Focus: Evident Faith

Text: Mk.2:5

"When Jesus SAW their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Real faith can be felt, seen and touched. Real faith is more than going to church, singing and dancing in church, believing and saying the right things, and trying to be pious. Yes, real faith is more than right belief and behavior! Jesus says, "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find SO DOING," and in Luke, He says, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find FAITH ON THE EARTH?" (Mt.24:46; Lk.18:8). 

So you can see DOING and FAITH connected to His coming. Faith is expressed and demonstrated through doing. Faith is action-oriented. Faith is active. Faith is industrious. Faith is energetic and enterprising. Faith is into doing. Faith is more than a hearer; it is a doer. It does whatever God commands. Faith obeys divine order. Faith not only worships and walks; it also works and witnesses. Real faith is venturesome. Faith takes care of God's business. Faith is marked by its fire and fruit. Real faith doesn't loaf about; it labors. Paul writes to the church in Thessaloniki, and says, "Remembering without ceasing YOUR WORK OF FAITH, and LABOUR OF LOVE, and PATIENCE OF HOPE…" (1Thes.1:3). 

Faith does not only believe; it achieves. It leaves behind a track record of evidence. Real faith never hides and it is never idle.

Four friends did all in their power to bring their paralytic friend to Jesus. They even went as far as tearing down the roof of someone's house to get their friend to the very spot where Jesus was, and Mark tell us, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy…" Their action was activated and prompted by faith. Theirs was not a faith that crosses legs and folds hands while waiting for a big flash in the frying pan. Their faith resulted in Jesus forgiving the man's sins and delivering him from the paralysis.

Real faith makes earnest and serious effort. It takes the bull by the horns. Like Esther, it says, 'I am going to the king. If I perish, I perish.' Real faith makes sacrifices and takes risky steps. If your faith can't be seen by Christ and others, then there's something wrong with it or it doesn't exist at all.

A cripple heard Paul preach, and as he listened with rapt attention to the word of God, Paul perceived that the man had faith to be healed, and miraculously God delivered him through the hands of Paul (Act.14:9). The Greek word used for "perceiving" means 'to see vividly.' The cripple's faith was noticeable. Paul could feel, see and hold it. His faith was evident to Paul. Seeing his faith, Paul commanded him with a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked" (Act.14:10). Paul was inspired and stirred up by the man's faith. God rewarded his faith with a miracle of healing. He went home from church on brand new legs. Glory to God!!!

Now let's read of Stephen, "And Stephen, FULL of faith and power, DID great wonders and miracles among the people" (Act.6:8). O Lord, help us! Stephen was full of faith and power, and he performed great wonders and miracles among the people. By faith we receive miracles, and by faith also we work miracles.

Let your faith go beyond the surface. Catch the fire of faith and let the fruit of faith become evident in your life. James says, "Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (Jam.2:18). Faith is showable and provable. Wherever faith is and works, you will find plenty proof. Christianity is evidence based faith.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter