Say, “I believe!” “I believe!”
Say it again, “I believe!” “I believe!”
“What do you believe?” “I’m not sure, but I believe!”
Sounds corny? It was meant to be.
I start off this way to illustrate how we Christians often stress the need to have faith without little regard to the content of our faith. I come across this mindset now and then that basically says, “It is not important what you believe as long as you believe it passionately.”
Did you know that kind of “faith” can actually be harmful? For example, faith without discernment will lead to disaster. It is reckless, superstitious and pointless.
At work, I love to test this theory. I will say, “It’s been a quiet day so far.” Almost immediately the response I get is: “Shhhhh. Don’t jinks it!” Or, someone will knock on wood!
Superstitious faith will go to two extremes: At one end it looks within -- —relying on feelings, inner voices, fantasy, or subjective sensations.
Have you ever heard someone repeat often the phrase, “God told me?” Never mind the results are often less than desirable and the outcome makes God appear that He does not know what He is doing. But hey, “God told me.”
At the other end is faith that relies and hopes on some external human authority—the teachings of a favored leader, religious tradition, ecclesiastical dogma, or some other public figure that has many degrees after his name.
In the context of Christianity, the first superstitious side of faith can be seen in some in the Charismatic Movement. Feelings, emotions, visions, dreams, all tend to point toward a faith that is reckless and void of truth.
When someone tells me, “I prayed and this is what God told me,” and what I hear sounds bizarre or contradictory, I understand how the person (because I know the person) arrived at his or her conclusion.
When they prayed, they prayed in tongues (gibberish). In praying nothing, God received nothing. Thus, no answer was given. Because the praying in tongue person is already prone to mysticism (replying on inner urges, sensations and feelings), they hear from their inner self what they want and conclude, “God told me!” This is a reckless kind of faith and void of true meaning.
For faith to be a tool that God delights in and uses, faith must have the RIGHT OBJECT – Jesus! After all, He said, “I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life” (John 14:6).
Second, not only should our faith be in the person of Jesus, who is the personification of truth, but it must also be in the Word of God, the precepts of truth. We are also told that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
Having the right object for your faith is a key to avoid reckless and superstitious faith. If the object of your faith is you – all your feelings and personal intuitions, or in man or some man centered tradition (like Roman Catholicism), it will lead you down the wrong path and the outcome will be very different from the path of the Scriptures.
Now listen carefully. Jesus gave to us a vivid warning. He said, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they will render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37).
The word “idle” means, “useless.” If God is going to hold me accountable for the things I SAY, then I want to begin by being accountable for the things I PRAY!
If I should be concerned for the words I say to others that I will one day give an account for, then how much more should I become concerned for the words I pray to God?
I cannot be accountable to for my words unless I understand what is pouring forth from my lips. I cannot make any course correction in my praying for something I am in complete ignorance of.
“But Pastor Rich, I sincerely believe that I am praying an angelic language that God hears and understand, even though it is gibberish. I really and sincerely believe this!”
I know. So also did I at one time. My mystical faith turned reckless. Daily I looked for inner promptings, mystical feelings, and superstitious forms to support my walk with God.
God led me to rethink Hebrews 11:6 – “For without faith, it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God (the object of truth), must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Coming to God and pleasing Him cannot occur unless our faith is in God and Him alone. Anything less than this is a reckless and dangerous kind of faith which will lead you down the wrong path.
Say it again, “I believe!” “I believe!”
“What do you believe?” “I’m not sure, but I believe!”
Sounds corny? It was meant to be.
I start off this way to illustrate how we Christians often stress the need to have faith without little regard to the content of our faith. I come across this mindset now and then that basically says, “It is not important what you believe as long as you believe it passionately.”
Did you know that kind of “faith” can actually be harmful? For example, faith without discernment will lead to disaster. It is reckless, superstitious and pointless.
At work, I love to test this theory. I will say, “It’s been a quiet day so far.” Almost immediately the response I get is: “Shhhhh. Don’t jinks it!” Or, someone will knock on wood!
Superstitious faith will go to two extremes: At one end it looks within -- —relying on feelings, inner voices, fantasy, or subjective sensations.
Have you ever heard someone repeat often the phrase, “God told me?” Never mind the results are often less than desirable and the outcome makes God appear that He does not know what He is doing. But hey, “God told me.”
At the other end is faith that relies and hopes on some external human authority—the teachings of a favored leader, religious tradition, ecclesiastical dogma, or some other public figure that has many degrees after his name.
In the context of Christianity, the first superstitious side of faith can be seen in some in the Charismatic Movement. Feelings, emotions, visions, dreams, all tend to point toward a faith that is reckless and void of truth.
When someone tells me, “I prayed and this is what God told me,” and what I hear sounds bizarre or contradictory, I understand how the person (because I know the person) arrived at his or her conclusion.
When they prayed, they prayed in tongues (gibberish). In praying nothing, God received nothing. Thus, no answer was given. Because the praying in tongue person is already prone to mysticism (replying on inner urges, sensations and feelings), they hear from their inner self what they want and conclude, “God told me!” This is a reckless kind of faith and void of true meaning.
For faith to be a tool that God delights in and uses, faith must have the RIGHT OBJECT – Jesus! After all, He said, “I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life” (John 14:6).
Second, not only should our faith be in the person of Jesus, who is the personification of truth, but it must also be in the Word of God, the precepts of truth. We are also told that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
Having the right object for your faith is a key to avoid reckless and superstitious faith. If the object of your faith is you – all your feelings and personal intuitions, or in man or some man centered tradition (like Roman Catholicism), it will lead you down the wrong path and the outcome will be very different from the path of the Scriptures.
Now listen carefully. Jesus gave to us a vivid warning. He said, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they will render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37).
The word “idle” means, “useless.” If God is going to hold me accountable for the things I SAY, then I want to begin by being accountable for the things I PRAY!
If I should be concerned for the words I say to others that I will one day give an account for, then how much more should I become concerned for the words I pray to God?
I cannot be accountable to for my words unless I understand what is pouring forth from my lips. I cannot make any course correction in my praying for something I am in complete ignorance of.
“But Pastor Rich, I sincerely believe that I am praying an angelic language that God hears and understand, even though it is gibberish. I really and sincerely believe this!”
I know. So also did I at one time. My mystical faith turned reckless. Daily I looked for inner promptings, mystical feelings, and superstitious forms to support my walk with God.
God led me to rethink Hebrews 11:6 – “For without faith, it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God (the object of truth), must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Coming to God and pleasing Him cannot occur unless our faith is in God and Him alone. Anything less than this is a reckless and dangerous kind of faith which will lead you down the wrong path.
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