The True Meaning of Faith

Can I trust my own judgement? Am I adequate to search my own heart? Are we not able to effectively deceive ourselves by “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness?” (Romans 1:18, NASB).

Can I trust my analysis of Scripture? How do I know my unconscious motives for my interpretations? I can not know. Is it not arrogance to assume my own integrity, wisdom, adequacy, etc.? Of course it is.

Who is able to establish righteousness in themselves? Who is able to establish the kingdom of God? Indeed, who is able to work the works of God except God himself. Therefore, we must receive these things from God.

How then are we to be guaranteed or assured that we are in his will at any particular moment? What would be the basis of such confidence? It must go beyond our own intellectual analysis, for the Scripture says that he makes foolish the wisdom of man (1 Cor 3:19). He brings to nothing our wisdom so that He who is worthy might be glorified rather than we ourselves. He does this to open our eyes to the truth of our own condition of darkness. Who can stand before Him?

So therefore, our hope must be placed in Him. Moreover, what qualifies us to inherit the kingdom of God from a righteous God? It certainly cannot be our own righteousness, nor our own efforts, nor our own wisdom. Therefore, it must be found in His glorious and perfect expression of love and grace towards us, “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NASB). Only this is worthy of our confidence.

If the truth were known about each of us, it would be evident that within ourselves we are utterly untrustworthy. In ourselves we are without hope. We profess our righteousness to others and to ourselves, yet, it is all just foolishness, for, “there are none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10, NASB). Paul concludes his discussion on this general topic in Galatians with this exquisitely clear statement, “May it never be that I should boast, except the cross of Christ, by which the world was crucified to me and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14, NASB1997).

So then, where must our confidence come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit, the very person of God. Do you think that one could be connected with God and not know it? I assure you if the source of your life is the living God you are exquisitely aware of it. Your confidence is unshakable. Much like David on the day that he faced Goliath. It was not David’s greatness that prevailed that day; it was the assurance that came to him through the Holy Spirit. This is a kind of confidence that moves mountains, and roars like a lion. It shakes kingdoms, because it is the very voice and speaking and word of the living God. Nothing in heaven or in earth will defy it because all power is in His hands.

We are unworthy to contain such power and might as this. Yet he has chosen weak and untrustworthy human vessels to demonstrate the limitlessness of his power through us. But He is able to make us worthy by the offering of his own blood to atone for our condition of sin. This atonement is where we must place our hope or there is no basis for hope at all.

If our hope is in His offering for us, then we are being perfected and empowered day by day. Those who live by this principle will not fail to fulfill his will. This is the real meaning of faith.