Do you believe in God? It’s a straightforward question I suppose, but often with a complex answer. Some might respond with: Which God do you mean?I believe in a Higher Power, if that counts?There must be something, right? How might you reply to the same question? If you are reading this blog, then the chances…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2021/01/06/even-the-demons-believe/
Tag: belief
The Berean Approach – Andy Brown
I don’t want you to just take my word for it… We take a little break from our current series on Psalm 103 to discuss something important. It is an immense privilege to share God’s Word with you through this blog, and I take that responsibility very seriously. But you, the reader, have a responsibility…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2018/04/12/the-berean-approach/
Parable Surprises – Wedding Banquet
While the phrase is weeping and gnashing of teeth are not entirely encouraging, they are important biblical concepts. this blog post offers some interesting insights into their meaning, and some more general thoughts on this particular parable which I will encourage you to read.
I do not like to share posts too often, as I do not want to weary my readership! But there are some truly amazing writers on WordPress, so do explore for yourselves and find them!
Weddings are awesome, but sometimes full of tension and surprises. To plan a wedding is one of the more complex projects I have been involved with. …
Parable Surprises – Wedding Banquet
The Berean Approach – Andy Brown (repost)
I don’t want you to just take my word for it… We take a little break from our current series on Psalm 103 to discuss something important. It is an immense privilege to share God’s Word with you through this blog, and I take that responsibility very seriously. But you, the reader, have a responsibility…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2018/04/12/the-berean-approach/
Ask and Believe
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post entitled “Ask” which you can read here. It was all about encouraging us to ask of our generous and gracious God.
At that time, I prayed a specific prayer to the Lord and am thrilled to say that it was fulfilled this week. The content of the prayer is not for sharing, but please do join me in thanking and praising our Wonderful Lord for His faithfulness.
Here’s the thing though… I was more than a little surprised when the answer came. What does that say about my faith in general, or in that particular prayer? If we are surprised when God answers our prayers, it is because we did not expect Him to do so. Let me be clear; if we do not expect any answer to our prayers, then why pray in the first place? Prayer is not simply “wishing!”
I am truly humbled to see this answer come, and God has challenged me to not just pray big, but to really expect the answer to come. I have heard Christians pray for something, say “Amen!” and then immediately say, “That probably won’t happen…” Why do we undo our prayers like that!
In the first chapter of the letter of James, it says this:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:5-8 (NIV)
James is clearly talking about the subject of wisdom here, and yet what he says about not doubting applies to all that we ask of God.
Verse six tells us to believe but at the same time, not to doubt. These are two separate instructions, I think. Belief and doubt are not mutually exclusive. For the prayer I referred to above, I did believe God when I asked, but I also doubted it would happen. My doubt was not necessarily in God Himself, but rather in a) my deserving b) that it was His will and c) that the ask was too big for me and my faith right now.
I can say wholeheartedly that I did believe when I asked, otherwise I would not have asked at all. But in the gap between the ask and the result, I began to doubt that the answer would come. Can you relate?
James uses the example of a wave to illustrate his point. A wave is neither on the beach nor out to sea. One minute it is in, and the next it is out. I am fortunate to live by the coast, and so when we take a walk alone the shoreline, I am reminded of this truth. I do not wish to be like the wave. When I pray, I want to be fully in – believing that God will come through and not doubting either Him or myself.
That is why it is so important to pray with the Bible. If we are not entirely sure if something is God’s will, then it is hard to have complete faith in it. However, when we pray with the Word of God, we can be sure that what we are asking for is promised by Him. It gives us full assurance of His faithfulness.
So I am going to continue to pray, and pray big! In an attempt to learn my lesson from this experience, I am going to focus on the Generous God we serve, and try not to allow doubt to talk me out of it. If God shows me that the answer is no, then I shall move on to the next thing!
Tell me your praise reports and prayer testimonies. Are you ever surprised by God answering your prayers? Let’s steadfastly remain in Him, trusting in His goodness and glory.
As ever, do send me your prayer requests. I would love to pray for you in whatever capacity I can. Comment below or get in touch. May your prayers be fruitful this week!
Believe in Jesus
It has been an interesting day in my house, with nothing quite going according to plan!It has been an interesting day in my house, with nothing quite going according to plan! As a result, I’ve not been able to sit down and write anything today.
However I have just seen this post from another blogger and wanted to share it with you.
I do hope you enjoy it! And God willing, normal service will resume on my blog soon!
There are no other gods other than God Himself. He is the beginning, He is the end, and He sustains all things through His Son Jesus. For with …
Believe in Jesus
What is a miracle?
Some say that a miracle is a suspension of the normal rules governing reality. Others may say that it is God intervening in our lives in a powerful way.
When we think of miracles, we might imagine mountains moving or sight being restored. These are, indeed, great miracles! But not all miracles look like this.
I say that having clothes on your back and food in your belly is a miracle to.
Having a roof over your head it’s a miracle as well. As are your eyes which allow you to read these words.
Having the ability to walk up and down the stairs would be a miracle to some.
Surely though, the greatest miracle of all is being restored to righteousness in and through Christ Jesus our Lord! Our sins forgiven, and being fully justified before our Heavenly Father.
Have you experienced this miracle for yourself? You can do so today…
All you need do is believe and trust in Him, confess the things that you have done wrong, and then ask and receive God’s forgiveness. Let the knowledge of that forgiveness miraculously change your life forever!
If you are seeking a miracle, first check you have not already received one! God bless you this Lord’s day.
Belief and Action
Here is an essay I wrote as part of my Course in Christian Studies. I hope you enjoy! I hope that normal service will resume on the blog in the not too distant…!
7. Write an essay of between 1500 and 2000 words on the question: What have you learned from Paul about the relationship between what we believe and how we act?
By Andrew Brown
In this essay, I will attempt to explain what I have learned from Paul about the relationship between what we (Christians) believe, and how we ought to therefore act.
Before we can explore what I have learned from Paul about this, we must first ask if any such connection exists. Do our beliefs affect our actions at all, or rather do our actions go on to affect our beliefs? Or, alternatively, is there little connection between them whatsoever?
Let’s take a simple example to begin with. What does the act of sitting down in a chair tell us, if anything, about our beliefs? The obvious answer is that by the act of sitting in a chair, we learn that the individual must first have believed that the chair could hold their weight. If they did not believe this, then there would have been no corresponding action. The action is driven by the belief.
Similarly, a person who says they believe a chair can hold their weight, and yet refuses to take the action of actually sitting in it, is likely not being totally honest. What faith can we put in their “belief” if they are not willing to act on it?
Finally, what came first – belief or action? Without belief, one may have chosen not to take the action at all and this suggests the believing must precede the action. However, one who does not believe, sits down anyway, and yet the chair does not fall… such a person would derive belief from that action.
Of course this example has limitations, but it in some small way aids us in understanding what I have learned from Paul in his letters – namely, that what we believe is crucial, and that it drives the actions we take.
Using Colossians as our prime example, I hope to demonstrate that we must first believe in the truth of the Gospel and in what Christ achieved for us, and this, therefore, leads to us living and acting in the way Paul directs us.
Paul opens his letter like so: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,” (Col. 1:1 ESV) and we note that Paul is an apostle, not on his own merit, education or effort, but rather by the will of God.
Chapter 1 begins with Paul giving thanks for the Colossians, and their response to the Gospel which they heard from Epaphras (v7). He tells them that he has not stopped praying for them since he heard of their faith (v3-4). Beginning at verse 9, Paul then notes down some of his prayers for the church. Part of verse 9 says “asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” and this is a prayer about their belief rather than action. It is about helping them fully understand spiritual matters and to know His will for them. Verse 10 then begins “so,” as of a result of this, that they may “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord…” Before they can act in a pleasing way, they must first know and believe the truth of the Gospel.
Having completed his prayer, Paul goes on to discuss the Pre-eminence of Christ, starting at v15. Paul sets out that Christ is the image of the invisible God (v15), and that all things were created by and for Him (v16). Verse 18 tells us He (Christ) is the head of the body, that is the church, and v19 is astonishing as it states that the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him!
Verses 21 to 23 tell us how Christ reconciled us, despite our evil, to Himself through the death of His body. That we may be present holy and blameless and even above reproach if we continue steadfastly in our faith. This all achieved by Christ, and not attributed to our own action or righteousness. It is all about our faith in the One who has achieved it for us!
Paul concludes chapter one by explaining his ministry in Christ for the church. We see almost no instruction to act in any particular way here, and Paul has made a case for what Christ has done. He has stated the theology we must first accept and believe.
Chapter 2 continues in like manner. Paul sets out how he wants the church to have full understanding of the mystery of Christ. He continues to build the theology, wanting them to be “knit together in love.” Only at verse 6 do we see a command to act – “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Again, it begins with “Therefore,” like the “so” above, and as a result of what they believe they must act accordingly.
After a warning to guard against deception in “philosophy and empty deceit,” (v8), Paul goes back to setting out the supremacy of Christ. Verse 12 points out how we were buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Christ through faith. Verse 14 shows how our debt to God (in sin) has been cancelled, and nailed to the cross forever.
Paul ends chapter 2 arguing that the church is free from the demands of rituals to do with food or drink, New Moons or Sabbaths. The final verse of the chapter points out that while such laws have the appearance of wisdom or “self made religion,” – “they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” (v23).
Having built a strong foundation of faith in the first two chapters, that is, the beliefs of the Christian, chapter three then begins to set out how we ought to act as a result. Paul tells them to seek the things that are above, and to keep their minds focussed on the matters of Heaven, not of the Earth. Verse 5 instructs the church to put to death the earthly things, such as sexual immorality, impurity and evil desire. Verse 8 tells us to put away things such as anger, malice and obscene talk, and verse 9 that we ought not to lie to one another.
Verse 12 begins the contrast, stating what we should be doing; compassion, kindness, humility and patience. Verse 13 gives the instruction to forgive each other and above all else, verse 14 tells us to put on love. As a result of acting this way, the peace of Christ will rule in our hearts (v15).
The remainder of chapter 3 gives instructions for the Christian household, advising how wives, husbands, children and parents ought to act towards each other. Many of these commands are difficult and often contrary to the ways of the world, and so we must act this way out of the firm foundation of our belief in the Gospel and what Christ has achieved.
Before Paul concludes his letter in chapter 4 with his final greetings, he gives further instructions for “masters” and also general instructions about prayer and wisdom. All of these come together to paint a clear picture of how we Christians ought to act.
As demonstrated above, we see that Paul does not launch straight into instruction for the church in his letters. Instead, he builds a foundation of faith and belief, and then, as a result, directs us to live and act in certain ways. Such a structure is not unique to Colossians, and we see it also in Paul’s other epistles.
There is insufficient space here to discuss the letter of Romans to any degree, but it is another example of how Paul sets out the comprehensive view of the Gospel in perhaps the first eleven chapters, and then turns to instruction in the concluding chapters. Romans 12 opens with the famous verse from the NIV: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” This “Therefore” builds on the theology of the previous chapters to then give us instructions of how to act.
Finally, we can make similar arguments of the structure of Galatians or Ephesians, but I cannot pass up the opportunity to discuss the small letter of Philemon. In this letter, Paul writes to Philemon asking him to accept back his runaway servant Onesimus. This short letter encapsulates the relationship between belief and action that I have learned from Paul.
Paul begins by praying for Philemon, and rejoicing in his love driven by his faith in the Lord Jesus. He then, rather than commanding Philemon to accept back Onesimus, appeals to him on the basis on his love and faith. Paul has little doubt that Philemon will do the right thing because he believes the truth of the Gospel and acts out his love. Paul does not seem to need to instruct, but instead points out his knowledge of the faith, and therefore relies on this to appeal to Philemon to do what is right.
