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Question 13

Q: Explain faith.

A man has faith that if he steals, he won’t be caught. Another man has faith he’ll win the lottery. And still another has faith he’ll get that good job. And a woman has faith she's marrying the right man. How do we know what to have faith for?

Asked by: Ruth, Ohio


A: Ruth, that’s a very good question and the answer is simply this:

We need to have faith that God is guiding us, but make no mistake, there’s no use trying to have faith that you’re going to win the lottery, or faith that you won’t get caught if you’re stealing. I hope the thief will get caught, and I think I can predict in advance that you won’t win the lottery. We should exercise faith for the things the Bible tells us to believe God for.

We need to have faith for our own salvation, most assuredly. Secondly, we have to commit our way to God as we make decisions along the path of life. When we need to make decisions (such as the person whom we marry) those need to be laid out in God’s presence and we have to be willing to accept whatever God tells us—no matter which direction He leads us. Many Christians marry because they want to, not because they have sincerely asked God about when and whom.

So, what is it that we have faith for? We have faith for everything that falls within God’s providential will; we have faith as we choose our vocation, and as we serve the Lord. This does not mean we are right all the time because sometimes the will of God is not that clear, but we stay within biblical guidelines and keep believing.

God bless you, Ruth, as you seek God’s will and as you exercise faith. And, by the way, if your marriage has gone bad it might not mean that you married out of God’s will; it is possible for us to fail even if we have begun on the right road.  

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