Believe in the Resurrection:
Faith is difficult for many to comprehend except
we all have faith in almost everything! We believe our car will start, the medication we take is safe, the sun will
come up in the morning, etc. We are a people who live by faith; however, we find it difficult to understand the Biblical
concept in having a relationship with God. Let us take for example the adage of how "seeing is believing".
This seems to be the secular desire to have proof in everything, especially spiritual matters. We want to turn this
around to recognize "believing is seeing". When we believe spiritually, it opens a whole realm of
possibilities. We need guidance in these possibilities and rely upon the Bible to guide. The Jewish leaders throughout
history understand YHWH (YAHWEH) as the name of God (I AM)! Our faith in the Biblical God is our rock for a personal
relationship with "THE GREAT I AM"!
Society today seems to think God must give them something (prosperity preaching). But is that true?
God helps His people and blesses them, but what is the basics of faith if we expect something in return. "Quid-per-quo"
(a favor expected in return for something) represents us expecting just that, and our faith is based upon us "getting".
The thief on the cross who spoke up for Jesus had no time to receive anything: no baptism, no communion, no church membership,
etc. He never did anything except "believe"! "Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrew 11:1 We believe because we accept without understanding
(believing is seeing). Nowhere does the Bible teach we are promised quid-per-quo. It does tell us of His love
for us and blessings for His children.
Did we become Christians because we expect something in return, or because we love God and appreciate His sacrifice?
Job is our example of this: "‘Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?'
In all this Job did not sin with his lips." Job 2:10b "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked
shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Job 1:21 Our understanding of our relationship with God is important in this association. Between the last book of the
Old Testament and Jesus' birth is 200 years of silence. There was 430 years Israel was in Egypt and silence. God
was still there, and His people relied upon His being faithful. They believed in Him even though they saw no evidence!
Can we say the same?
Many people today hear the same Words of God and react differently! Applying their understanding (sometimes misguided)
to their relationship with God. Do we believe in God for what He can give us? Do we look for "signs and wonders"?
It is important we apply "absolute faith" no matter what our understanding of situations. By faith
we accept the presence of God's Triune existence, by faith we believe the Bible is the inerrant Word, and by faith we believe
Jesus is who He says He is. This leads us to the hardest, but most important aspect of faith-the Resurrection.
The whole of the Bible revolves around God paying the price for our sin and then conquering death itself. Paul writes
about this in a nonsensical way.
"12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there
is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And
if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false
witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead
do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen,
your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is
risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death,
by Man also came the resurrection of the dead." I Corinthians 15:12-21
These Scriptures help us understand we are not "fools" when it comes
to being believers. The foundation of our faith is based upon the supernatural concept of His resurrection. We
can believe in Jesus' teaching, His miracles, and His very existence, but it is hard to embrace His overcoming death.
In doing so we have an eternal relationship with the Creator. Faith tells us the basis of our link with God as a spiritual
creature instead of a carnal or physical being. If our faith is based upon a quid-pro-quo relationship, then your faith
is weak, if existent at all. So, our believing should be based upon a close personal relationship with God and a belief
in all the teaching from the Bible. Does God guide our lives, of course. Does the Holy Spirit indwell and direct
the believer's life, of course.
Our
faith should never be based upon what we can "get" from God, but what we can "give"
to Him! We comprehend God through faith and the reading of His Word as guidance for our lifestyle. Until we accept
the facts, like the thief on the cross, Job and his accusers, and God's love, we can never comprehend the essence of our relationship
with Him. Let us take it upon ourselves never to expect but to appreciate! We do not have to be blessed
but God desires to do so. We do not have to be saved but God came to do so. We do not have to understand but God's
desire is for us to know. It all revolves around us believing (faith) that Jesus was and is who He said. Those
who do not believe or expect something will be greatly disappointed
