By: Dr. Othello O. Caturan
[ Excerpted chapter-”The Imperative of Biblical Faith In These Last Days of End Time Apostasy” from the self-published book, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH” written by Dr. Othello O. Caturan, Christ’s Bible Gospel Global Missions Outreach Publications, 2018, 17 chapters, 273 pages]
Text: HEBREWS 11:1-“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
INTRODUCTION
One thing sure and absolutely certain about biblical faith is that it is not religion; the reason is that man’s wisdom is the basis of human religion. This is in stark contrast with revealed knowledge from God, which is the foundation of faith as taught in the holy Scriptures. Man’s wisdom is finite, limited and bound with misunderstandings, misconceptions and misapprehensions and perceptions of anything in this world. It is absolutely inferior and incomparable to God’s wisdom but an assertion of self-projection and self-fulfillment without consideration that man is helpless without the Creator.
Remember the prophet Isaiah who revealed the living God the creator of this world who declared in this manner: “[6] Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:[7] Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.[10] For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:[11] So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.[12] For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.[13] Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:6-13
Religion is man seeking to know God and apprehend Him by sheer human prowess and intellectual discernment unaided by divine influence and power.It could be pure self-assertion of supposed knowledge of things; or it could be a mixture of human understanding and application of revealed knowledge from God’s words but with slant to project man’s final interpretation of things. Denominations,sects, cults and deranged apostate religion of all shades are in this category of human religion.
This purely what the Lord Jesus Christ says as traditions of men which is condemned by the Lord because they are contrary to the teachings of God’s commandments as revealed in the pure word of God in the Holy Bible. Matthew 15:1-9 [“[1] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,[2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.[3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?[4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.[5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;[6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.[7] Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,[8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.[9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
What then is Biblical Faith? If there is one person aside from the Lord Jesus Christ who explains and expounds the faith that is taught as recorded and preserved in the Holy Scriptures it is no other than the apostle Paul. His genuine conversion on the road to Damascus revealed to us why faith is so central and foundational in Paul’s teaching about God. Acts 26: 1-28 In the book of Hebrews chapter 11, Paul explained it clearly that no misunderstanding is possible if one is faithful to stick and stay in God’s words as revealed by God to Paul. At the most the apostle teaches 7 spiritual things about Biblical faith, one that is purely taught in the Holy Bible, God’s preserved and recorded words using human instruments.
DISCUSSION ON BIBLICAL FAITH
- Biblical faith is with substance and evidence, not a leap unto the darkness of irrationality, of superstitions, and make-believe stuff of the pigment of human imaginations.
- a. It is reasonably truthful and life-changing power in the lives of men who treasure their convictions that there is a Creator-God of the marvelous Universe; that Infinite God reveals and speaks to men of His divine purpose and will; that He preserves this divine revelation in a volume of a book called the holy Scriptures to be understood and to communicate with men.
Isaiah 1: 16-2O-“[16] Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;[17] Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.[18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.[19] If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:[20] But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
Hebrews 11:1-“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 1:1-2-“GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”
Isaiah 51:11-16- “[11] Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.[12] I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;[13] And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?[14] The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.[15] But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.[16] And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.”
Psalm 12:6-7-“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them. O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”;
- b. God’s truth is palpable and experiential with reason that it can not be denied unless one is closed in his conscience and imaginations of his heart;unregenerate men are determined to reject the knowledge of God because of pride and foolishness of their self-conceit.
Romans 1:17-22-“[17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,[23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
- c. The God of the Bible can not lie and will not lie because this is contrary to His character and nature. How do we know this?
One can know by divine revelation as preserved in the written words by Divine Providence for God’s purpose and will.
Titus 1:1-3-“[1] Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;[2] In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;[3] But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;”
Deuteronomy 32:3-4-“Because I will publish the name of the LORD:ascribe ye greatness unto our GOD.He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
Psalm 1OO:3-5-“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Psalm 117:2-” For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.”
