Faith Is Not What People Think It Is

Faith Is Not What People Think It Is	Next Chapter: How Big Is God's Love?
It was only when I stumbled onto this writing of Martin Luther that I began to finally understand my Mother. All my life both my Father and I had been puzzled and often surprised by her actions. Mom would often jump in to help someone even if others might think her help wasn’t really appropriate. As a result, she often made comments such as "Well, I got myself into another mess but He (meaning the Lord) will take care of it." At her funeral the minister told about a phone call he received only minutes before the service was to begin. The call was from a woman in another state who wanted to share her story about my mother. It seems that one morning, my mother (who then lived just down the street) knocked on her door. Mom simply said that for several years she had been going regularly to Bible Study Fellowship, a great interdenominational Bible Study group. Since she had completed the course she was volunteering to watch her neighbor's small children one morning a week so that she could attend the Bible Study. The result was that for several years this woman was able to attend the Bible Study knowing her children were safely taken care of by my mother. Martin Luther's Definition of Faith An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans" Luther's German Bible of 1522 5 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546 Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us that changes us and gives new birth from God. It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5 NLT)
Lord, send your Holy Spirit to work such a faith in me that I might run boldly forward doing your will. Amen.
Questions for consideration... How have I been defining faith? Does my definition match Martin Luther's definition? If not, which definition do I think is correct and why? What needs to be changed in me so that I can live with and practice Martin Luther's definition of faith? Am I willing to ask God to make that change in me? Now?