Restoration Ministries

“Faith” – Charlene Cox

2 Peter 1:1-2  “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” (KJV) 

Like precious faith, faith that has been obtained “with us” through the righteousness of God and Jesus. A certain kind of faith; the like or same, identical faith, and it is precious. Evidently not everyone has this faith. How do we find out what it is, what the word “faith” even means? Since this meditation is on the WORD of God, the Bible, let’s look at what the Bible says about it. The book of Hebrews says in chapter 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (KJV)

Faith is a substance. How can such an ethereal concept be a substance? Being that it is in the WORD, it must be true. But it necessarily invites some exploration. Faith. Faith. Faith. Where does it come from? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (KJV) We get faith by hearing. If we want faith in God, we have to hear His WORD.

The key is in hearing. If we hear something else, such as, “You’re stupid. You’re a loser. You will never amount to anything,” we will begin to believe it. If we hear constant criticism of a person, a situation, a government, we will begin to believe it. If we hear enough of it, it will take a lot of hearing the opposite to change our minds.

Our belief system is constantly challenged. It takes a lot of hearing to be able to stand up to any such challenge. Simon Peter and the people he is writing to have developed some powerful faith. The very fact that we have this letter tells us that our faith must be built up by hearing what he has to say. The letter from St. Jude also says in verses 20-21, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (KJV) The people back in these apostles’ day didn’t have the Bible as we know it. They had to have such great teachers who could encourage them by direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Thank God for His WORD! We have everything they had right here in our two hands! We have the full account of what God Himself wants us to hear in order to share in this “like precious faith!” But faith is more than a concept. It is a substance. Back in Hebrews it says this is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Evidence. An evidentiary substance that convinces us that the things we hope for, or expect, will happen to such an extent that we can act as though they have already happened.

Like what? Like the fact that we have a loving heavenly Father. We have a Saviour and a Lord in Jesus Christ. Like we have been forgiven and set free from all our sins! Like we are born again of water and the Spirit. If we need faith in these things and many others as evidence of the love of God and a future of glory in heaven, we have to keep hearing these things. This faith is the substance, the evidence, and, according to Second Peter 1, the foundation upon which we build all the other things we need for a life of love and godliness.

Thank You, gracious Father, glorious Lord Jesus, mighty Holy Spirit, for the gift of faith. Thank You for Your WORD. Thank You for the outpouring of Your grace to keep us and build us up in this most holy Faith. Amen.