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THE WORD "FAITH" AS USED BY JESUS
by glenn coon The word FAITH (Pistis, the noun) is used only 16 times by Jesus. (referring to an unquestioning acceptance of Jesus as our source of help) In eight of these examples the people had great faith, and in the other eight, they did NOT have much faith. Who had little faith - or none? The Jewish leaders,(once) and the disciples! (seven times) Who had great faith? The outcasts among the Jews, and "heathen"! How strange! Those who had the MOST evidence available, had less faith than the outcasts! Does this have any lesson for us?, God's chosen people are described as leaving Jesus outside the door! (Rev 3:20) We have listed below, which person DID have faith, and which did NOT. 1. The man who came through the roof Matt 9:2 Mk 2:5 Lk 5:20 YES "Jesus saw their faith" 2. The sermon on the mount Matt 6:30 Lk 12:28 NO "Oh, ye of little faith" (spoken to the disciples) 3.The Centurion Matt 8:10 Lk 7:9 YES "I have not found so great faith. In Israel" 4.The incurable woman Matt 9:22 Mk 5:34 Lk 8:48 YES "Thy faith hath made thee whole" 5. Stilling the tempest Matt 8:26 Mk 4:40 Lk 8:25 NO "Why are ye fearful, oh ye of little faith" 6. Walking on the water Matt 14:31 NO "Oh thou of little faith,. Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (spoken to Peter) 7. Woman of Syrophoenicia Matt 15:27 Mk 7:28 YES "Great if thy faith" 8. The leaven of the Pharisees Matt 16:8 NO "Oh ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves?" (spoken to disciples) 9. The epileptic boy Matt 17:20 Lk 17:6 NO "Because of your unbelief" (spoken to the disciples) 10.The tenth leper Lk 17:19 YES "Thy faith hath made. Thee whole? 11 .The unjust judge Lk 18:8 YES "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto him..?" 12.The blind beggar Matt 9:29 Mk 10:52 Lk 18:42 YES "Thy faith hath made thee whole" 13.The woman with the perfume Lk 7:50 YES "Thy faith hath saved thee" 14.The fig tree Matt 21:20,21 LK 17:6 NO Disciples marveled, "How soon is the tree withered!" 15.The Pharisees Matt 23:23 NO "Ye have omitted. Judgment, mercy and faith" 16.Peter's denial Luke 22:32 NO (His faith failed) How can we explain the fact that God's chosen leaders had LESS faith than the outcasts or the heathen? Perhaps these words of Jesus are RELATIVE. Those who have received MORE evidence, ought to have more FAITH. (Fewer questions and doubts) If a person who has come to the end of his rope, but has NEVER met Jesus, is willing to stake his last hopes on His love and power, should not you and I, who have had many YEARS of opportunity to know the Lord, be ALSO willing to stake EVERYTHING on the Lord? It bothers me when we, who are supposed to be doing "greater works than Jesus", are so filled with doubts and questions. Rather than doing the work of Jesus - which was to reveal the Father - we often are doing the work of Satan, By telling the world, "The God I serve is rather RELUCTANT to help me. He does not always answer my prayers. In fact, I don't really know when He is going to say 'yes' and when He might say 'no' instead." "The God I serve, does many things that I cannot understand. He often causes me to be angry with Him, because He will not listen and help, when I need it the most! Is THAT the type of God that YOU want to picture? Let's not have 'little faith', as the disciples did. Let's tell the world that our God is: ..EAGER to help in every need. ..a very PRESENT help in trouble. ..who really DOES supply ALL our needs.! Glenn Coon, Jr. was born on Grenada, an exotic island in the Caribbean in 1932. His parents, Glenn & Ethel Coon had been missionaries in the British West Indies, and returned to the United States when Glenn was two years old. He is a retired school teacher and revivalist. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |