Are you a person of faith? If you had asked me that question when I was younger, I would have said, “No. I’m not.” You see, I didn’t become a Christian until I was 17. But even before I came to faith in Christ, I lived my life by faith. I lived with confidence in myself. I lived with the hope that my life would be good. I lived trusting the rules of science. But I wasn’t a person of faith or so I thought. Now, looking back, I know that I always lived with “a faith” even if it wasn’t the faith of the Bible.
What is Biblical faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith is when we place our confidence and hope in God. Biblical faith isn’t a hope that things will work out. That’s empty faith. Biblical faith isn’t confidence that we will get through things. That’s self-reliant faith. Biblical faith isn’t a feeling that comes and goes. That’s misdirected faith. Biblical faith is an act where we put our confidence and hope in God and His perfect love and will for our life.
Think about it this way: Faith isn’t just something we have. Faith is our hope, trust, and confidence that we place in God. It’s not just a belief that God can do something but it is a confidence and hope an assurance that God will do what is best for us in line with His good, pleasing and perfect will.
In Matthew 8, a Roman Centurion came to Jesus for help. His servant was sick and the man could do nothing to help her. This man wasn’t used to feeling powerless. In fact, this was a man of power and influence who had 100 soldiers in his command. What did he do when he was helpless to help? He came to Jesus with confidence, hope, and assurance. He came to Jesus with faith. He told Jesus of the girl’s illness and Jesus immediately responded with care and concern asking if He should go heal the servant. The first thing we discover from Jesus’ exchange with the military officer is that Jesus welcomes requests and needs brought to Him by faith. He didn’t turn the man away. He, Jesus, even offered to inconvenience Himself and changes His plans for the day to go and heal the servant because the officer came to Him by faith.
The lessons on faith don’t stop there. The Centurion told Jesus that he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus in his home but he knew that at the word of Jesus the servant would be healed. The Roman soldier understood authority and He lived with clear lines of authority with his men. If he told a man to go, the man would go. If he told a man to come, the man would come. Men of authority only have to speak and things happen. The Centurion knew that Jesus was a man of authority and with a word the servant would be healed. The second thing we learn from the Centurion is who or what we put our faith in matters. Putting our hope, trust, and confidence in Jesus is the right thing to do.
When Jesus heard the confidence, hope, and assurance that the Centurion placed in Him, Jesus said that He had never seen such great faith. Knowing who Jesus is and placing our trust in Him shows great faith. And this faith pleases God. In fact, the book of Hebrews teaches that without faith it is impossible to please God. The last thing we learn from Jesus and the Centurion is that if we want to please God then we must not just have faith but live by faith.
How do you know if you are living with great faith?
You and I can live with great faith just like the Centurion. We can do this by putting our hope and confidence not in ourselves but in Jesus. We can do this by remembering who Jesus is and trusting Him with what matters to us. We can do this by praying, “Lord increase my faith.”
What is Biblical faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith is when we place our confidence and hope in God. Biblical faith isn’t a hope that things will work out. That’s empty faith. Biblical faith isn’t confidence that we will get through things. That’s self-reliant faith. Biblical faith isn’t a feeling that comes and goes. That’s misdirected faith. Biblical faith is an act where we put our confidence and hope in God and His perfect love and will for our life.
Think about it this way: Faith isn’t just something we have. Faith is our hope, trust, and confidence that we place in God. It’s not just a belief that God can do something but it is a confidence and hope an assurance that God will do what is best for us in line with His good, pleasing and perfect will.
In Matthew 8, a Roman Centurion came to Jesus for help. His servant was sick and the man could do nothing to help her. This man wasn’t used to feeling powerless. In fact, this was a man of power and influence who had 100 soldiers in his command. What did he do when he was helpless to help? He came to Jesus with confidence, hope, and assurance. He came to Jesus with faith. He told Jesus of the girl’s illness and Jesus immediately responded with care and concern asking if He should go heal the servant. The first thing we discover from Jesus’ exchange with the military officer is that Jesus welcomes requests and needs brought to Him by faith. He didn’t turn the man away. He, Jesus, even offered to inconvenience Himself and changes His plans for the day to go and heal the servant because the officer came to Him by faith.
The lessons on faith don’t stop there. The Centurion told Jesus that he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus in his home but he knew that at the word of Jesus the servant would be healed. The Roman soldier understood authority and He lived with clear lines of authority with his men. If he told a man to go, the man would go. If he told a man to come, the man would come. Men of authority only have to speak and things happen. The Centurion knew that Jesus was a man of authority and with a word the servant would be healed. The second thing we learn from the Centurion is who or what we put our faith in matters. Putting our hope, trust, and confidence in Jesus is the right thing to do.
When Jesus heard the confidence, hope, and assurance that the Centurion placed in Him, Jesus said that He had never seen such great faith. Knowing who Jesus is and placing our trust in Him shows great faith. And this faith pleases God. In fact, the book of Hebrews teaches that without faith it is impossible to please God. The last thing we learn from Jesus and the Centurion is that if we want to please God then we must not just have faith but live by faith.
How do you know if you are living with great faith?
- Are you going to Jesus with your worries and your wants? He has authority over all of your life and cares for all of your life. By faith, put your worries and wants in the hands of Jesus and rest in Him.
- Are you living a life of counter-cultural faith-driven obedience? Faith lived looks different than a faithless life. By faith, put your decisions under the authority of Jesus and surrender to Him.
- Are you allowing Jesus to call you out of your comfort zone to be used by Him? Faith calls us from places of comfort to moments of trust.
You and I can live with great faith just like the Centurion. We can do this by putting our hope and confidence not in ourselves but in Jesus. We can do this by remembering who Jesus is and trusting Him with what matters to us. We can do this by praying, “Lord increase my faith.”
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