Last year, our pastor preached a number of sermons on the subject of faith. This was a particular blessing to me because the subject of faith is a crucial component of and is strikingly evident throughout so many doctrines and principles to which we as Christians cling. He brought sermons detailing faith regarding salvation, faith through overcoming trials, and faith to please God. Hebrews 11:6 is an incredibly well-known verse which familiarly states, But 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.
One point I found particularly interesting was having faith to obey. Our pastor said something to the effect of, “You must have faith to obey even if you do not know how it is going to work out.” The thought of faith and, more prominently, obedience have been in the forefront of my mind lately. God hates disobedience because it is proof that we do not believe Him. This truth magnified itself to me upon reading the following passage of Scripture.
I Kings 12:26-30 says, And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin:… This passage of Scripture is so sad because in chapter 11, the prophet of God, Ahijah, brought the Word of God to Jeroboam saying, And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
Jeroboam did not acquire the kingdom on his own. He did not win it through battle. God took the kingdom from Solomon’s son because Solomon allowed his wives to turn his heart from wholly following God. God then promised Jeroboam that He would establish his kingdom, establish his family, be with him, and leave Israel in his hands and in the hands of his family so long as Jeroboam obeyed God. It is so sad that Jeroboam’s entire family and future was destroyed because of one reason. He did not believe God would keep His Word.
How many times do we worry and fret and even make terrible decisions simply because we do not believe God will keep His Word? Jeroboam eventually led his entire family and an entire nation away from God simply because he did not believe God.
There are so many promises God gives to us in the Word of God: He will deliver us through salvation; He will bless our lives through obedience; He will never leave us; He will help us bear our burdens; He will never give us more to bear than we are able; as well as a host of other promises. A joy-filled life is ensured when we daily cling to God’s promises in faith.
by Bethany French
