What Faith Isn't
Faith is one of those words that is used for a lot of context, a lot of discussions, and even a lot of wildly different meanings.
Those of us who are hanging with Jesus have a general usage for faith. Faith in The Lord. But what does that faith look like day to day, when it comes to taking serious life altering actions?
As the years have marched past me and my prayers to The Lord for understanding have come back down to me I have learned something.
Faith is not simplistic, and it's absolutely not the same decisions for every situation.
If you look back in history there were periods of "faith" where the Church forced more and more people to "be baptized" or "to be in the faith". They used force to convert people to "follow Jesus". Which it's important to note is quite literally impossible.
Aggression is not "faith". Yet at the same time The Lord was good, and right, and just to tell his people to wage war and kill an entire city. So aggression is neither the way, nor is it not the way.
Similarly you will absolutely hear some Christians take the "Let The Lord sort it out. We should not take action." or the "If The Lord wills it, so be it." way some people justify their pacificism. Yet again The Lord himself told his people to take action, war action even. Which is The Lord commanding his people to quite literally do the opposite of pacificism...
Now I would like to take a moment to clarify. This is regarding community, society, country. This does not negate The Lord putting a calling on a singular, specific person with a name. A person's calling is unique to them, which can be separate or even opposite of what The Lord is calling the masses of people to. You can be a teacher in a war. You can be a clarion call to pacify during a period of aggression.
So as a community, as a culture, as a country what is the right answer?
Well, what does The Lord himself say? Let's look:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV
- For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ECC.3.1-8.ESV
Right there in The Word we have The Lord's opinion on the matter.
- "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven"
- "a time for war, and a time for peace."
Which implies that aggression is sometimes right.
Which implies that pacificism is sometimes right.
If war AND peace are both part of the seasons of creation then if you are ONLY supporting one of those all the time, you are not obedient to The Lord. We as Christian's have to be "ok" with both war and peace. Each in their own seasons. Now we can all prefer one and hope for one. But to only support, only tolerate, only stomach one of them is to say you are morally superior to The Lord.
So bringing us full circle back around to "faith".
Faith is:
- Obeying The Lord.
- Not being aggressive all the time.
- Not being passive all the time.
Faith is listening to The Lord, The Bible, The Holy Spirit and doing what He says in that moment. Because The Lord has the correct course of action for us if we ask him.
Perhaps this situation is time to be aggressive, maybe even violent. Like when the robber comes into your home to hurt your wife. Violence is the correct, righteous and just response. (unless The Lord says otherwise in that moment because he has a mission for you)
Because not protecting your wife is to hate her. Because not protecting your wife is to hate The Lord who gave you His daughter as a wonderful gift in your life.
Or perhaps this situation is time be calm and passive. Like when tempers are flaring and responding to the disrespect with aggression will only make things worse.
Sometimes peace is the correct choice. Sometimes war.
But remember there is a time for all things under Heaven.
Which means the peace you choose today, because it's a time for peace, will be followed someday later with a choice to war because there is a time for war under Heaven as well.
Peace cannot last forever, on this side of Heaven. It is always followed by war.
War cannot last forever, on this side of Heaven. It is always followed by peace.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven