Whatever we lack the boldness to believe, we then will create a theology to dismiss. Our pride will cause us to dismiss the spectacular, scoff at the phenomenal, mock the transcendent, and scorn the wondrous. It ought not be so. Lets be honest, we all struggle with unbelief. I know I do. And its no shame to admit it. Its the nature of our fight of faith of which Paul speaks. We win some faith fights and we lose some. This is why I so love Jairus humble statement, I believe Lord, help my unbelief! Jesus honored that prayer then. And He will honor it now. In the wake of that prayer, Jairus saw his daughter resurrected. But most dont prayer Jairus prayer. Instead, they will steadfastly maintain that they always have perfect faith and that God nonetheless refuses to help. Thus, their pride remains intact while their faith remains inert. And God is portrayed as a deistic tyrant who wants us to embrace and celebrate our suffering at His will. Thanks, but no thanks. So, HOW does Jesus help us today with our unbelief? Here is where we can get off track by thinking that Jesus will strengthen our faith, embolden it, or enlarge it. Sorry, but He doesnt do any those things. He doesnt fix our faith. Rather, He replaces it with His own. Jesus does this by giving us what theologians call His very OWN propassions: His OWN mental and emotional states, His OWN faith-resolve, His OWN joyous expectation in the Fathers goodness, and His OWN relational intimacy with the Father. This is what Scripture means when it says to put on the mind of Christ, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, to put on the armor of God (Romans 13:14; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 2:16). Keep on putting Him on! Here, we just simply remain vigilant to exchange our own human faith for His by partaking of His divine nature which provides us all things for life and Godliness. 2 Peter 1:3-5. Jesus thus doesnt call us to imitate Him, but to incarnate Him. And by Him I mean HIM. Its not about imitation but incarnation. Let me repeat that. Dont IMITATE Jesus. Thats what religion tries to do. Instead, INCARNATE Him. He doesnt help your faith from the outside but from the inside. It is the Holy Spirit who works in us BOTH to will and to do. Philippians 2:13. This dynamic IS the faith of Jesus operating within us. Faith is fluid and always involves an organic interaction WITH, and a relational hearing OF the Spirits situational promptings. This is why it is called the hearing of faith, a faith that WORKETH miracles. Galatians 3:2, 5. You see, we see so few miracles of faith because we seek to force and jam our OWN faith instead of hearing and allowing JESUS faith to guide and motivate us. Jesus replaces our faith with His own faith AS we let Him. Galatians 2:20 is the master key here: I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live ; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF, OF, OF, OF, OF, the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 02:12:38 +0000
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