Westside church of Christ - Irving, Texas

I am Bill’s Faith

by Mark Roberts

[Editor’s note: over the last several years we’ve learned about Bill’s heart, conscience, eyes, hands, and much more. All credit for these articles goes to Dee Bowman, who generously let me “piggyback” on his idea and even gave permission to use some of his original articles. This is the last in the series. We say good-bye to Bill today by focusing on the most important part of Bill: his faith. Thanks for reading and for your encouragement. -mdr]

I get Bill up and get him to worship services. I change how he acts when tempted. I am strong but always wish I was stronger. I am so important that sometimes Bill’s entire salvation is ascribed to me. Yet as valuable as I am, I am temporary. Someday I will be dissolved in the presence of the Lord. I am Bill’s faith.

Faith is a term that is not well understood today. People speak of having “faith in faith” or say “just keep on believing” which is all pretty silly. In order for me to have any power I have to be invested in something external, not just pushed back into myself in some endless loop. Genuine faith always reaches out for something to believe in. So Hebrews tells us “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for who- ever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (11:6). Faith is defined as trusting in God’s existence and goodness. That is what Bill has: faith that God is and that God will bless and reward him. Note that I am not blind or stupid. I am “a conviction of things un- seen” (Heb 11:1). This means that even though Bill’s eyes haven’t seen God (no one has), Bill did not will me into existence simply because he thought I’d be handy to have around. Mind looked at and examined evi- dence, pushing and pulling at every conclusion possible with logic and reason. That evidence included the universe, the Bible and even Mind itself. How could such things happen without a Designer? How did Bill get here? What is the most reasonable explanation for this world and for the Scriptures? How could the Scriptures be so perfect and complete if they are purely of human origin? Finally Mind said “I believe there must be a God who created all of this and wrote the Scriptures.” At that moment, I was born.

That means that I am a product of God’s Word, for that is where faith comes from (Romans 10:17). The Word of God tells of this world’s origins and its Originator, makes the claim that it and it alone can shepherd our souls to heaven because it is inspired (2 Tim 3:16-17), and offers profound proofs for these claims. Bill acquired me by reading his Bible and realizing its words were true and must be accepted. Further reading of Scripture resulted in Bill drawing conclusions about Jesus and once again I came into operation. Bill understood that Jesus’ claims must be true: Jesus is God’s Son. There was no other reasonable explanation for Jesus. So again, that doesn’t mean Bill is a dunce or just wanted to believe. Bill had to believe because I am based on real and knowable evidence that Jesus did live, is a real historical person, and that His works and teaching substantiate His claim to be the Messiah and Savior of the world. Bill believes because the evidence compels him to do nothing else. Even if Bill didn’t want me I would still be with him. That is how real faith works.

Of course, my arrival in Bill’s heart didn’t save his soul. James says “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26) showing that James well understood my need to work with Motivation and Conscience to cause Bill to act. So I did. “Since you believe in God, shouldn’t you be seeking that God and trying to find out what He wants you to be and do?” I asked. “If Jesus is God’s Son, and you believe He is, that means He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. What does the King command of you His subject?” I probed. Such questions made Bill uncomfortable. He wanted to think that just having me around meant he was all done in the religious part of life. Some even told Bill he was done, that simply possessing me meant Bill was saved. Such can’t be because only when I work through love am I really useful (Gal 5:6). Thus, as I always do, I demanded action (James 2:24). It wasn’t long till Bill was reading his Bible fervently, learning more all the time. That also meant it wasn’t long till my influence in Bill’s life resulted in Bill learning what God required of him, how to be forgiven of his sins, and how to accept God’s grace, and so Bill was baptized into Christ (Gal 3:27). I dare not boast of my role in this (Eph 2:9; Romans 3:27), but without me Bill never would have done any of it. I not only “kicked off” the process I kept it going through completion.

Now that Bill is a Christian I’m in charge of much of his life. Bill walks by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7) meaning that he trusts God enough to do what God wants him to do even if he doesn’t understand, agree or even want to do that. Faith in God and His Word demands we live in a certain way (see 2 Peter 3:11-12). This means I make the distinctive difference in Bill’s life. Because he believes in God, and the Bible, Bill must live differently. That isn’t a “Sunday morning only” kind of thing. Bill is always different because I am always there reminding him what is at the very core of who he is.

That is how I work - I change Bill from the inside out. This is why it is so important that he seek to strengthen me. Some in the Scriptures are commended for great faith (see Matt 8:10), while others are rebuked for having such faith (Matt 6:30; 8:26). One of the ways Bill can make me stronger is by fighting against my old enemy Doubt. Doubt eats away at me like a kid licking a popsicle on a hot day. Bit by bit I’m gone in no time at all. So Jesus says “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen” (Matthew 21:21). James adds “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8). Bill needs to identify any doubts that are creeping in to his life, whether they come from something he doesn’t under- stand in the Bible or from some media report bashing the Bible. Shine light on Doubt! Interrogate it, explore it, test it and it will disappear and I will be just that much stronger for the experience. Of course, the main way Bill makes me stronger is by reading his Bible. Paul urged this very course on Timothy saying “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15). The Bible shows God as a promise-keeper, and being completely worthy of our trust. Nothing builds me up quite like a big dose of the Scriptures!

I am so important to Bill and Bill’s salvation. Bill wants so much to see Jesus and to live with Him forever in heaven. Of course, when that happens I will disappear and be gone forever. Yet I will rejoice to be traded in for Sight, because my job is to bring Bill to that precious moment of salvation the Gospel promises: “For I am not ashamed of Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Bill believes. Do you?

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Abundant Life: October 2008