- Biblical faith is established and bolstered with evident testimonies by the elders of the faith who are witnesses of the reality and power of God in their lives.
a. The chapter 11 of book of Hebrews is the compelling and powerful witness that God is not a pigment of man’s wisdom but the reality and supreme fact of the entire universe that God exists.The prevailing evidence and substance of their faith with their undeniable and unsurpassed testimonies will remain as the solid testimony, and can not discounted in any way, as proven by historical and archeological supports, even by fulfilled prophecies.
b.The late Robert Dick Wilson , an authority of ancient languages related to the Bible, and fluent in 45 ancient languages and dialects, of Princeton University in his monumental book- A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament, defending the authenticity of the Old Testament wrote the following conclusion: “BUT the time has come to conclude this summary of evidence for the defense in the case of the critics against the Old Testament. We hope that the evidence adduced will be sufficient to show that the general reliability of the Old Testament documents has not been impaired by recent discoveries outside the Old Testament. The literary forms are in harmony with what comparative literature would lead us to expect. The civil, criminal and constitutional laws agree with what the civilization of the ancient nations surrounding Palestine would presuppose; while the ceremonial, moral, and religious laws are differentiated from those of others by their genesis in a monotheistic belief and a divine revelation. Th.e use of writing in the age of Moses and Abraham is admitted by all and the existence of the Hebrew language in the time of the Exodus is assured by the glosses of the Amarna letters, as well as by the proper names on the Egyptian and Babylonian monuments. The general correctness of the Hebrew text that has been transmitted to us is established beyond just grounds of controversy. The morphology, syntax, and meaning of the language of the various books conform with what the face of the documents demands. The chronological and geographical statements are more accurate and reliable than those afforded by any other ancient documents; and the biographical and other historical narratives harmonize marvelously with the evidence afforded by extra-biblical documents.
We therefore send this volume forth with the prayer that it may strengthen the faith of those who still believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son. We need not and do not fear the truth about the Bible. We welcome all sincere and honest study of its origin, purpose and meaning. But is it too much to ask and hope that more of those who have been appointed by the Church to teach its history and its doctrines should devote their time and energies to the defense of its great and fundamental, unique and out-standing, facts and implications, rather that to the picking of flaws in the garments of the prophets and to the punching of holes in the robe of Christ’s perfection? It may not be ours to remove all the difficulties, to harmonize all the apparent inconsistencies, to explain all the mysteries, and to solve all the problems of the Old Testament; but we can show at least, that we believe that Christ and the Apostles are more likely to be right than we, that the age-long judgment of the Church with respect to the Bible may after all be right, and that our business is to defend with all lawful means the citadel of faith rather than to join the hosts of the infidel in the assaults upon its walls. ”
[ excerpted and originally published by The Sunday School Times Company in 1926, this electronic edition has been prepared by the staff of the PCA Historical Center, 2003. All rights reserved.http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/wilson/siot.html]
c. Biblical faith is substantiated and evidenced by eye-witnesses of the facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is reasonable faith because the reasons of the historical accounts concerning Jesus Christ are documented and verified by honest and sincere men who were willing to die for their Lord and Master.
The accounts of eyewitnesses the Gospels are historically verifiable and the evidences of the incidents based on preserve records are proven to be true by legal and historical criteria.
“Professor Thomas Arnold, for fourteen years the headmaster of rugby, author of the three-volume HISTORY OF ROME, and holder of the chair of modern history at Oxford, was well acquainted with the value of evidence in determining historical facts.this great scholar said:’I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”
Lord Chief Justice of England,Lord Caldecote, wrote:“My began faith with and was grounded on what I thought was revealed in the Bible. When, particularly, I came to the New Testament, the Gospels and other writings of the men who had been friends of Jesus Christ seemed to me to make an overwhelming case, merely as a matter of strict evidence, for the fact therein stated….The same approach to the cardinal test of the claims of Jesus Christ, namely,His resurrection, has led me, as often as I have tried to examine the evidence , to believe it was a fact beyond dispute.”
