Our faith is a most interesting subject. Most of us, older people, were those who grew up in a home and a nation that believed in the existence of God. This is not the case now! There are families, starting with the parents, who do not believe in the existence of God. Therefore, we must admit that the world is changing for the worse!
Those of the older generation, first believed in the existence of God and the devil. Before going on, let us put what we believed and what we now believe, in the positive and negative. Just as we believe(d) in God, we also believe(d) in the devil. Second, we believe(d) that the Bible is the inerrant inspirited word of God, as opposed to it being just another book written by men. We believe(d) that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, as opposed to him being just a good man like other good men. Before continuing our list of things, we believe(d) in, let us make the point, that Jesus cannot be a good man while lying to us in his own claim, that he was the only begotten Son of God. As he said to the troubled disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Just as it is natural to believe in God, so it is natural to believe, that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God! Fourth, we believe(d) in heaven and the negative hell. One being more than we can even “dream,” while the other, hell, is far worse that the mind can comprehend. If people understood the torment of hell, they would instantly become a child of God, a Christian! What a thought, a world of believers, Christians! Fifth, once more noting the words of Jesus to his troubled disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:2-3). What a thought! What comforting words to the troubled and misunderstanding disciples! Just think of it for a moment, as Jesus spoke to his very troubled disciples, he was going away but he would not forget his disciples, but he would prepare a place for them. That prepared place waits for all who became a child of God and who live faithful to him! Though Jesus was speaking to those disciples who would be his apostles, the just of the words are for us also! So, we believe(d) in heaven a place beyond our minds to fully comprehend; as we think of its beauty; while on the other hand, there is hell, which is more horrible that the mind can even think! Seventh, we believe(d) that the Christian life is the most blessed life one can live. At the same time, even though those outside of Christ may have more of this world’s goods, and let us say, even if we live in poverty, our life is more blessed than those who love his world and its goods. In moments of trouble and our heart breaks, we still have the promises of God, while those outside of Christ do not. All the good they have and will have are perishing and will totally perish. John wrote this: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). What a difference between those who believe and those who do not believe! Let us now move to the end of the subject. Living within those who believe and those who do not believe; read the words of John once more: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). While on earth, those who believe are preparing their lives for that blessed day when we shall see Jesus as, he now is, and what we shall be like!
There in brief is the difference between a child of God, a Christian and those who do not believe! Even in poverty our hopes look up to the heavens knowing that one day, Jesus will come to receive his own! Paul wrote of our subject in these words: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:14-17). With these words we close our subject of “Our faith.”
No, one more thought as Paul concluded this subject in these words: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (verse18). It is hoped that the reader will benefit at least some!
Frank R. Williams