Faith

 

Who is God, and how can we find him? One answer to this question is that something of the light of God already lies deep in each of our hearts. At times this is to be felt only in a deep longing for goodness, justice, purity, or faithfulness. But if such a longing turns to faith, we will find God.

The early Christians said that if men seek God they will find him, because he is everywhere. There is no boundary that cannot be crossed, no hindrance that cannot be overcome to find him. Think of Nicodemus, who at first would not believe that he could change in his old age. Even he found faith. We cannot excuse ourselves for not finding faith. If we knock at the door, it will open.

God comes to the heart of every person who has faith that he will come, to everyone who seeks him. But we must look for him and wait for him to come to us. If we live our lives in dullness it will not happen. We must first seek; only then will we find.

It is a miracle of faith when people find Jesus and recognize him as the Christ. We see this happen in (John 4:42,) when the Samaritans answer the woman who met Jesus at the well: “We have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed Christ the Savior.” If only this faith were alive here and now in our church and among the many who thirst for something new! To the Samaritans, Jesus was just a man –hungry, tired, and thirsty. No ordinary person could have seen in him the slightest trace of his identity. Who could be blamed for failing to recognize him immediately? If we met a complete stranger, we would not straightaway take him to be the Savior of the world.

 Jesus’ appearance was anything but that of a savior: he was a humble man; he grew up in a small town, came into conflict with religious leaders, and suffered a shameful death. Therefore it is a miracle when a person comes to believe in him. When we can say like the (Jn. 4:42) Samaritans, “This is Christ, the Savior of the world,” our heart has been opened and filled with light.

 It seems that a new, green blade of living faith is beginning to grow in your heart. Guard it, and do not give in to the flesh, to self, or to any form of sin. Prove to yourself, to those around you, and to God that this is a new chapter of your life.

Faith and a good conscience are completely interoven with one another. If we do not listen to our con­ science, our faith will suffer shipwreck. And if we lose faith, we lose the possibility of having a pure and living conscience. Therefore the Apostle says that the (Tit. 1:15) consciences of those who do not believe are not clean. It is bound to be like this, because without faith the conscience has nothing to hold on to.

 I once met some people who were critical of our giving “too much” honor to Jesus. We were talking about a saying of Jesus, and one of them asked me, “Do you believe this because Jesus said it, or because it is true?” I said I believed it for both reasons: because Jesus said it and because it is true. I have always felt I should have said more; I should have been willing to be a fool and to say, “Even if I did not understand it, I would still believe it, because Jesus said it.” These people were horrified that anyone could have a childlike faith in Jesus.

Anyone who has not been troubled by the scandal of Christ’s suffering and his complete humiliation is ignorant of the meaning of belief in him.

 (Jn. 3:16-17) The Bible says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. He was not sent to condemn the world, but to save it.” But it also says that the world will be judged because of its unbelief. We must (Rom. 11:20) be overwhelmed by what it means that God “so loved the world”; then we will see how terrible it is not to believe in him. We must ask God to be newly awakened to a deeper faith and belief –to a faith that meets all personal problems, all problems of communal life, and ultimately the problems of the whole world.

 Peter told Jesus that he was willing to die for him, but he still denied him three times. No one of us can say he will have the strength to endure. Such a thing is possible only in the power of God. He alone can give us strength.

When people feel lonely and unsure of themselves, it is often because they do not believe deeply enough that God fully understands them. Paul writes that if we love fully, we will understand as we are fully understood. John’s words are very important, too: God loved us before we were ever able to love him. This is what must enter our small hearts, and what we must hold on to: the love of the great Heart which understands us fully. (1Cor. 13:12 1 Jn. 4:19)

We live in a time when the whole world is in turmoil, and we can expect even more shaking events than we have already seen. There is only one hope, only one thing to hold on to in every situation: Jesus and his kingdom. In life and death, in joy and judgment, he remains our only Savior.

 

Col. 2:4-23, As Paul warns us, false and dangerous teachings are widespread, also among so-called Christians. Let us therefore remain simple and childlike in our faith in the Son of God and the Son of Man, and let us build our life of brotherly love on the rock of this faith.

 Why are there so many people today who cannot find faith? I think there are several reasons. Some are satisfied with what is happening; they are proud to be living in a time of great culture and civilization, and they are blind to the suffering of humankind and the whole of creation. They have lost sight of God.

Others despair. They recognize the injustice of mammon, and they suffer with those who are oppressed. But in their compassion they forget the guilt of men–the guilt we all must bear. And if they do see guilt, they see only the guilt of a certain class or nation, not that of all men. They see the creation but not the Creator. They, too, have lost sight of God.

Still others see the sin, guilt, and weakness of men, but they have no heart, no patience with the oppressed, and they do not suffer with them. Because they have lost sight of God, they do not hear the cry of all creation. They have no real faith, or they have found faith only for their own souls and not for suffering humanity.

We can find faith only if we first find God. When we have found God, we will begin to see the need of man from His viewpoint, and we will believe that He can overcome this need. Men must recognize that God loves the world even in our time. In the night of judgment that is passing over our so-called civilization, men need to hear that God still loves them and loves his creation. The message of faith is a message of love.

 You will never be able to prove –even to yourself –that Jesus exists. Belief must be an inner experience. As long as you try to prove the object of your belief intellectually, your efforts will stand in the way of such an experience. I am not able to prove the existence of Jesus –I have nothing but my living faith. Thomas doubted that Jesus really rose from the dead; he said, “Unless I put my hand into his wounds, I will never believe.” Then he saw Jesus and believed. But Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (Jn. 20:25-29)

To question God’s love and his nearness leads to death for someone who has already given him his life. It is good to recognize evil in oneself. But we should never doubt God’s great mercy, even in judgment. Doubt leads to torments that make a person feel he is living in hell. We must be led to an ever-renewed deepening of our faith.

Anyone who thinks he is too great a sinner – anyone who doubts that Jesus can help him –binds himself to the devil. He doubts the victory of the cross, and he hinders the Holy Spirit from entering his heart. This doubt must be rejected. After all, the Gospel says that Jesus carries the sin of the whole world, and that “he who seeks will find; to him who knocks the door will be opened.” Christ, the living One, died on the cross to reconcile all things to God. This reconciliation is beyond our human understanding. But we do know that it is possible for each of us, and that we are called to repent and to find it. Mt. 7:7

 

The only answer to your inner torment is faith in God. This might sound theoretical, but faith is the only point where light can break into your life. Think of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches his disciples to pray: he says that if you lock yourself in your room and pray in secret, God, who sees in secret, will reward you. Do this, and believe that God hears you. Then you can and will find God’s grace. There is redemption from evil if you believe. Mt. 6:6

 Jesus warns us against worry, which is ultimately a lack of trust in the Father. Become free from worry and care; set your heart at rest and simply trust in God and in Jesus. You write that it is always the little things that make you doubt. Do not allow this to happen. God wants to show us great things – he has been there from the beginning and with him the Word, Christ. Everything was created by him. Think in the great curves of God’s creation and his eternity. Lk. 12:22-26 Jn. 14:1

I want to encourage anyone who feels discouraged because of having made unsuccessful attempts to follow Christ. In and of ourselves we cannot follow him; we are all equally unable. But that is because our dedication to him is not complete. Only when we empty ourselves completely, when we give everything over to God, can he work. As long as we work in our own vanity, we will fail. God shows us again and again how terribly we fail and stand in his way, as a church and as individuals. Discipleship is not a question of our own doing; it is a matter of making room for God so that he can live in us.