“All God Asks Is Trust” — another look at the meaning and
necessity of faith, in the larger setting of the Great Controversy.
There has been a breakdown of trust in God's universe - even to the point of war up in
heaven and continuing misunderstanding and distrust on this planet. There can be no real
and lasting peace in God's family until mutual trust and trustworthiness have been
restored. No wonder all God asks is trust - even of us damaged sinners. For if only we
trusted Him enough to listen, He could readily heal the damage done. God can and will save
all who trust Him.
Bible passages included:
Acts 16:30,31. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,
'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thous shalt be saved.'" (KJV)
"Put your trust in the Lord Jesus..." (NEB)
"Have faith in the Lord Jesus ..." (Berkeley)
Hebrews 11:1. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen." (KJV)
"Now faith is the title-deed of things hoped for..." (Montgomery)
"Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we
do not see." (Moffatt)
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not
see." (NIV)
Hebrews 10:35-39. "Don't throw away your trust now- it carries
with it a rich reward. Patient endurance is what you need if, after doing God's will, you
are to receive what he has promised. For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall
come, and shall not tarry. But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrink
back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. Surely we are not going to be men who cower back
and are lost, but men who maintain their faith for the salvation of their souls! (Phillips)
John 17:3. "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (RSV)
Exodus 33: 11 and 17. "The Lord would speak to Moses face to
face, as a man speaks with his friend... And the Lord said to Moses,'I will do the very
thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."' (NIV)
Romans 10: 17. "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is
heard comes by the preaching of Christ" (RSV)
Psalm 51:6, 10, 16, 17. "Behold, thou desirest truth in the
inward being: therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart... Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and put a.new and right spirit within me... For thou hast no delight in sacrifice;
were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to
God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (RSV)
Hosea 6:6 and 7. "It is true love that I have wanted, not
sacrifice; the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. But they, like Adam have
broken their agreement; again and again they have played me false." (Phillips)
John 3:3. "Jesus answered him,'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" (RSV)
James 2:14, 19, 21-23. "My brothers, what use is it for a man to
say he has faith when he does nothing to show it? Can that faith save him?... You have
faith enough to believe that there is one God. Excellent! The devils have faith like that,
and it makes them tremble... Was it not by his action in offering his son Isaac upon the
altar, that our father Abraham was justified? Surely you can see that faith was at work in
his actions, and that by these actions the integrity of his faith was fully proved. Here
was fulfilment of the words of Scripture: 'Abraham put his faith in God, and that faith
was counted to him as righteousness'; and elsewhere he is called 'God's friend'." (NEB)
Hebrews 11:31, 32, 39. "By faith the prostitute Rahab escaped the
doom of the unbelievers, because she had given the spies a kindly welcome. Need I say
more? Time is too short for me to tell the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah,
of David and Samuel and the prophets... These also, one and all are commemorated for their
faith." (NEB)
Luke 23:42 and 43. "And he Said, 'Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom.' And he said to him,...'You will be with me in Paradise.'" (RSV)
One way of describing faith:
Faith is a word we use to describe a relationship with God as with a Person well known.
The better we know Him the better the relationship may be.
Faith implies an attitude toward God of love, trust, and deepest admiration. It means
having enough confidence in God - based on the more than adequate evidence revealed - to
be willing to believe what He says, to accept what He offers, and to do what He wishes -
without reservation - for the rest of eternity. Anyone who has such faith would be
perfectly safe to save. This is why faith is the only requirement for heaven.
Faith also means that, like Abraham and Moses, we know God well enough to reverently
ask Him, Why?
©1984 Graham Maxwell
Conversations About God Index
Back to Top | Pine Knoll
Home Page
