In today’s marketing and consumer-driven world, people who sell products run focus groups and test markets to make sure they have all the proof their product will succeed before they go to market. Then they feel confident investing resources on production and marketing. When they get enough data to believe they have a winner, only then do they put their faith into their ad or product. So, does faith come from proof? Or does true faith come BEFORE the proof is evident? Apparently, faith back in Bible times was not as sophisticated as it is in our modern marketing world. Here are three examples of how that is so:
Some KJV Examples
“And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean…” (Matthew 8:2, KJV)
“(And) The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed…” (Matthew 8:8, KJV)
“And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:28-29 KJV)
Matthew 8 records three very different testimonies about Jesus. There is a leper asking to be cleansed; a Roman centurion who asks that a servant of his be healed; and two men possessed with demons who recognized Jesus and who identify him as the Son of God. These testimonies revolve around life-changing healing events, which certainly deserve our attention.
Put the Horse Before the Cart
Even though they are eyewitness accounts from people who come from very different elements of class and culture, all of them are notable for the same reason. Do you see what it is? Read the three verses again and see if you catch it. In each case, they affirm their utter belief that Jesus can do something miraculous BEFORE he has acted on their behalf. He had not yet healed the leper; the centurion’s servant was still at home sick; and the possessed men cry out about who Jesus was from the midst of their affliction. These people all assumed that Jesus deserved their affirmation before they had proof.
It’s not, “Wow, Lord, thanks for what you did. NOW, I believe.” It’s, “Lord, I believe, (Or, in the case of the possessed men, “I acknowledge who you are”) so I know you are going to do something amazing.” Over and over, curiosity seekers and Pharisees asked Jesus to “show me a sign”, and skeptics would hold back their faith, waiting for Jesus to prove who he was. People still do it today. But these people came to Jesus believing in him and confident that he could solve their problems. Then he did it.
Maybe we’ve got this faith thing backwards, and we are supposed to believe in Jesus not because of what he’s already done, but because of what he is about to do. Would your life change if you approached him the same way? “Lord, I believe. If you would just take me as I am, and do with me what you will, I know you can do something amazing.” Why not try it? It’s worked before.
Proof
“Show me proof of God”, they said, “Just show a little sign.
If there is a Creator, where oh where is the design?
You say that in the Bible I can find the Gospel truth:
I’ll believe in Jesus when you show a little proof!”
Faith dependent on results is just not faith at all;
Faith believes when evidence is really very small.
A miracle may help you see that Jesus is the one,
But faith believes in miracles before they’re ever done.
To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
