Feb 20, 2012
What Are You Trusting — Really?
Something puzzling
When I studied faith and trust in the Bible, I discovered something puzzling –
I discovered that it’s not just believers who have faith. Everyone has faith.
Everyone is always trusting something to secure a satisfying future for them.
For example, Jeremiah 46:25 says people trust in Pharaoh.
Psalm 52:7 says people trust in treasure.
Isaiah 31:1 says people trust in chariots.
What does it mean to trust Pharaoh, treasure, or chariots? It means trusting them to secure and satisfy you.
Everyone lives by faith
So it’s not just believers who live by faith. Everyone is always trusting something to secure and satisfy them.
Take my day today. I started off fighting the fight of faith with Ezekiel 1-3, Job 1, John 7, and 2 Peter 1 — and the Holy Spirit strengthened my faith so I was trusting Jesus to secure and satisfy me.
But then at breakfast I heard something that depressed me because I thought it would make me look bad — which shows I had turned from trusting Jesus and was now trusting recognition from people to satisfy me.
But then I got some prayer time and confessed to Jesus that I had turned from Him — and asked Him to strengthen my faith once again.
And Jesus answered by having me get an email from a friend who shared a Scripture — which God used to restore my trust in Him as my all-satisfying Treasure.
So all morning I was living by faith in something — but it was not always Jesus Christ. I turned from trusting Christ, to trusting people, then back to trusting Christ.
How can I tell what I am really trusting?
My father taught that whatever I trust the most to satisfy me, I desire the most; and whatever I desire the most, I obey.
So there’s two crucial questions that show me what I am trusting.
What am I obeying instead of Christ?
Christ calls me not to look upon any woman lustfully (Mat 5:28).
So if I disobey Christ and entertain a lustful look, that shows I am no longer trusting Christ to fully satisfy me; I am trusting that sexual pleasure will satisfy me more.
Christ also calls me to meditate on His Word regularly (John 8:31).
So if I disobey Christ and watch TV without taking time for His Word, that shows I am no longer trusting Christ to fully satisfy me; I am trusting that TV will satisfy me more.
So one way to see what you are trusting is to ask — what am I obeying instead of Christ? Whatever it is — that’s what you are trusting to secure and satisfy you.
What am I desiring more than Christ?
The other crucial question is — what am I desiring more than Christ?
Think about it. Over the past 24 hours, what has brought you the most joy? What have you been most excited about?
Monday Night Football? Profit in your 401k? Getting new furniture? Or Jesus Christ?
The answer will show what you are really trusting.
Not that we can’t find joy in other things. But when we desire other things more than Christ, it shows we are trusting them to satisfy us more than Christ.
This dishonors Christ, because He is the all-satisfying Treasure. And it leaves us empty, because nothing else will satisfy us fully and lastingly.
Monitor your heart
Throughout the day, take a faith-reading of your heart. Ask — what I am obeying instead of Christ? What am I desiring more than Christ?
The answer will help you see what you are really trusting — which will help you fight the fight of faith.
Comments, questions, feedback?
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(Photo by matalyn at everystockphoto.com.)
Steve,
You mentioned that everyone possesses faith, we all are trusting in something, in the book of John, Jesus has performed a great miracle by turning water into wine, this causes folks to take notice of Him, God’s word even tells us that many believed in Him at that point, but Jesus wants nothing to do with them.
“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”- John 2:23-25
So my question is how does one know if their faith, is a faith that comes from God, as opposed to the type of faith that doesn’t save us? How would you approach this subject with someone whom you may have concerns about their faith?
What a good question, Paul.
One way to help people is by explaining that saving faith means trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ. So saving faith is not just trusting Christ’s death to save us — it’s also trusting His presence to satisfy us, and His commands to guide us.
Couple that with what my dad taught me — that whatever a man trusts the most to satisfy him, he will desire the most — and whatever a man desires the most he will obey.
So gently ask your friend what he desires the most. That’s what’s he’s trusting the most. Ask him what he pursues instead of obeying Christ. That’s what he’s trusting more than Christ.
Would those questions help your friend?
When I have approach him about his faith and what he was trusting in, he quoted the bible saying if a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord he shall be saved. I believe he truly believes that Jesus is the Son of God, but I don’t see him going hard after Christ, it’s not a consistent hunger to be filled with the Spirit of God. I’m not judging him, I’m only concerned that he may be like the folks in John 2, they had faith but it’s not a saving faith. Sometimes folks know just enough of God’s word to be deceived into thinking that saving faith means that once they say they believe and turn their heart towards Him that the fight is over, when in truth it has just begun.
Hmm. I’ll pray for much discernment for you.
The fact that he “believes that Jesus is the Son of God” may not mean anything — since the demons believe that (Mark 3:11).
More crucial is whether He believes that Jesus Christ is His all-satisfying Treasure. John 6:35 teaches that the only true believing is a believing that comes to Jesus in order to have our heart hungers satisfied in Him.
I’m thankful for your care for this person. May the Father give you much wisdom as you pursue him.
Saving faith…
I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who is brooding about that right now. I totally agree with your comments, both Paul and Steve.
There are just some additional thoughts that crossed my mind which you perhaps could debate on with me…
Since the faith of the demons that God and Christ do exist is not a saving faith, there must be more than, “I believe that God exists” to get people saved. When I look at Mk 16:16 I realize that one must be baptized and believe to be not condemned. But what is meant by this faith? Though we are justified by faith in Christ alone apart from the law (Rom 3:21-22), isn’t it necessary that this faith must – looking ahead from the “beginning point of first believing” – bring forth works lest it would be a dead faith (James 2:17)?
I think that saving faith will always result in obedience towards God’s commandments, i.e. works, particularly in:
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:8-10)
Glad to hear from you, Susanne, and I hope you are doing well.
There is much misunderstanding about faith today. My best attempt at explaining saving faith is found in the post to the right — “What is faith?”
And I try to explain how this biblical faith produces obedience in the post also in the far right column — “How faith in Christ changes us.”
I hope those are helpful — and may the Father richly bless you and your family.
Steve