Matthew 8 and the Object of Faith

Last night in my Bible reading group (nightlybible.danielpcox.info), we read the story of Jesus healing the centurion’s servant in Matthew 8.  In thinking this morning, I realized that while the story is in part there to show a good example of faith, it is not there primarily to point to the centurion. 

Jesus indeed commends the centurion’s faith, but when you think about it, it’s not his faith that should be surprising.  Rather, the fact that Jesus had not found such faith in Israel should be surprising, though that’s not really the point either.

The point is the object of faith, namely Jesus.  He is the one who with a word heals the servant at a distance and in an instant.  The reason the centurion’s faith is commendable is not because he had willed such strong faith, but because his trust matched its Object than the lack of faith that the Jews had. 

What is surprising is that the Jews, who had the testimony of God’s trustworthiness and power from their own history, did not trust God among them as much as the outsider did.  The centurion, though a foreigner to God’s covenant people, had learned enough to know the power of God in Christ and to trust Him.

The power of faith is not in its own strength or sincerity, but that the One whom you trust is worthy of it.  Jesus is the point of the story, because He proved to be both powerful and trustworthy on the order of God Himself.  Jesus is the worthy object of our faith.  He has power over sickness, indeed over the whole of creation, equal to that of the centurion’s authority over his men, and even moreso.  And His power is united with His care for those who trust in Him, so that we may obey the exhortation humbly to “cast our cares before Him.

s.D.g.

Doubting our doubts

So I read an article recently about Justin Bieber (I know, I'd never thought I'd say those words), and his profession of faith in Christ.  I'm not a fan of his music, but I was curious, so I read the article.  This post is about how we as Christians react to such news, and why I think our reaction matters.

I'll admit, my first reaction when hearing about a celebrity declaring faith in Christ is at least a bit skeptical.  There are enough posers out there that to accept the idea without question is naïve.  Scripture itself speaks of those who fake faith, and most of the time I've heard Bieber's name mentioned, it's because of some tabloid scandal.  So the initial skepticism is certainly not without foundation or merit.

But I think it's important that my reaction not end there.  While it's wise to have some question, it seems ungracious to be full of doubt.  If Jesus could save me, wouldn't I be judgmental to think He couldn't do the same to Bieber?  Rather than stand looking down my nose and scoffing at such profession of faith, wouldn't it be better to hold out hope for this influential young man, to have cautious optimism about what God may do in his life?

I'm not saying that we should be unthinking, because we should look not only at words but at the actions that follows those words.  Men of faith should come alongside and help ensure that such a profession is genuine by the life of repentance so produced.  But I think if we jump to conclusions regarding the sincerity of such a profession of faith, then we show ourselves as the older brother of Jesus's parable in Luke 15.  If we do that, we forget that the Gospel is about saving people out of the kind of mess that has put Bieber so often in the spotlight.  Our God is the God of changed lives, of redemption and repentance and resurrection.  He gives us hope for new life, now and eternally.

So if you're like me, when we hear news like this, let's check our hearts and doubt our doubts, because Jesus came for the sinner and outcast, for the one with the stained reputation and messy past, not just the sparkling clean guy with no baggage.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

Job 1-3

welcome back!

so it's been the better part of a year since i've written here. time to breath some new life into this old blog (or at least blow the dust off before my allergies go crazy). i just started a new Bible reading plan, and after talking with a dear brother i'm going to be blogging on my daily readings, whatever God particularly points out that day in His Word.

so today was Job 1-3. i won't go through all the details, but the man job goes from living the high-life to being destitute in a matter of a single day. kids, livestock, everything of his is destroyed in a moment. after four messengers finish telling him all the bad news, the Bible says "then job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and..."

can you guess what comes next? while in our culture, we generally don't destroy clothing nor get a new hairdo out of grief, these acts are normal for the ancients to express agonizing sorrow. i think we can at least relate to falling on the ground, that our emotions have taken all our energy and we feel like there's nothing left to hold us up. so then what does job do? does he wail in despair? does he wallow in pity? does he seek vengeance and retribution? does he go find his insurance agent?

 "... and fell on the ground and worshiped. and he said, 'naked i came from my mother's womb, and naked shall i return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.'"

 he praises God! not what you would have expected, right? and later on, when he gets sick on top of all this and his nagging wife questions him, job says, "shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"

this is amazing! but why? it is amazingly foolish? if not, why not? why doesn't he press God for his rights? why does he still trust the God who allowed such evil to befall him, indeed, Whom he says gave it to him?

in truth, God owes us nothing, and everything we have is a gift. it is not unjust of God to take something that we hold dear; rather, it amazing that we ever held it at all. not only so, but all who receive Him as He has revealed Himself in Jesus, have the right to be called adopted sons of God, for whom God works all things, even suffering, for good.  the God who can take the cruelest execution ever devised by man and have us sing of the wonderful cross, Who has the anniversary of His death called good friday: He is still at work in this world, and still cares for those He has made His own.

for those of you who know and feel this more acutely right now, let me encourage you that Jesus is still with you and means your good, even if that's hard to see right now. may you be able to say with job, in all things, "blessed be the name of the Lord." i leave you with a great song from sovereign grace music, which paraphrases part of this passage. God be with you all.

a prayer

Though I don’t always see it,
I know I’m in Your hand.
And though I may not know it,
I know You have a plan.

And though the way is dreary,
And though the night is dark,
I know that You are near me,
And that You guard my heart.

Though sometimes I do wander
And stray far from the way,
I know that You have bought me
And will ever near me stay.

And when my thoughts, around and round,
in downward spirals go,
You guide for Your name’s sake
While I am here below.

And someday all my longing
To see You face to face
Will be satisfied in glory
And I will sing Your grace.

So keep me while I struggle
And strive upon this earth
To see You and to know You
And to proclaim Your worth.

Let me love You always,
And catch me when I fall,
Let me know You as my treasure,
And crown Lord of all.