Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is
being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Most
people relegate faith to some kind of religious feeling. I was watching a TV
show last night where the main character commented that he was going to make
sense of a particular situation, not by faith, but by science. His comment
highlights the bias that faith belongs exclusively to religion and has no place
in the rest of the world. But that understanding of faith is completely wrong.
Every
human being exercises faith on a daily basis. We are hardwired to live by
faith, we just don’t often recognize it. The question is not, do we have faith,
but in what are we placing our faith. Unconsciously we place our faith in a
variety of things on a regular basis. For example, every time we board an airplane,
we are placing our faith in the laws of aerodynamics. Every time we get in our
car and head out onto the highway, we are placing our faith in the other drivers
abiding by the rules of the road. Our faith is tested when things don’t go the
way we expect them to go. When that happens, we experience a wide range of
emotions; anger, disappointment, fear, apprehension. If our faith is strong, we
quickly overcome this temporary setback. If our faith is weak, we change our
behavior to avoid those objects of our faith that have disappointed us.
All
of us have an overriding faith system that we use to organize and make sense of
our world. This faith system guides all of the other objects of our faith and
places them in order. Let me suggest four common faith systems that people
routinely rely upon. They are not the only faith systems, but probably the most
widely used. They are self, science, community, and religion.
Many
people look to self as the foundation of their faith system. This is especially
true in North America, with our rugged individualism. Most of us grew up in an
environment that lauded those who could pull themselves up by their own
bootstraps. We pride ourselves in making our own way in life, as Frank Sinatra
is famous for singing, “I did it my way.” When self is the basic faith system
in a person’s life, they measure everything against their own abilities and
perspective. Things are deemed good or bad depending upon how they directly
affect the individual.
Many
other people place their faith in science. They see science as the ultimate
determiner of what is true and right. If it can be “proved” scientifically than
it is true. If it can not be “proved” scientifically then it is false. For
many, science has become their savior. They trust science to deal with all of
the problems we face in life, from aging to global warming.
Another
faith system that is very common is community. In some Asian countries this is
the most prevalent faith system. It has gained popularity in American recently.
A component of this faith system is politics. People who put their faith in
community are trusting the collective to guide them. They believe that whatever
the majority decides, that is the right course of action. They also are depending
on the community to take care of them and to supply their needs.
Of
course, one of the most dominant faith systems is religion. By nature, we are
religious beings. We are constantly looking for something bigger and more
powerful than we are. That something may be viewed as the God of the Bible, the
multiple gods of pantheism, or the overriding force of the universe. Depending
upon the form a particular religion takes, a person’s life is guided and
directed in a certain direction.
Our
own experience tells us that the boundaries between these faith systems are not
clear. There is extensive overlap, and most of us dabble in all of these, even
when one system is dominant. It is important for us to be honest with ourselves
about our own faith system. What is the dominant faith system in our life? What
is it that we are trusting above everything else?
For
those of us who are believers in Christ, our dominant faith system is
Christianity. At the very core of our faith system is a foundational truth. It
is stated in Hebrews 11:6. And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards
those who earnestly seek him. Our faith system is anchored in these two
truths: God exists and He cares about us.
We
were all created with a God-consciousness. Every culture or people group on
earth is in one way or another looking for God. The way that they do this is
different dependent upon the culture, but the goal is the same. This is true
because God has revealed His reality through this world in which we live. As
Paul writes in Romans 1:20, For since the creation of the world God's
invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly
seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Even
though all people are searching for God, they don’t all choose the same path.
Many choose a path of their own making and end up with a god of their own
making. The outcome has been all of the alternative faith systems that seek to
take the place of faith in God. As Paul tells us, they settled for something other
than the real thing.
Although
they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the
immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and
reptiles.
They
exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things
rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:22-23,25
But
it is not enough to believe that God exists. We also need to believe that God
actually cares about us. So many images of God are negative. God is seen as
distant, uninvolved, angry, vindictive, callous. None of these images align
with the God of the Bible. Although God is revealed as the final judge, He is
also revealed as loving, kind, merciful, forgiving, and ever present. Out of His
great love for us, He sent Jesus into the world to save us from all of the
false faith systems that dominate our world.
Science
has much to teach us about our world. We have benefited greatly by what science
has done for us. A strong community is a very positive thing. It gives us a
sense of belonging and security. Exploring and developing our individual
potential is an important part of finding our way in the world. But all of
these good things will lead us astray, if they are not placed under the
authority of God. To rephrase Jesus words, when we seek first the kingdom of
God, all these other things will be ours as well.
So
where are you placing your faith? What is your dominant faith system? What are
you looking to to help you navigate this life?
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.
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