This is the question I will focus on today as we try and understand this simple 14 word statement spoken by our Lord Jesus to those gathered around him as he walked through Samaria and Galilee. The Pharisees were always following along as they tried to believe and yet not able to comprehend who he really was.
In verse 8 we read these words, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth”? (KJV) Jesus was an expert at using sentences out of nowhere to stun those who were not listening to him as they heard his words.
This 14 word sentence seemingly has no relevance on what Jesus was talking about in context. He just throws it out to them to shock them into listening. But just what did our Lord mean by this statement? He always chose his words carefully, they were cloaked but not completely hidden to those who were listening with their hearts.
But before I answer that question, let’s ask ourselves what kind of faith was Jesus talking about? Human beings are by their very nature people of faith! We just don’t recognize it as faith. What? Let me give you an example, when you drive your car across a bridge you are exercising extreme faith in the engineering and construction of that bridge to hold your vehicle, plus all the others that may be on it with you to not fail and collapse.
Jesus was not talking about this kind of natural faith that everyone possesses, but about the persistence faith of a believer. God has given to everyone this type of faith to believe in Him, but it is up to us to activate it when we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We must trust God to do what He says He will do in His word.
We as humans cannot live without faith in the unseen realm we know is out there. Some people call themselves atheists, but it is only a weak attempt to convince themselves and others that God is not real. A real atheist is someone who is so convinced that there is no God, then it matters not to them that others choose to believe in one. Those who try to impose their belief in no God are just agnostic, they are not truly convinced of their own beliefs.
Now to answer this question Jesus has asked, “when he returns, will he find faith on the earth?” This was a terrible thing for him to say, but as you look around your own area of this world do you see faith in action? Not the weak human, ordinary type of faith, but, the living, trusting, persistent type of faith that this widow had, a faith that would dare to trouble a king that was full of himself, to protect her rights.
Romans 14:23 tells us “ for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Very strong words that tells us that we must life by faith in our God to watch over us, even in spite of our human limitations. This life of faith we all must live is seen by God 24/7. In Hebrews 10:38 it says “that the just shall live by faith.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:7 it informs us “that we walk by faith, not by sight.” So faith in our unseen God is to be our normal walk of life.
Do we do it consistently? Of course not! But it to be our goal in this race we are in. Keeping our eyes set on Him to watch over His word and preform it. Our world is set on destroying itself and we as Christians are the only force that is preventing that. We are the salt, (Matthew 5:13), and salt is a seasoning and preservative, so if it loses its saltiness then it’s worthless. The modern church organization is losing its saltiness, its leaders are trying to be PC and not BC. (Biblically Correct)
Jesus knew this would be the result of the end times world view. Even Christians are becoming increasingly worldly in their thinking because we do not spend time in the Word of God daily. Our smart phone, laptops, tablets, have taken over our thought processes. This leads us away from Gods view to man’s view. Fear, doubt, and despair takes root in each of us and we don’t understand why?
Brethren this ought not to be, but Jesus knew it would become the normal way of life! This is why he asked the question, would he find faith on the earth? He is coming soon, never doubt that. Our main concern is to live a life of overcoming faith. Practicing it until we see it with our eyes of faith and it becomes more real than the physical reality around us that we see.
Spend more time reading your Bible, less time on FB, and google. Live a life of prayer, just talking to God as if he’s right there by you. (Spoiler, He really is you know.) Prayer is just a conversation with God. But it takes exercising faith until it becomes your new normal. We are all, as Christians, in a long distance race of life and we all will finish it sometime in our future. Remember you will make it, just don’t give up.
I will close this letter for now and please don’t be hard on yourself, remember condemnation is not for a believer who trust God. We are already forgiven, just tell Him you blew it and get back in the race of an overcoming life of persistent faith in God. I love you all . But God loves us more than we can ever know on this earth.
See you next time, as we study Gods word together.
In His Service As Kilted Priest
The Kilted Priest 