In conclusion, I take from all of this that in order to act in a manner worthy of the Lord, we must first have proper belief, that is, correct theology about what Christ has achieved in and for us. If we believe right, then this will lead to right actions. I believe that if we attempt to act well without proper belief, then we are merely acting as those under the Law. We do not act to obtain God’s love and favour, instead we have already obtained it through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, so therefore we act accordingly.
When studying Paul’s letters, I may be tempted to jump straight to the instructional sections, wanting to practice my faith. However, I believe I will have little success unless I have a firm grasp of the truth of the Gospel, and like Paul, I “ask God to fill you [me] with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Colossians 1:9 NIV).
Even the Demons Believe
Do you believe in God?
It’s a straightforward question I suppose, but often with a complex answer. Some might respond with:
- Which God do you mean?
- I believe in a Higher Power, if that counts?
- There must be something, right?
How might you reply to the same question? If you are reading this blog, then the chances are you do believe in God or are at least curious enough to find out more.
I suppose the challenge I want to raise today is this – does your belief in God make a difference in your life? Do you “believe” in God, and yet live your life as though you do not?
James puts it like this in his letter.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder
James 2:19 (NIV)
James’ point in context is this, and excuse my liberal translation here: You believe in God? Good for you! So does the devil!
His point is that believing in God is all well and good, but what have you done about it? The devil believes in God too, yet I do not think we want to be like him at all!
So, is believing enough? Clearly not, if we believe like the devil does. What, then, can we make of Jesus’ words in the following passage?
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:25-29 (NIV)
Are James and Jesus here in opposition? On the one hand, it seems that James is saying believing is not enough, and yet Jesus suggests that believing is the work of God. Who is right?
In short, they both are and there is no contradiction here.
Believing is indeed a matter of the heart. It is in many ways a choice we make. We weigh up the evidence and ultimately choose to accept that there is a God or there isn’t. This is not, in my view, the kind of belief that Jesus was talking about.
Jesus, like James, does not want mere lip service. He is not talking about a belief which results in no change at all. For this is no kind of belief. The kind of belief that Jesus is after – the work of God – is to believe in Him, and for that belief to lead us to change the way we live accordingly.
I believe in exercise. I have a strong desire to be healthy. I carry a gym membership card, and pay a monthly subscription. But if I never go, and constantly eat junk food, then my “belief” in being healthy is worthless. For my belief to be of any benefit, I must act on it.
Paul talks much about faith in his letters. Some therefore conclude that Paul and James are in somewhat of a conflict. This is not true, and rather they are complementary. Paul focuses on faith, and James on acting out that faith. Doing good won’t earn you any faith, but having a true faith will always lead to some form of action.
I believe in God and the One Whom He sent. I hope that others can see this in my life. If they were to examine my diary, my bank account, my entertainment choices, my words and indeed any area of my life, I hope they would see my faith being lived out. I am far from perfect, and there are many areas in which I want to better demonstrate my faith, but I sincerely hope there is at least some evidence of Christ in my life.
How about you? Do you believe? Great – so what will you do about it today?
God bless you as you live out your faith. Let Christ so indwell you that you cannot help but be totally transformed in his love.
Praying Big
Yesterday’s post – What is prayer? – had a really positive response, so thanks to everyone for reading and sharing it. I thought I would continue on the theme of prayer today.
i heard a story this morning which I wanted to share with you. I retell it below in my own words. I’ve no idea if it is true, but it sends a clear message even if fictional.
Alexander the Great was the leader of a huge empire which stretched across much of the world. Despite this, he never forgot the needs of his people and one day every year he would invite randomly selected citizens to come and ask him for something. Whatever they wanted, he would grant it if it was within his power.
For many years, people would come and ask for small things. One would ask for enough food to eat. Another would request some new clothing.
One year, a peasant was selected and he stood before the great leader. Unlike the others, he asked for a great palace to live in, and the resources to invite all his friends and family to come and dine in the palace and take care of them.
Without hesitation, Alexander the Great said “Yes!”
Later, Alexander was asked why he would grant such a lavish request. His response was telling. “Anyone could give extra food or clothes, you do not need to be anyone special for that. But this request made me feel like a king! For only a king could give what this man had asked for.”
I wonder if our prayers to God the Father are somehow reflected in this story?
When I think about my own prayer life, I am humbled to realise that i do not pray anywhere near “big enough.” How often do we find ourselves saying something like, “God, if you would just….” or “Even if you could give a little help…” What does this betray about how we think about God or ourselves?
Perhaps we think God is not powerful enough to handle our prayers? Or, more likely, perhaps we think we do not deserve to receive answers to such big prayers?
Let me reassure you today, God can handle any prayer you care to offer to Him. The lights in heaven will not dim if you ask too much of God. God created the heavens and the earth, and He raised Christ Jesus from the dead. Is anything too hard for God?
Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the time set for it, I will return to you—about a year from now—and Sarah will have a son.”
Genesis 18:14 (ISV)
Abraham and Sarah became parents at a very old age, and that was not too difficult for God.
On the other point, do you deserve to have God answer your biggest prayers? No, absolutely not. But that is why we do not pray in our name, but in the Name of Jesus.
If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:14 (ISV)
When we pray in Jesus’ Name, we are approaching the throne of God presenting all that Jesus is and has done. We do not go on our own merits, but on Christ’s. When God looks upon us, He no longer sees our sin and sinfulness, but the perfection achieved by Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross.
I once heard someone say, “I’d rather ask God for everything and get some of it, than ask for nothing and get all of it.” We rarely ask for the “big stuff” because we often don’t think big enough.
There is much I learn from my own children on this point. My daughters rarely limit what they ask for. It does not matter how big it is, they go ahead and ask. It never crosses their mind that I might not be able to deliver! And even when I say no (far too often I am sad to admit) it does not faze them one bit – they just go on and ask for the next thing.
If we ask for more in prayer, then what is the worst than can happen? If we ask for anything from God which is not His will, then it will not happen. So move on and ask for something which is in His will. Clearly we should not be asking for things prohibited by the Bible, but don’t limit God by assuming He will say no before you’ve even asked. At least give God the right to refuse!
Set your minds on God, not just what He has done, but on Who He is. Not only is He all powerful, but He loves you so much He gave us His Son to die for you! If we begin to grasp the depth of His love and the strength of His power, then we will never cease to pray!
Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us—
Ephesians 3:20 (ISV)
God can do far more than we can ask or even imagine. How “big” is your imagination? How much more is God than that!
Start today. Let’s stop praying these tiny prayers as if we are bothering God. Let each one of us, as we pray, use our imaginations to go beyond whatever it is we were about to ask for. Take your prayer and multiply it first, then dare to go further and ask God to achieve it. He is able!
Bear in mind that prayer is not primarily about getting everything we want. Ask for your needs and wants of course, but let us all pray in ways which will last for eternity, not just the here and now.
We praise the Living God who hears our prayers and can do all things! Nothing is impossible for Him! Let us magnify and multiply our prayers a hundred-fold, and give God all the glory as we see the answers come! Amen!
How can I #pray for you?
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
Romans 1:9 (WEB)
Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
Romans 15:30 (WEB)
Prayer should be as essential to a Christian as breathing. Yet, it is often only in difficult times – such as the one we are all facing right now – that we truly turn our hearts to God in prayer.
The Bible encourages us to pray in very many places, and I share a couple of verses above from Paul’s letter we know as Romans.
In the first verse, quoted from the very first chapter, Paul tells his readers how fervently he is praying for them. He says both “unceasingly” and “always” in the same sentence, showing us that this is not some passing, throw away prayer, but a constant remembering of them.
I want to follow Paul’s lead and pray for you in like manner. I will record a video message praying for all the readers, family and friends, and really want to encourage you to send me your prayer requests. If no one responds, that’s not an issue as I have many people I know need prayer at the moment. However it would be great to be able to receive requests from you and pray with you.
You can send your prayer requests to me by commenting on this post, commenting on my social media posts or by using the contact form on the web site. Please confirm that you are happy for me to mention the request on a video, but I’ll always only ever use first names to keep things private.
I have no idea what response I will get. But know that I will pray over every request I receive (unless I get millions of course, and then I might need your help!) and please watch this space for the videos to appear.
Please also share this post with anyone who you think might need prayer at the moment, and encourage them to send any requests they have.
God is faithful, and He is listening. Even though things may seem bad at the moment, please don’t ever doubt God’s love for you and the fact that He is in total control. We who trust in Him have no need to be afraid. Not because bad times won’t come, but rather because He will carry us through them.
Our second verse today sees Paul asking his readers to pray for him also. He has told them how committed he is to praying for them, and asks for that same commitment in return.
While I cannot demand anything anywhere near the same degree as Paul could, I do also ask for your prayers. I need God’s help, mercy and grace as much as anyone and so, even in small ways, please strive together with me in prayer.
Prayer has tremendous power, not because of us, but because of who we pray to. Praise be to the god and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hears and responds to our prayers both day and night! Amen
Faith and Unbelief
I want to draw this mini series on healing to a close by thinking about a passage from Matthew 17. There is, of course, much more to say about the subject of healing and this was not meant to be an exhaustive study.
One of the major questions people have is, “Why was I not healed when I asked?” Great question! Some will say that it is not always God’s will to heal, in which case, that is one possible answer. I personally don’t hold that view, but understand I am perhaps in the minority.
There are some things we can learn from Matthew 17, which says:
As they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, knelt down in front of him, 15 and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. Often he falls into fire and often into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He told them, “Because of your lack of faith. I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
Matthew 17:14-21 (ISV)
These events happen shortly after the Transfiguration of Jesus. He and the chosen disciples returned from the mountaintop to the unfolding scene described above.
A man approaches Jesus, seeking healing for his son who is described as an epileptic. He had first gone to the disciples, and the text clearly states that they (the disciples) were not able to heal the boy.
Before we dig into this, look at Jesus’ reaction… was He pleased by this turn of events? Clearly not! In fact, He had some rather strong words to say about it.
Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!”
Matthew 17:17 (ISV)
Jesus was clearly not impressed with this situation. He did not react with comforting words, or reassure the disciples that it was not their fault. Instead, He rebukes them! Obviously Jesus was here expecting them to be able to minister to this young boy. If not, He would have said so – “Don’t worry lads, this was too difficult for you to achieve. I’ll have to do it myself.” No, instead He criticises them for their unbelief.
Jesus healed the boy immediately. Don’t miss that fact. He clearly wanted this person well, and delivered him from this sickness.
Verse 19 is important. The disciples ask a similar question to what we often ask, “Why couldn’t we heal him?” Or rather, “Why didn’t it work when I prayed?”
The very fact that they asked this question shows that they expected him to recover from this sickness. If they didn’t expect that, then they would have just moved on. It also shows that they had prayed for and healed others, but for some reason this time it had not worked.
What is Jesus’ answer?
He told them, “Because of your lack of faith. I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
Matthew 17:20-21 (ISV)
Let’s read these same verses in other translations so we get a proper picture.
The NIV says:
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20-21 (NIV)
The ESV says:
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20-21 (ESV)
And the KJV says:
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew 17:20-21 (KJV)
So, put simply, Jesus says you couldn’t heal this boy because of “something”. This “something” is translated slightly differently in the verses above. I think the differences are critical to understanding what Jesus was saying.
The “something” is:
- Little faith
- Lack of faith
- Unbelief
Let’s look at each of these in turn.
Little Faith
If this is correctly translated, then I struggle to understand this verse. Jesus says, you couldn’t do it because of your “little faith” and then says, “You only need little faith to move a mountain.” This is an apparent contradiction. On one hand, little faith is not enough and the other it can move mountains.
Lack of faith
This, if correct, makes more sense to me. Jesus says they lacked faith to heal, but points out they only need faith the size of a mustard seed to perform a miracle.
The issue I have with this is reflected in some of the comments I received in earlier blog posts on this subject.
An individual seeks prayer for healing, does not immediately receive it and is then told they “lack faith” for healing. They come away feeling condemned, unworthy and offended. It leaves them in a worse state than they were before.
Let me say this categorically. If you seek prayer for healing, and the individual or church tells you that you lack faith for it, they are letting you down and you should walk away. Such a person is not ministering to you, but judging you. They lack compassion and beyond that, I think they lack understanding of what the Bible teaches.
Am I saying you don’t need faith to be healed? Of course not, clearly having no faith in healing would prevent healing, but that is not the situation above. When a faithful believer seeks healing, they do so “in faith”. If they lacked faith, they would not come forward to ask for prayer in the first place! Something else is happening here.
Unbelief
The KJV translates this as “unbelief” rather than “little” or “lack” of “faith”.
In the Greek, we see that “unbelief” is the word – apistia – and “faith” used here as in “mustard seed sized faith” is – pistis. They are two different words – although clearly connected. This leads me to conclude that actually the KJV is probably the more accurate translation here, and even that “unbelief” is something different to little or no faith.
Many suggest that faith and unbelief are somehow mutually exclusive. If you have faith, then you have no unbelief, and vice versa. I don’t believe this to be true however, and don’t take “unbelief” to mean the same thing as “disbelief”.
In Mark 9, a man approaches Jesus seeking help. Jesus tells him not to doubt, and to only believe.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Mark 9:24 (KJV)
Jesus did not correct this man, saying, “You’ve got it all wrong! You can’t have belief and unbelief at the same time!” So it seems possible to me that we can both believe and “unbelieve” at the same time. That, in my mind, is distinct from “believing” and “disbelieving”, which clearly cannot be done at the same time.
I think that this man believed, but that he also had unbelief. We might use the word “doubt” instead.
It is entirely possible that we should have faith in God, and yet have doubts at the same time. We don’t question God’s existence, or our salvation, but perhaps we do have doubts about God’s will to heal, or our ability to receive. Many feel unworthy and so have faith that God heals, but doubt God heals them.
I believe that a sufficient amount of doubt can hinder our faith. So how do we deal with it?
We lack space here to truly deal with the matter at hand, but here are a few ideas of mine.
Focus on the right things
Our minds generally guide the direction of our lives. IF our minds are focused on the wrong things, then that can certainly increase our doubts. If we focus on the problem, rather than the solution, which is Christ, then we cannot help but have doubts.
If you are seeking healing, are you spending time with Jesus and understanding what His Word says about the subject? Or are you googling the symptoms you have and telling everyone how terrible you feel? Don’t misunderstand, i’m not saying you cannot talk about your problems or gain understanding of things through research, but we must try to do these things in a positive way.
Paul says in Colossi ans 3 that we must keep our minds set on the “higher things” that is, the things that are above and not on the things that are below. I’m not talking about “positive mental attitude” here, as that alone saves no one. Rather, I’m saying we should train our minds to focus on the things of God – His promises – instead of the garbage this world offers.
And finally…
What I have said over the last few posts is by no means definitive evidence of guaranteed healing. Nor was that my intention. The subject of healing is more complex than we have had time to really get to grips with .
Some of you will disagree with much of what I have said, and that’s ok. I, like all of us, am still growing and learning. If nothing else, then I hope that what you have read has given you pause for thought. If you disagree, then that’s fine, but I have tried to evidence my points from the Bible and offer alternatives to the traditional views.
I state simply that I believe God wants His people to be well. The healthier we are, the better we can serve Him. The longer our lives are, the more opportunity we have to share our faith with others. That’s not to say anyone who is sick cannot do these things, but what more could we do if we were not hampered by ill-health.
If nothing else, then please pray about these things and seek the Lord for yourself. Pray for me also, not only that I would have a deeper understand of God and His Word, but that I too may be in good health. Thank you.
Andy Brown 