith is reduced to a magical idol, authored by fallen man to the glory of fallen man for his purposes. Hebrews 11 in its context reveals the true nature of faith. The only word of faith referred to in the Scriptures is the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ that He has come to save sinners and reconcile them to God the Father. This is the true word of faith, faith which finds its hope in the atonement of Jesus Christ alone. All other faith is pseudo-faith and futile, humanistic witchcraft. Doron Gladden
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 01:03:55 +0000