What's So Amazing About Faith? Matthew 8.

Read Matthew 8 online here.
Faith, according to the Bible, is a pretty important thing. I mean not only are we saved by faith, but the Bible also tells us that we are cleansed by faith, we are justified by faith, we are sanctified by faith, we are to walk by faith, live by faith, fight the good fight of faith, take up the shield of faith, we are to overcome the world by faith, we are to ask in faith and the list goes on. Faith is so important that in the letter to the Hebrews the writer says in chapter 11, verse 6 that without faith it is impossible to please God. And don’t forget the kicker — Romans 14:23 — “whatever is not from faith is sin”. This tells me that pretty much everything about the Christian life is to operate by faith.

As I read Chapter 8 of Matthew I am struck by how we see real people demonstrating real faith. First, it’s the leper who came to Jesus seeking cleansing. Who knows how much he knew about Jesus. It doesn’t say. But he knew enough to believe that Jesus could heal him. Note the leper said to Jesus “if you are willing, you can make me clean.” There was no doubt on the part of the leper. It was up to Jesus to respond, and that is what Jesus did.

In fact, when we look at others in the New Testament who Jesus healed or ministered to in some miraculous fashion, His response was always in the context of responding to people who had placed their faith in Him. That’s what faith is — placing your faith in something. In other words, it’s a disposition toward an object that allows that object to work on your behalf. When you sit in a chair, you are placing your faith in the chair to hold you up. It’s not your faith that’s holding you up, it’s the chair. If you don’t believe me sit down in a chair and then take the chair away. What happens? You crash to the floor — by faith. Likewise, when we come to Jesus, by faith, we are demonstrating that we trust Him to work on our behalf, whether for salvation or for any other need. And when we place our faith in Jesus, Jesus responds. This is good news. Even if I have the faith the size of a mustard seed, Jesus will respond. That is even more good news.

As I place my faith in Jesus and see His response, my faith grows. And while it’s great to feel strong in my faith, what matters most is where I have placed my faith. What have you placed your faith in, or should I say, who have you placed your faith in?

Today's article written by Dan Ferguson.