“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Dear Ones:
If there is one basic truth concerning Christianity, and the God of the Christian, it is that there is a call to true faith in God. It is not a whimsical, or shallow appeal, that we should just consider God. Sometimes this is the prelude to discovering the true, and deep issues of the relationship between God and man. The God of Creation, and Redemption, leaves us in no doubt as to the attitude that we are to have in coming to Him: “…for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6) Why is this so? The answer is found in the eternal nature and heart of God. This is specifically revealed to us by the revelation or certain aspects of His nature.
The first thing we need to consider, that is part of that vast base, or foundation of faith, is the issue of “goodness.” God is perfect essence and expression of divine goodness. He has always been good, and will continue to be so…regardless of sinful man, and what occurs on this earth. The first great testimony of His goodness to man was the creation. Creation’s goodness was the extension of God’s goodness. It was perfectly good, a reflection of Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator, in the flesh, was and is GOOD. While He walked on this earth, He went about doing that which was good, again, the very extension of His Father. For the believer, Christ has become his goodness, a goodness derived and received from Christ by the Spirit. Attitudes and acts of goodness by men are only acceptable to the Father, IF they have their origin and essence in God. It is as the believer abides in Christ, that Christ’s goodness by the Spirit is revealed.
The second aspect of this foundation for faith, is the faithfulness of God. God alone possesses the power and the authority to clearly, and completely, do what He says. This is one reason for which the Lord reveals Himself in John’s gospel as the “Word.” He writes: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” (Jn.1:14) There is absolutely no dissonance, discordance, divergence, or difference in intent, means, and objective, between the spoken “Word” and the “Word made flesh.” The objective declarations of the truth, that alone which is right in God’s eyes, is just as absolute as God is, ever being in perfect conformity with Who and What He is. God thus comes to man, revealing Himself to man in Christ, calling man to trust Him fully and absolutely according to the written Word, and the revelation that we have of God in Christ. Unbelief and doubt are both attitudes that are not logical when considering how man is to see God. However, these dispositions of heart and mind are understandable, in that man is born with a sinful, and unbelieving nature. He lives in a sinful, and unbelieving world. However, there is no excuse for such folly. David wrote: “The fool hath said in his heart, ‘There is no God..'” (Ps. 14:1) Why is unbelief so foolish? The answer lies in the fact that all men and women, boys and girls, trust in something or somebody today. However, when you compare the objects of this trust and faith, one is faced with a comparison between that which is like a broken reed, to that which is an eternal rock, unchanging, faithful, and perfectly true. The root cause of all sin is unbelief, and being proud of it. Indeed, all that is not of faith IS sin. This is why Scripture tells us, that in coming to God, we must believe that He IS, and that He IS the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. For such seekers, God declares: “…I will be found.”
Dear Father, Thou who art perfectly good and faithful, forgive our unbelief, strengthening us to lay hold upon Thee for all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad