Live By Faith
by Jenny Sung, Executive Coordinator
What does it mean to live by faith?
Hebrews 11:1 starts by defining faith in this way: “the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.” I am highly driven by logic, so I get how hard this definition can be to digest. I remember conversations in Alpha (course) about how difficult it is to have faith in someone we cannot touch or see.
From early on, the world trains us to rest our confidence in what we can touch and see, and in ourselves, our own reasoning, and abilities. In a recent course on modern church history, I found that I am indeed a product of the “Age of Reason,” aka the Enlightenment. Even though this movement was forged in the 17th-18th centuries, the Enlightenment profoundly shaped our confidence in reason and the individual:
“The new science confidently asserted that the complex principles controlling the universe could be discovered through human reason; once these had been discovered and understood, the universe could then be controlled. Nothing was beyond the reach of human reason. Optimism about the future, and confidence in human progress – including moral progress – led to the advancement of the concept of human autonomy, or the idea that man was no longer dependent on God and the church. This, in turn, gave rise to the supreme importance of individualism, an idea which has come to dominate much of Western society in the intervening years.” (Grayson Carter, The Enlightenment: A Brief Overview)
The article was helpful to see how a movement had such profound influence on the cultural values I esteem today. This is not a devotional about the binary choice between reason and faith, for I believe God gives us reason and abilities to be used for good, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I do hope though, that we spend some time searching and reflecting on where we rest our confidence and assurance.
Does our faith rest in the things of the world that can change like the tides, or sometimes feel engulfed in flames of chaos and uncertainty? Does our faith rest in people who, with our flaws and foibles, can terribly disappoint and even betray? As Pastor Tim Shaw often points out in his teachings, humans were never designed to bear the entire weight of another.
But there is someone who took on the weight of us all, and there is someone in whom we can place all our confidence and assurance. Our faith can rest in Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. We look to Jesus, who “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)
We can live by faith, not by sight (1 Corinthians 5:7) because of the love of Jesus. Because of His work on the cross, we have a secure place of hope and assurance in Him. We can live lives of faith resting in Jesus. He knows the future and what is best for us. Even when it feels unsure or out-of-control, we can release the need for control and ask for a greater measure of trust in Him.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love and bearing my sin on the cross. I want to walk in faith each day, trusting and depending on You. Lord Jesus, help me to rest solely in You, the author and perfector of our faith. In Your Name I pray, Amen.
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