“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
Yes. Faith is God’s gift to mankind. It has a mysterious ability to plug into the Divine Omnipotence. That virtue, that ability to reach out and touch the Divine – is what God Himself incorporated into the gift of faith. Although humble, unappreciated, unrecognised and largely unused – this amazing force, this Divine gift, the gift of faith – still moves the unseen realities – and lets us see and experience them in this physical world as we have asked it. As we have hoped. God grants it when we are united with Christ. When we are brave and bold and daring to ask God for favours – which otherwise would remain inaccessible to us. God is pleased when we use faith. He is thrilled to grant our requests if they are asked in sincerity, and believed with a child’s trusting simplicity.
This what follows is a number of examples taken from the Gospels which show how faith worked. It shows how God intended faith to work.
“The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”
John 2:1-11 NLT
This was Jesus rewarding the faith of His mother – by turning it into substance.
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“A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.””
Luke 8:43-48 NLT
She believed if she just touched Him, she will be healed. When she touched the hem of His garment, her faith became substance. She was healed.
Jesus said to her: “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
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Jesus believed He could walk on water – so He walked on the water. The moment His foot touched the water, His faith turned into substance.
When Peter said: Lord if it’s really You, command me to come to You on the water. Jesus said: Come. Peter jumps out of the boat – and guess what? He walks on the water! His faith turned into substance.
“About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.””
Matthew 14:25-28 NLT
But shortly after, the weakness of human flesh got better of Peter, and he lost it. A tiny bit of doubt squeezed through and killed his big strong faith.
“But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?””
Matthew 14:30-31 NLT
Yes. I see Peter’s faith as big and strong – because he actually walked on water. But Jesus saw his faith as little. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
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“When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.”
Matthew 8:5-10, 13 NLT
This is a wonderful story of a strong faith. The man was a Roman Centurion. He sought help from Jesus on behalf of his servant who was sick – and received it.
“Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.”
Matthew 8:13 NLT
He believed, and Jesus turned his faith into substance.
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“Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.”
Matthew 15:21-28 NLT
This is a heart wrenching story. It had a happy ending, because the woman had a strong faith.
““Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.”
Matthew 15:28 NLT
Jesus rewarded her faith by turning it into substance.
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“But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!””
Mark 4:37-41 NLT
The reason Jesus slept on the pillow through the storm, was because He trusted that His Father will take care of Him. Trusting is faith. Jesus believed His Father. When He rebuked the wind and the sea – they obeyed Him, and there was a great calm. God the Father turned His faith into substance.
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From here I wish to look back over what we have just read from the Gospels – in order to draw one or two lessons on faith. Yes. There are many lessons we can glean from this, but there is one among them which may not be readily seen.
In the example where Jesus walked on water, and Peter said: Lord if it’s really You, command me to come to You on the water. Jesus said: Come. Peter jumps out of the boat – and guess what? He walks on the water! His faith turned into substance.
“But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?””
Matthew 14:30-31 NLT
It is this last expression I wish to draw your attention to: “…Why did you doubt me?””
Matthew 14:31 NLT
The NKJV says: “…why did you doubt?””
Matthew 14:31 NKJV
Even a casual look at these two versions, brings home a surprise. It is not hard to see: The NKJV connects Peter’s doubt to Peter himself, and his weakness in holding onto his fragile faith. It suggests that faith is grounded in him. Based on what he can do. By extension, Peter can be blamed for not gritting his teeth harder, which resulted in his fragile faith slipping away. In another words, Peter botched it. The conclusion: —this is inward looking. The self is the centre. The focus is on self. The self is entirely responsible for a success or a failure of faith.
On the other hand, the NLT connects Peter’s doubt to Jesus: “…Why did you doubt me?” Can you see it? The conclusion: —This is outward looking. The focus is on Jesus. The context clearly show that it is Jesus who guarantees the success. It was Jesus who gave the command:
““Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.”
Matthew 14:29 NLT
In this translation, Peter’s failure is in not fully trusting Jesus’ command: Come. “…Why did you doubt me?” Does the blame for this failure belong to Jesus, or to Peter? “…Why did you doubt me?” Clearly, the blame is on Peter. But the focus remains on Jesus. “…Why did you doubt me?”
This is a powerful lesson on faith. I will copy here one paragraph which I wrote earlier in the text of the book:
Clearly, Salvation is God’s business. It is based on what God has done and on what Jesus has achieved. It is freely given to those who believe. Who trust that God is faithful and will do what He says. The miracle of our Salvation will succeed because the vehicle that brings it to us is this beautiful mysterious heavenly gift we call faith. Faith works because it trusts God’s Word. God’s promise. God’s faithfulness. It is God who turns faith into substance. “… so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT
Yes. Faith works because it is based on what God did. On what God said.
The NKJV above, by saying: “…why did you doubt?”, places the faith and outcome of faith squarely on Peter. By looking to self when exercising faith – we will fail. But if our faith is based and grounded on Who God is; on what God has done; on what God has said; if it is based on God’s faithfulness; and if it is based and grounded on Who Jesus is; on what Jesus has accomplished; on what Jesus has said; if it is based on Jesus’ faithfulness; — such faith will work – every time.
Not much faith is required to see it work. Remember what Jesus said:
““… “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.””
Matthew 17:20 NLT
We either trust God or we don’t.
Having said all this – I owe you an explanation.
The NLT, by saying: “…Why did you doubt me?” —stands virtually alone among all literal translations. I have some 30+ translations on my Bible-App, and they all without exception follow the NKJV by saying: “…why did you doubt?”
Even so, there is a good lesson on faith in this. I am grateful to NLT for having brought this to my attention. I believe that what I have said in my comments above – is the truth. But I am also aware that the Bible must not be changed to suit the context of what we are saying. Therefore I affirm my belief that the NKJV expresses here the words as they appear in the original from which it was translated. What I have said in my comments above can easily be supported from elsewhere in the Bible. There is no need to change the wording of this Bible verse to know this truth about the faith. It is firmly established that faith works because it stands on God’s faithfulness – and not on human efforts.
The second lesson I wish to draw your attention to is in the context of the story where Jesus stilled the storm – and there was a great calm.
When it was all over, Jesus looked at his disciples in bewildered surprise and asked: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” How can anyone not trust God for their personal safety? Jesus’ surprise suggests that He expected them to trust God. That it was a most natural thing to expect God to protect them. And God is most certainly delighted to do that. Jesus illustrated earlier, how God cares for birds and flowers, “and how much more valuable to God you are. He will certainly take care of you. He cares for you like a father. Trust Him.” If we take freedom to paraphrase Jesus’ comment a little, it may sound something like this: “I don’t believe you still can’t see the reality of your new life with God. You are very precious to Him. Your faith may rest in Him and His faithfulness with absolute certainty. He is your Father. Don’t make Him sad by your disbelief”.
Jesus left a powerful message in this for us: What can be more frightening then being in the middle of a lake, in the middle of a fierce storm, in a small boat, with waves filling the boat faster than we can bail it out? —I think this is meant to speak to our hearts when the fearsome storms of life threaten to engulf us. Threaten to sink our hopes. Threaten to separate us from our God. Inducing us to doubt God’s ability to save us, and instead begin to use our own meagre resources and our own meagre wisdom trying to swim out from this personal catastrophe as best as we can – all the while blinded by our tears to the fact, that the “everlasting arms” of our powerful loving God are hovering above us and beneath us and all around us, with Fatherly tender care waiting and yearning for even the smallest sign that in this terrible extremity we may be reaching out to Him for help. These lessons on faith are doing just that – encouraging us to reach out to our good God, trusting Him. Jesus is teaching us that God will not disappoint one who believes in Him. Who trust Him.
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“Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?””
John 7:31 NLT
We could quote a very large number of miracles Jesus performed, all of which were done by faith. And each one of them carries this important message: Faith is God-appointed way to access divine realities.
“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.”
Matthew 4:23-25 NLT
Besides the lessons on faith, His healings carried the message of God’s kindness and love and mercy. They revealed God’s character more powerfully than a thousand sermons could. They also contained the witness for Jewish leaders that He is their Messiah. These miracles also had an important objective to teach His disciples the use of faith as God’s appointed way by which we receive the gifts of Salvation. He wanted them to know, that when faith is used – what is hoped for turns into substance. It becomes reality. So when we hear the words…
““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NLT
When we hear these words – believing – they become reality. The faith has turned what we believe into substance because God said it would. From that moment the eternal life has begun within. And God gives us the inner witness affirming that it is true.
“All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”
1 John 5:10-12 NLT
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Disciples were to carry forward the mission He started, so Jesus took extra care to teach them the mysteries of faith.
“Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
Mark 11:22-24 NLT
It was a bumpy road for disciples. No doubt the malicious one had something to do with it.
“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”
Matthew 6:30 NLT
“Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?””
Mark 4:40 NLT
“Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?”
Matthew 16:8 NLT
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Jesus taught them that not much faith is needed.
“The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!”
Luke 17:6 NLT
““You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.””
Matthew 17:20 NLT
We either have faith, or we don’t. We either trust God, or we don’t.
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At the end, they have learned this lesson well.
“But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.”
Acts of the Apostles 3:6-8 NLT
“At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.””
Acts of the Apostles 15:7-11 NLT