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What is Faith? IV ...

Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Sometimes when we hear “faith”, we think of people who do great things when trusting God. But the biblical idea of faith is not quite like that. Wonders can come with faith, yes, but the core of faith is completely different. Jesus tells a story about this … we hear it when we read Luke 18.

Core of Faith …

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed1 thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (from Luke 18)

What is the core of faith? Here, it is the ability to see one's sins, and to admit that I am far away from God. It is the guy who is just approaching God with a humbled heart, who is justified by faith. That is the core.

Freedom …

How often do we hear about those great stories of faith, but we are more frustrated than encouraged. How often are preachers busy with painting a perfect picture of the faithful. Yet, the purity of faith is not coming from us, it is coming from the Lamb of God. It is us who come to him to be healed and to be cleaned!

Freedom is only achievable, when we start to see who we really are. We are separated from God in our normal modes. He loves us, yes. He is everywhere. But we ignore him, we are completely absorbed by many things. Yet, we can come to him, we can be healed. We can be free!

It is not the success of following the rules, which brings us into the love of God. It is not our own justice. It is him, who saves. It is him, who loves. It is him, who heales and gives freedom. When we come to him, with a clear knowledge that we have nothing to bring, we are coming close to his heart! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts