Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

There are counterfeit versions of faith, and it’s important to recognize them as falsehoods.

1. Faith is not irresponsibility. Sometimes religious people who are irresponsible and disobedient like to say, “Well, I’m just trusting the Lord.” God told Abraham, “Move,” so he moved. God told Abraham, “Start over,” so he started over. Faith is an internal conviction that leads to external action. You can’t just say, “I’m not doing anything because I trust the Lord.” Sometimes the Lord asks you to join Him in what He’s doing. If God’s told you to do something, then you need to be obedient to that, and that act is an act of faith.

2. Faith is not positive thinking. In faith, God speaks over our lives, and we trust Him. The counterfeit of that is we speak over our lives and trust the positive words we say to ourselves. This is self-help. We don’t need self-help—we need God-help. The power of positive thinking has really captured the American mind. “Just speak blessing and hope over your life.” The truth is, we don’t have that kind of authority. We don’t know or control the future, so we need to listen to the One who does. We need to hear His voice, not our voices.

3. Faith is not optimism. Sometimes there’s no bright side. Sometimes everything looks dark and bleak. Faith is trusting beyond what you see for what God says.

4. Faith is not hoping for a possible outcome. Faith doesn’t say, “Well, this situation could go either way, and I hope it goes my way.” Faith trusts a certain future that God promises.

5. Faith is not having proof. There’s no evidence other than the Word of God backed up by the character of God. God often waits until we have completely exhausted all our natural resources so He can show up with His supernatural resources. He wants us to know who He is and the power He has.

6. Faith is not a fleeting feeling. Faith is a concrete conviction. If your faith is contingent upon your feelings, then it will ebb and flow. Real faith is consistent and concrete, and it rises above your circumstances.

7. Faith is not marching forward based upon what you see. Faith is marching forward based upon what God says. It is an internal conviction that leads to external action. Abraham obediently left his family, nation, economy, and household for an unknown future that he trusted God to make known to him.

Today’s Reflection

Which counterfeit version(s) of faith have you believed in the past?