Faith in faith

I believe that there are many preachers today who preach a gospel of faith It’s like the preaching of the "secret," that all we need is to do is believe and it will be done.

Bob Hunter, in his CHRISTIANITY STILL IN CRISIS: A WORD OF FAITH UPDATE, says, "These modern‐day prophets of health and wealth believe that people can speak things into existence, thwart God’s plans, and purchase salvation; that money is the root of all happiness; that Christians are not sinners; and that Jesus did not come into the world as God. Rather than saying to Christ, ‘Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory,’ today’s self‐absorbed brand of Christianity insists that ours is the kingdom and that we have all the power and the glory. Another gospel clearly is being preached in many of today’s most prominent churches, and the prevention of its propagation demands our utmost attention.”

I experienced this mind-set personally about 12 years ago, when I started out as a school principal. The "I, me, myself, I believe" faith has brought me so much heartache, disappointments, etc. It was like an obsession to believe in what I want to believe, that it was up to me to believe in God. Like it was my fault if I have failed! My theology was so screwed up that I believed I can "speak" things into existence, using Jesus’ Name as a magic word, I guess you get the picture.

Of course, God — being God — did not allow me to continue going into this kind of hyper faith. He humbled me and opened my eyes to Scripture ...

Scripture clearly teaches us not to labor for earthly goods. Matthew 6:19–20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Scripture promises that trials will come “so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet. 1:7).


Bob Hunter further says, "There is a tendency in the church today to downplay the importance of doctrine. Scripture, however, places a great deal of emphasis not only on doctrine, but correct doctrine. Paul urged Timothy to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16). He did this because “the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3)."

Let’s put our faith in God.. not because of what He can do for us.. but to glorify Him. Let us live our lives not for ourselves, for Him!