Faith (part 2)

Today's topic is on faith in the New Testament -- specifically faith as spoken about by Jesus. Even more specifically, about what we are told a believer can accomplish with his faith. The following four verses sum up just about everything Jesus had to say on this topic (emphasis mine):

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a 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 17:18-20 NKJV)

And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."  (Matthew 21:19-22 NKJV)

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." (Luke 17:5-6 NKJV)

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes* in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:12-14 NKJV) [*pisteuó: believe, have faith in]

I grew up in the Lutheran church, Missouri synod. We were taught that miracles such as moving mountains or withering fig trees were powers vested upon the original disciples and that such days are long gone. When I converted to Apostolic Pentecostalism in 2001, I was taught the complete opposite: that the magical powers of god were at my fingertips -- contrary to what those evangelical, liturgical, trinitarian heretics were teaching -- all I needed was "faith faith faith, just a little bit of faith" (as the gospel song goes).

I believed this; I believed wholeheartedly in the anecdotal evidence I was constantly supplied with during my time in the charismatic movement. I heard of healings, miracles, people being raised from the dead… and although I could never find a single ounce of evidence, in all my searches through books, the internet, and interviews, that didn’t matter because others had seen them and I trusted their stories. And after all, I had the TRUTH and god was on my side! Hallelujah!

I could easily spend this post writing an epic dissertation on confirmation bias, coincidence, and some of the truly abysmal let-downs that the optimistically faithful have experienced (and continue to, regardless of what branch of Christianity one belongs to). And as salacious and eye-opening as it would be, it would make this post entirely too long and bound to push me off my point. Anyone honestly looking for that kind of information will quickly and easily find an abundance of it; perhaps one day I will, myself, venture to compile some of it to make a more rounded case for what I'm here presenting.

The fact is, almost every religion claims that their god or gods provide magical blessings for her/his/its/their chosen. And so every religion has its anecdotal stories which keep the converts rolling in -- Christianity is certainly no exception.

There are a plethora of points I can make on this, but I want to focus on just one: the ignored requests of the faithful.

I've seen parents pleading with god in tears, over their comatose child. I've known a man in a motorized wheelchair, so stricken with ALS that he could only move his head and arms, told that he will be healed in god's time. I've seen people with cancer, people with addiction, people struggling just to provide for their families; all on their knees, all asking their lord for just some small ounce of help.

And yet that help never comes.

In my own experience, there are four reasons usually given as to why faithful prayers go unanswered, all of which contradict the previously quoted scriptures:

1. God's timing
   Like a starving dog at master's table, the faithful are often left in a state of constant begging, until the master benevolently throws a morsel. An offensive analogy, but accurate. However the scriptures say nothing of god's timing. There is no caveat of "eventually" or "when god is ready" attached to any of the verses. And yet this is the most standard response given when god doesn't follow through with his promise.
2. Not enough faith
   Twice we are told that all is needed is the faith of a mustard seed -- chosen because of its tiny size, it was used to illustrate that one only needs a small amount of faith to accomplish great things through god. And yet, when god doesn't follow through, the faithful is blamed for not having enough faith. After all, god is perfect and god does not lie, so maybe the believer just needs to pray louder or something.
3. Sometimes god says "no"
   I will let scripture itself answer this question:

   Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV)

   And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. (Matthew 19:22 NKJV)

   If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:14 NKJV)

4. Asking amiss
   One could truly argue that motives have everything to do with faith, and asking, and doing all sorts of wondrous and magical things in Jesus’ name.
   

   You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:3 NKJV)

   This is a truly legitimate reason for god ignoring the requests of his faithful. But the problem is, how many are asking amiss when they are seeking healing or relief from pain? How many are asking amiss when they pray for a means to financial resources in order to take care of their loved ones? How many are asking amiss when they are just asking their god to listen to them and do what he promised?

And as if ignoring his faithful wasn't enough, god allows them to be mislead and deceived by agents claiming to come in his name!

Benny Hinn, Peter Popoff, and all those other circus animals on television, or on their stages, or in their gold-laced pulpits who put on these amazing spectacles in the name of god and his powers are nothing but leeches who rape the humanity out of people seeking hope. Hope which, for whatever reason, has been misplaced in a deaf and blind god.

Think about it: if a god were to actually heal people and raise them from death then people would have reason to actually believe! And, according to scripture, that is what god wants:

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

The ultimate hypocrisy here is that, according to the bible, god wants everyone to be saved, but in truth isn't actually willing to actually provide any evidence of his existence.

My dear Christians, how can you continue to believe in a god who turns a blind eye to those who place their trust in him? How can you continue to serve a master who demands you to beg? How can you not shy away from a god who allows false hopes, false healing, and false security done under his authority to those who need real hope, real healing, and real security?

Would you remain friends with someone who makes promises to you, but never follows through? If you answer "no" then you have some serious thinking to do about your faith.

And so, 20 years later, that man with ALS is still waiting for his healing. God will fix him... eventually. He just needs to keep the faith.

Until next Monday,

Frank