Faith In and For the End Times*

     The first mention of "faith" in scripture is found in Deuteronomy 32:16-20 in the Song of Moses. Moses told of how God's people provoked God to jealousy because they worshipped strange gods with abominations: "They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not...and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them...And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith." The word "faith" used here is the Hebrew word and root emun/aman, meaning "trust, faithfulness/believe, assurance, stand firm."

     The LORD gave a prophetic Word to His prophet, Habakkuk, saying: "...Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry (mahah - tarry, delay, be denied), wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (ahar - be deferred, remain behind, be hindered, be late). Behold, his soul which is lifted up (apal - heedless, presume, be swelled) is not upright in him: but the just (righteous) shall live (haya - life, revive, be restored to life [resurrection]) by faith." (Hab. 2:1-4).

     Faith is essential in God's eyes, as when His Word said, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." The prophet even attributed resurrection life to faith in the verses above.

     Jesus told an account of a widow who came before a judge demanding: "Avenge me of mine adversary." The judge did not regard either God nor man and ignored her repeatedly. After a while, though, he realized that the woman would keep appearing before him with this demand, so in order to get rid of the nuisance, he granted her request. (Lk. 18:1-5).  Jesus then said, "Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith (pistis - trust and holy fervor, strong conviction or belief, have confidence in) on the earth?" (v. 6-8). This is an indictment of our time also. Will Jesus find faith on the earth when He returns? Do we have trust and confidence that God answers the prayers of the righteous, who pray according to 2 Chron. 7:14?

     The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith. He answered them: "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." (Lk. 17:5-6). A mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds there is, but it produces a huge tree. Even faith that small is powerful enough to move creation! Jesus said the same about faith moving mountains (see Mt. 17:20, Mk. 11:23-26). Whether talking about trees or mountains, the same amount of faith is required - faith the size of a mustard seed.

     After this, Jesus entered a village and met ten men who were lepers standing far off. Lepers were considered to be unclean, and not allowed to be near others. They called to Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus saw them and told them to go show themselves to the priests in accordance with the law of Moses. As they went to do so, the lepers found that they had been cleansed of their leprosy. One of the lepers turned back glorifying God and falling down on his face before Jesus. This leper was a Samaritan, a people in an area of Israel that were not considered  to be truly Jewish because of mixed blood and unapproved of religious practices. They were subject to racial contempt. Jesus answered the cleansed Samaritan leper who returned: "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." (Lk. 17:12-19). After this miracle, the Pharisees demanded of Jesus when the kingdom of God should come. (v. 20). The leprous outcasts found the faith to believe for their healing, but the religious elite did not have the faith to recognize the Son of God who was the Kingdom. They were looking for an earthly king to come and rule their nation. Do we have the same mindset today?

     We see several examples of Jesus giving a gentle rebuke to His disciples by saying, "O ye of little faith", when they allow natural circumstances to affect their faith in God with whom nothing is impossible. Jesus brings this rebuke when teaching not to let the cares of daily provision cause worry, but to have faith in God's provision. (see Mt. 6:25-30). We are not to be anxious for things that don't matter as we pray in faith. On another occasion, the disciples were with Christ in a boat on the sea when a great tempest arose with waves overcoming the boat. Jesus was asleep when the disciples woke Him and told Him to save them or they perish. Jesus gave the same gentle rebuke of "O ye of little faith" when He then rebuked the winds and the sea bringing a great calm. His disciples marveled as to Who Jesus was when even the winds and sea obeyed Him. (see Mt. 8:23-27). 

     Jesus had sent His disciples ahead of Him the in a boat after the miracle multiplication of the fish and the loaves. Jesus caught up to them later by walking on the water! Peter, seeing that it was Jesus told Him that he wanted to come to Him on the waves and Jesus bid him to come. Peter began to walk on the water, but when his eyes saw the large waves, he began to fear and to sink. He cried to the Lord to save him, and Jesus reached out His hand and caught Peter. Jesus said to Peter: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" When they came to the ship, the waves calmed and His disciples worshipped Him, saying, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God." (Mt. 14:22-33). Would you have had the faith to try to walk on the water as Peter did?

     Even though they had heard and seen the miracles and signs performed by Jesus, the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, continually challenged Christ to show them a sign from heaven. They were blinded by their religious doctrines, and could not perceive the Son of God before them. Jesus called this "the leaven of the Pharisees, and warned His disciples against this religious leaven that keeps others from faith. The disciples thought Jesus was speaking of bread, but Jesus again brought the rebuke: "O ye of little faith..." (Mt. 16:1-12). There are miraculous signs around us, like the witness of the Shroud of Turin to the suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but people still demand, "Show me the proof", and "Show me a sign." The Church lacks discernment and chooses false doctrines over faith. They choose the will, works and politics of men over the Word and promises of God. Are you ready for Christ's return? Will He find faith in the earth?

     The Book of Hebrews says: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise...we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Heb. 10:35-39, excerpt, Heb. 11:1-3). Faith is the title deed to the promises of God who does not lie. Hebrews then names the elders of our faith who held onto and believed God for His promises to them even when there was none of them yet manifested. For "...without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6). Abel, Noah and Abraham kept their faith in God and His promises to them. Abraham looked by faith for the city whose builder and maker is God, and he believed God's promise of countless descendants even though he and his wife were old and childless. Enoch was directly translated and did not see death because he pleased God. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are named as these elders of faith also. Moses turned away from his Egyptian adoption, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God...Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward...he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." These and many more named all died in faith, "...not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth." (v. 4-26).

     In the exact center of all the verses of the Bible are these verses: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." (Ps. 118:8-9). Where have you placed your confidence and trust? Do you have conviction and trust in the Word of God or the arm of flesh? Shall the Son of man find faith in the earth when He comes?

     *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 11/3/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.