- Biblical faith is absolutely based and focused alone on the word of God as God’s divine revelation for man to understand that there is the true living God who is the Creator of all things. verse 3 -“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
a. The word of God gives the understanding of one’s faith about God who creates everything by the power of his words. Genesis chapter 1 according to Moses by divine revelation gives us the illustration of God’s power in the act of creation through His empowering words:
“And God said,Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:3-4;
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.” Genesis 1:6-7
“And God said, Let the waters under heaven be gathered together together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.” Genesis 1:9
b. The power of God’s words are evident not only in creation but in the shaping of men’s destiny by changing lives of men for His glory and honor. Adam and Eve
- Biblical faith pleases God because this honors and gives credence to who He is- a living and real, to people who believe and obey His words, and His promises. vv.4-17
a. God was pleased with Abel who offered unto God “a more excellent sacrifice”, bloody animal sacrifice, reflecting the promised Messiah, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. The divine plan as prophesied in Genesis 3:15 became the reason and basis of Abel’s obedience of faith unto God’s prophesy- of the coming seed of a woman bruising the head of Satan. The faith of Abel learned from his parents of God’s purpose and will to redeem mankind through this seed of the woman pleased God, for this gave honor and reverence to His words.
b. Enoch’s faith in God led him to obey God by walking with God-meaning to say he was aware and conscious of God in life. His focus based on this reality in life was obedience to his God by walking with Him, the Lord of creation. To walk with God in Enoch’s perception is living in full surrender and being captivated by God’s will and the divine presence in life. This pleased God so that Enoch was translated- “that he should not see death.”
c. Noah believed in God’s judgment of the universal deluge against the wickedness of man; thus honoring and pleasing the Almighty God who has the power to fulfill His warning of divine displeasure through the flood. Noah’s building the ark gave credence and truth to his God who is limitless and unstoppable to unleash His divine wrath against man’s disobedience and wickedness. His obedience to God’s warning was the very reason of the divine pleasure of the Lord to uphold and fulfill His promise and accompanying displeasure against human wickedness and iniquity.
- Biblical faith is claiming and trusting with confidence that God is almighty, and will fulfill His promises to His people.vv.19-22
a. Certainly, biblical faith claims, expects and longs with hope that things will happen because God’s power is beyond limitations and finiteness. God with all-powerful character can not be stopped by any force in the entire universe for He is the all Creator God who knows, rules, orchestrates, prevails, engineers and propels anything that He designs, plans and executes for His pleasure and sovereign purpose. He is unlimited, unstoppable, unrestrained by any force of human and evil designs because He is Grand Architect and Designer and Creator of the entire universe with His infinite power and wisdom.
b. The God of Abraham is the God who can do impossible things from the human perspective, even bringing the dead back to life; for this reason he offered Isaac as a burnt offering knowing by faith that God can raise his son from the death. Hebrews 11:9 How did Abraham know this kind of thinking? Obviously this is based on his knowledge of experiencing God in his life; the fulfillment of the promise of God that he will have a son through Sarah, and God’s blessing him with protection and preservation from his enemies, material blessings in the midst of opposing forces to destroy him etc. Abraham’s faith was based on knowledge of who God is in life, a faithful God to His promise, and his experience with God in real life made his faith reasonable – not a leap into the dark but light of the knowledge of the all-powerful, limitless living God.
c. Moses is another example of a man with reasonable faith who understands the value of the things of God rather than the material things and pleasures of Egypt’s passing splendor and vain grandeur. He was not enamored with the fame and fortune in this world but had esteemed precious and valuable “the reproach of Christ” than of the world’s vanishing and ephemeral view point and systems. He was confident in his God who will fulfill His promises and has the power to render a “recompense of the reward”. Hebrews 11:26
- Biblical faith is choosing to suffer in this world for God’s sake than the world’s pleasure because of the superior blessings to be received from God. vv.24-31
a. Biblical faith is a definite choice to suffer for God’s sake and His glory: which becomes a pressing, weightier matter and dominant tone than the attractions of the world. The preference to suffer in this world is leaning on the superior and divine knowledge: that things spiritual are heavier in importance and influence spiritually, of their superior and far greater value in the light of eternity. Faith is focused on things heavenly rather on the earthly things because the latter are indeed noted for their impermanent, perishable, corruptible, and transitory nature. Moses noted this spiritual discernment in his soul that he was not swayed y the luster and thrill and excitement of worldly pleasures.
b. There is no short cut to the glory of God and its blessings knowing that the inherent and only pathway is the suffering way,a deliberate choice of the man of faith as rightly displayed in God’s revelation.Moses showed his faith in God by refusing the privilege to be accorded the opportunity to enjoy the fame, power, pleasure and influence as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter.His rejecting the offer and will of daughter of the king of Egypt was strong declaration of his faith to the living God of God’s people and counted the cost of following God and no to man’s power and wisdom.
c. Biblical faith is resting and focusing on God and closing our hearts, mind and soul to the things that are seen and known to be of the world and its system; and to be influenced and directed to worldly perception and understanding.It is knowing that sin and its pleasures destroy one’s thinking and understanding of truth and its absolute reality. Thus, biblical faith values reproaches of Christ as part and parcel of real trust in God for this suffering can not be divorced from it. If there is no willingness to receive the reproaches of Christ as one follows the LORD, it is not biblical faith but the lack of genuine biblical faith. Moses settled this understanding and perception in his whole being that the future rewards out of human sufferings and reproaches of Christ and for His sake alone are beyond comparison and of inestimable value and regard.
d. Additionally with a substantial essence, biblical faith even in foreseeing the sufferings as a result of this, is followed unmistakably with powerful obedience to what is required because of this biblical faith that sees the Invisible God. Moses obeyed the prompting to fled away from Egypt though difficulties were known and to be experienced soon without failure; to observe the passover and to cross the Red sea no matter what difficulties were envisioned. Practical obedience is the unmistakable companion of biblical faith; anything short of it is nothing but anti-biblical and faithless.
- Biblical faith is trusting God as very the source of strength and power.vv 32-40
a. There are the preserved records of people who were empowered as witnesses that God is behind them in their exploits.And it was this evident faith in God’s power that they accomplished things that are supernatural or divine in nature.The compelling accounts of being empowered by God because of their faith cannot be rejected or denied because of preserved records that are historically verifiable. Like the following instances as noted by Halley’s Bible Handbook:
“Gideon’s faith : waxed mighty in War(..Judges 7: 21). Barak’s faith:Subdued kingdoms (..Judges 4). Samson’s Faith:From Weakness Made Strong(…Judges 16:28). Jepthah’s faith: Defeated Armies(…Judges 11). David’s Faith:Obtained Promises(….2 Samuel 7:11-13). Daniel’s Faith: Stopped Mouth’s of Lions (…Daniel 6:22).Jeremiah’s Faith Was Tortured (…Jeremiah 20:2). Elijah’s Faith: Raised the Dead (….1 Kings 17:17-24). Elisha’s faith:Raised the Dead (…2 Kings 43:8-37).Zechariah’s Faith: Was Stoned (..2 Chronicles 24:20, 21)….”
b. Victory in Christ is rooted in trusting in the Lord.Faith is the victory as attested by the apostle John.1 John 5:4-5, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.Who is he that overcometh the world,but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
c. God gives us the victory through the power in the indwelling Spirit of Christ that works exceedingly above all we can imagine and expect in life. Ephesians 3:16-21,“[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,[18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;[19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.[20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,[21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
d. Biblical faith nonetheless is exemplified in the same manner not only in victory by empowerment over impossible things but also victory to overcome sufferings through endurance, long-suffering, faithfulness and steadfastness in the faith even unto death. “Faith is demonstrated- equally-through those who have endured imprisonment, torture and death. Jeremiah was beaten and imprisoned (36; Jeremiah 38); Isaiah, it is said was sawn in half(37s 24). Zechariah was stoned(37; 2 Chronicle 24). And there were many more.” [Eerdmans’sHandbook to the Bible, 1983, p.630]
CONCLUSION
Biblical faith is real because this claims God’s power and might by way of obedience- through action to do something for His sake and to Him alone.
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