And answering, the Centurian averred, "Lord, I am not competent that Thou mayest enter under my roof, but only say the word and my boy will be healed! For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I am saying to this one, 'Go,' and he is going, and to another, 'Come,' and he is coming, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he is doing it" Now, hearing it, Jesus marvels. And He said to those following, "Verily, I am saying to you, with no one is Israel so much faith did I find.
Matthews Account 8: 8-10, Concordant New Testament
I want to speak to the issue of faith for awhile. That being said, what is it that you believe in most strongly? The world around you? That which you already know? in the book of Matthew we see a Roman Centurian approaching Jesus for assistance with the healing of his servant. Now, obviously this mans servant was important enough to him that he would entreat the help of a Jewish teacher. What did this Centurian know about Jesus? Well, obviously he knew enough to understand that Jesus alone had the ability to heal his servant. But it's more than that. This Centurian understood and knew beyond doubt that Jesus had the ability to heal his servant. In the series The Chosen, this Centurian (Gaius) is introduced into the story prior to the calling of Matthew the tax collector by Jesus. Yet, in the scriptures, he is first introduced as he approaches Jesus with his request. The point being, obviously this Centurian knew of the abilities of Jesus prior to his meeting Him. Obviously, the fame of Jesus at this point made this possible. We know why a Roman soldier would approach Jesus form help. My question has always been, where do I find that faith this Centurian displayed? I have heard this referred to as the "Faith of the Centurian" in mainstream church circles. For lack of a better word, I refer to it as blind faith. My mother would have a phrase she would often tell me when she spoke of the her faith. We know that we know. Amen! By faith, we know that Jesus come to save {Johns Account 3:16-17}. By faith we know that God has created all which we see {Genesis 2:1-2}. But is it at all possible to utilize this faith in other areas of our lives? Absolutely! The writer of Hebrews tells us that without faith that it impossible to please the Father, for whoever is coming to God must believe that He is {To the Hebrews 11:6}.
For by faith we are walking, not by perception
Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5: 7, Concordant New Testament
Growing up in the church, faith took on a different meaning than what I understand today. Faith meant effort. Faith meant repentance. However, when orchestrated correctly, faith produced answered prayers {Matthews Account 21:22, Marks Account 11:22-24}. Faith was tied to what I requested from the Lord in my life. I listened to a well known pastor recently speak that he had prayed for a luxury airplane and his own faith had brought that request to fruition. Now, personally, I don't believe that this is a correct way to describe faith to someone. Years ago, the mainstream church went through what was known as the "Name it and claim it" phase of Christianity. Believers were taught that all they needed to do was to ask the Lord for something and believe He would provide it. Sounds simple, it's even spoken that way in the scriptures I have mentioned. But I believe that faith is more than simply a wish list for the Father to fulfill. I believe that faith is our undying belief in the gift which the Father has provided. That being His Son Christ Jesus. By faith we know that Christ died for us {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8}. By faith we know that Jesus has always been with us {Johns Account 1:1-4}. I believe that this is the basis of our faith, that we know the Father. That we know and understand the truth of Christ Jesus {Johns Account 14:20}. We know that we know...He is!
For you are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus
Paul to the Galatians 3: 26, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment