Jesus said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Jesus looked to the end of the world, and what did He see? He saw over two billion Catholics, several hundred thousand Protestants, and about 4,000 different church organizations, and they all were worshipping God. He heard beautiful singing, touching sermons, lectures, prayers, and testimonies. He saw great buildings and cathedrals, filled with worshippers. While beholding all this, He says, “When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?”
In the time of Noah there were about one hundred million people estimated living on the earth. Many of them were worshipping God, but they did not believe what God had spoken to Noah about, therefore they perished in the flood, for their lack of faith.
600,000 adult men left Egypt, besides women and children, and they all believed in God. They had seen the great miracles of God, the plagues, the opening of the Red Sea, the daily manna, and receiving water from the rock, but from the 600,000 adult men, only two entered Canaan’s land.
Paul writes in Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” They probably all kept the Sabbath, paid their tithes, and attended religious meetings, but they had no faith.
In the time of Christ, almost the whole nation rejected Him. They were religious and very jealous of it. They found fault even in Christ.
In all these cases, the people believed in God, and expected eternal life, but there was something they did not believe, and for this reason they all perished.
If any one of us would be lost, we know that the reason for it is nothing else but lack of faith. We are saved by faith. Jesus said to His disciples, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:19–20
By faith we can overcome sin and become perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. Without faith our religion is only an empty form, a heavy burden, and a joyless exercise.
“Men may have a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame.” –Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 409
“Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 123
Not even in thought do we need to sin anymore. Is this not exciting news, no more human weakness?
“‘Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not.’ God has power to keep the soul who is in Christ, when that soul is under temptation. . . . ‘Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.’” –Sons and Daughters of God, p. 297
“Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 180
“If you will stand under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, faithfully doing His service, you need never yield to temptation; for One stands by your side who is able to keep you from falling.” –Our High Calling, p. 19
A question was asked of a little boy, “What is faith?” He answered, “Doing God’s will and asking no questions.” Children often have more faith than adults.
There was a German boy who wanted to go to a Moravian school. So he wrote a letter to Lord Jesus in heaven, and put it in the mailbox. The letter said, “My Lord Jesus Christ, I have lost my father, and we are very poor, but I know that Thou tells us in Thy word that whatever we ask of God in Thy name, He will give us. I pray in Thy name that my mother will have means to send me to the Moravian school.”
The postmaster gave the letter to the pastor of the church, and it was read in the meeting. The Baroness of Leppe offered to send him to the school. Often Jesus uses people to answer our prayers.
We need childlike faith, daily we need to strengthen and increase our faith. “As the student of the Bible beholds the Redeemer, there is awakened in the soul the mysterious power of faith.” –Education, p. 192
It is faith that makes us victorious. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4
Yet there is faith that is false. Peter had faith in himself. He said to Jesus, “I will die for you.” But the same night he denied that he even knew Jesus.
Paul had faith in the Jewish religion. He persecuted Christ’s followers. Over two billion Catholics have faith in their church. Brother Loughborough tells us in his memoirs that a Methodist minister was preaching that when a man dies, his soul leaves him, and for eternity he sits on a cloud, playing a harp, and he believed it. The Jews believed that Jesus was an evil person, and He must be put to death.
It is also possible that we may lose our faith. “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” 1 Timothy 1:19
There are steps that lead to losing our faith:
- The first one is a violation of a pure conscience.
- Then comes losing the conviction of the truth.
Finally comes deliberate rejection of the faith, and to sin with knowledge.
After losing their faith, people still may go to church meetings, and remain church members, but they do not have the joy of the Lord. They do not love God any more, but for selfish reasons, they want to have eternal life, and escape the hell fire.
“The plan of salvation is not presented in its simplicity for the reason that few ministers know what simple faith is. An intellectual knowledge of the truth is not enough; we must know its power upon our own hearts and lives.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 159
“No matter how high his profession, he whose heart is not imbued with love for God and for his fellow men is not a disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith, and have power to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless.” –Ibid., p. 168
“Those who claim that their faith alone will save them are trusting to a rope of sand, for faith is strengthened and made perfect by works only.” –The Story of Redemption, p. 289
“I had implored help and strength from God, that I might rise above the heavy discouragements that were paralyzing my faith and hope, and unfitting me for usefulness. . . . I feel urged to say to you that you must commence to work individually for yourselves. You are looking to God and desiring Him to do the work for you which He has left for you to do. If you will do the work for yourselves which you know that you ought to do, then God will help you when you need help.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 604
A very common sin that many Christians are guilty of is neglected duties. “Christ places the salvation of man, not upon profession merely, but upon faith that is made manifest in works of righteousness. Doing, not saying merely, is expected of the followers of Christ. It is through action that character is built.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 149
To profess religion will not save us, to live a life of Christ is what is needed. We need faith, but we must also put our faith into daily practice.
“God has given men faculties and capabilities. God works and cooperates with the gifts He has imparted to man, and man, by being a partaker of the divine nature and doing the work of Christ, may be an overcomer and win eternal life. The Lord does not propose to do the work He has given man powers to do. Man’s part must be done. He must be a laborer together with God, yoking up with Christ, learning His meekness, His lowliness. God is the all-controlling power.” –Faith and Works, p. 26
Amen.
Timo Martin