Focus: Can I Trust You?

Text: Jh.2:24-25

"Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many BELIEVED in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. BUT Jesus did not COMMIT himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man."

God is posing a question to us now, and the question is, 'Can I trust you?' Are you a reliable person? Can God entrust something in your hands and look away, knowing that you will measure up and do a good job?

Our text tells us that many BELIEVED in Jesus Christ when they saw the miraculous power of God in demonstration, but Jesus refused to believe in them. The words BELIEVED and COMMIT are the same in the Greek. It is the word for faith. It simply means to believe or to trust, and by implication to commit oneself to what you believe or trust. The people saw the miracles and believed in Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ Himself did not believe in them. 

All men have the potential to fail because of our fallen nature. God has trust issues with man as long as his depraved nature is concerned. Man has ego problems. Man has flesh problems. Man has appetite problems. Man has heart problems - our "heart is deceitful and desperately wicked," according to Jeremiah. Man's mind is in enmity with God. The list goes on. Those who shouted HOSANNA were also among those who shouted CRUCIFY him. Man is unreliable. Paul knew well his sinful nature not to trust it, for he said, "But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES, but in God which raiseth the dead" (2Cor.1:9). Our sinful nature cannot be trusted because it flops. It gives itself away.

It is only on the basis of spiritual rebirth that God begins to relate with and commit Himself to us. Paul says, "But as we were ALLOWED of God to be put IN TRUST with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which TRIETH our hearts" (1Thes.2:4). 

Because of the new nature of God in us, God has committed the gospel in trust to us, and from the place of trust He tries our hearts - He proves us. God trusts us before testing us, not the other way round.

And mind you, God's testing is different from the devil's testing. When Satan tests us, he wants to take away from us the 'wheat' part of us, leaving only the chaff. But God does the opposite. He takes us through testing to take out of us all that is not of Him and make manifest in us all that good and pleasing in His eyes. He lets the 'wheat' remain and clears out the chaff.

Paul declares, "According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to MY TRUST" (1Tim.1:11). God believes that we can spread the good news of the gospel and He empowers us to do so. Again Paul says, "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because WE TRUST in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (1Tim.4:10). He also said, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom WE TRUST that he will yet deliver us" (2Cor.1:10). Our deliverer is worthy of our trust. As God's trustee, Paul labors and suffers for the gospel because of his trust in God who has entrusted him with the preaching of the gospel. He charges Timothy, "O Timothy, KEEP that which is committed to THY TRUST…" (1Tim.6:20). Value and guard it.

Can God trust you? Let Him know that He can, because of His grace which avails and prevails. Don't disappoint your God! Don't rubbish His trust in you! Be faithful! Don't be part of those who fail God! Let Him be honored in your life and by your faithfulness! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter