IMPERFECT FAITH AND THE LAW OF FAITH’S DEVELOPMENT
By Roderick S. Owen
The Source of Faith — Its Development in Abraham — God’s Recognition of Undeveloped Faith — The Small Seed of Living Faith Will Grow This is the first of several articles by Elder Owen on the experiences of Abraham that developed his faith. Each article presents some phase of the trials and struggles of the “father of the faithful,” and will be well worth reading, whether you can have the entire series or not. Elder Owen is one of our most experienced and best known Bible teachers. What he has given us is from the viewpoint of many years of successful service. Editor. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Faith is the gift of God. It is one of the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are bestowed upon man to be used to the glory of the Giver. God will bestow them to the extent that the recipient will thus use them. The law of healthful growth is the law of proper exercise. The apostle Paul said to the believers in Thessalonica, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, . . . because that your faith groweth exceedingly.” The severe persecutions and trials through which that church was passing, brought their faith constantly into exercise; hence its growth. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4. God made Abraham a promise that in his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed. The fulfilment of this promise had been delayed. Abraham had no child; and in the natural course of events, he could hope for none. He had just about settled down to the idea that a faithful servant born in his own house must be the promised heir. His faith in God, stimulated by his sympathy for the captives, had recently enabled him to defeat a triumphant army laden with spoils, whose invasion the combined force of five kings had not been able to check. But well he knew that his victory would arouse a desire for revenge on the part of those mighty northern nations which the defeated army represented, and that there might come at any time, sweeping down from the populous centers about his old home, an army to overspread the land, like the rushing of the waters of a mighty river. The future seemed dark, and shadows foreboding evil swept over his soul. In the midst of his perplexity, God spoke to him in a vision of the night, saying, “Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Gen. 15:1. BROUGHT HIS PERPLEXITY TO GOD
Then Abraham appealed to God, reminding Him once more of His promise, saying: “Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? . . . To me Thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.” God then assured him that this was not to be the case, but that He would give him a son, the child of promise. Then, leading him out upon the plains of Mamre, He invited him to look toward the sparkling, star-bestudded sky, saying, “Tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: . . . so shall thy seed be.” And Abraham believed in the Lord, and God counted it to him for righteousness. EXCHANGING THE CONFIDENCE IN SELF
One of the most important steps in the development of perfect faith, is to exchange the confidence we have in self, for confidence in the Lord. Abraham believed in the Lord; and just to the extent that we recognize our own weakness and inability, just to that extent can God’s strength be made perfect in our weakness. Just as God permitted the mind of Abraham to think of the vast army that could be raised in the densely populated center from which all nations sprang, thus leading him to sense his own weakness, so God permits us at times to experience the force of the enemy, in order that we may realize our inability to cope with the powers of darkness, and thus be led to hide ourselves in Him, that our weakness may be entirely covered from the enemy in the strength of our defense. Although Abraham believed in the Lord, his faith was not perfect; for he immediately asked God to give some sign, additional evidence, by which he might know that the promise would be fulfilled. Perfect faith never asks for added proof.— Yet, Abraham’s faith in that embryo state, imperfect as it was, God accepted, and accounted him righteous. So God deals with all sinners whose faith reaches out toward Him; justifying them freely by His grace, before they have faith enough in Him to overcome their own weaknesses by His power. And this He does because He knows that our faith in Him can not go beyond our knowledge of Him. MUST HAVE TESTING EXPERIENCES
Hence He must allow us to have experiences which will increase our knowledge of Him, in order that our faith may grow in Him. Thus God accepted the faith of Israel in Egypt before they knew that He could divide the Red Sea; before they knew that He could sweeten the bitter waters; before they knew that He could spread a table for them in the wilderness, giving them manna from heaven, and bringing water from the rock. Thus God accepted Rahab’s faith when she knew so little about God that she thought it was necessary for her to lie in order to preserve the lives of God’s servants. Thus He accepts us, and throws over us the mantle of His righteousness, to hide all our deformity; and this expression of His love toward us becomes a revelation of His character to us, which furnishes a firm foundation for the future growth of our faith in Him. O, how His love, coming to us in copious showers of grace, waters our faith, and causes it to spring up like willows by the watercourses! THE LIVING GRAIN OF FAITH
Yes, Abraham had faith in God. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed”—living grain; not a grain of sand, lifeless grain. Abraham’s faith may have been as small as a mustard seed; but it had life in it, and life must find expression in exercise, and exercise results in growth. So his faith was expressed in works of faith. But works of faith in God are works of obedience to God; for to do as God says, is the strongest possible expression of faith in Him. STRONGEST EXPRESSION OF DISTRUST
On the other hand, to refuse to do as He bids us, is the strongest possible expression of distrust in Him; but any act of compliance with God’s requirements which is not an expression of our confidence in Him, is not true obedience, because in such cases we are prompted to act by some other motive. Perhaps it is because we see that this is best for us, and we would not do it if we were not so convinced. If that be the case, then we are not obeying God, but are obeying the dictates of our own judgment, and are idolaters, for we are exalting our judgment above God. The apostle says, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin;” because every act which has in it no expression of confidence in God, has in it a vein of idolatry. Many an act which in the eyes of the world is called benevolent, is idolatrous; for the chief desire of the one doing it, is to get a good name or to advance his selfish interests. But every act of obedience to God’s requirements which we are moved to do because we have confidence in Him; is an act of faith; and such works performed, give faith exercise; and this exercise causes faith to grow; and this growth continued, will develop perfection; for “faith worketh patience.” “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3, 4.