Faith In God Church
In truth, the church is not a building or structure, but more the hearts and souls of the faithful that represent the spiritual brick and mortar of a community that Christ named “His Church.” 

TRUST

My message for April is sooner than most months, and mostly due to the very close observations of the Easter Holidays. In this month’s message I’d like to lift your understanding, and application, of the three Fundamentals of Faith to a higher level.  My hopes are that applying a common sense approach to faith becomes clearer to everyone who visits the church site for these messages.
April’s topic is trust. Keeping in the context with this message, the definition of the word trust, as provided by The Free Online Dictionary – by Farlex is defined as:

trust   -  as a noun
1. reliance on and confidence in the truth, worth, reliability, etc., of a person or thing; faith Related 2.
2. custody, charge, or care
3. a person or thing in which confidence or faith is placed

trust   -  as a verb
1. to expect, hope, or suppose
2. to place confidence in (someone to do something); have faith (in); rely (upon)
3. to consign for care
4. to allow (someone to do something) with confidence in his or her good sense or honesty

We can apply trust incorrectly whether by the fact in the noun’s case or by action in the verb’s case. That very misapplied trust can have us concluding the wrong things about the truth of many matters. We can find ourselves questioning and/or criticizing the very foundations we trust.

The tragedy of the World Trade Center resulted in a visible, and audible, display of patriotism and spiritual faith. There were equally as many detractors to be heard by the resounding questions; consistently asked, (How could God let something like this happen? Why doesn’t God intercede?)

Answer(s): Why would He? Why Shouldn’t He? Ok, I know . . . sounds sarcastic, but it is the correct answer to questions that shout with a lack of trust in God’s promise. It also reveals a misplaced trust in what is expected from God; based on a standard God never agreed to. Compare this to what we “are to expect” from God that aligns with His promises to all of us. So before I explain my answer(s) it is important to establish an understanding about certain critical points.

The questions, (How could God let something like this happen? Why doesn’t God intercede?) , are probably the most asked questions where God is concerned followed by what is my purpose? (See March’s Message) It is also mostly asked by those who have very little acceptances of the fundamentals of their faith, or by those whom have misapplied what the fundamentals of faith are supposed to mean. Those who ask these questions are questioning themselves, their beliefs and their own faith . . . not God at all. I hope the explanations I provide here find you in a place where you never have to question your own faith.

First, let’s review how we treat the fundamentals of faith.
One: God Exists. We believe this to be truth and fact.
Two: God Does Not Lie. We trust in His word and rely on it.
Three: Free Will is your choice to believe in God or not to believe in God, nothing else.

Next, here is how we apply them. Belief + Trust = Faith.  Sounds very simple, doesn’t it?
We believe God exists; however believing God exists is not the same as believing in God. Believing in God is our trust that He is in our lives by way of His promises and His protection. Many people believe God exists, but sadly not for them. Once you falter on any one of the fundamentals . . . the remaining fundamentals fall too.  So, the first question, “How could God let something like this happen?” is answered by “Why shouldn’t He?”

It is a fact that we sin against God through our transgressions against each other and/or ourselves. Sadly the truth is that certain transgressions can be horrific in nature, to the degree of tragedy to many by the hands of a few.  It is also a fact that our transgressions are part of the whole sum of the sins of the world; of which its penalties have been purged from our lives by Christ’s sacrifice.

To eradicate one sin from the world, outside of Christ’s sacrifice, directly diminishes His purpose and mission. You would have to rewrite scripture to say, Jesus died for all the sins of the world, except this one – or that one. So, why shouldn’t God let these things happen if only to insure that Christ’s sacrifice is never in vain?

You also need to understand one of the most important aspects of Christ’s sacrifice. By redemption only it is to secure the faithful. By the whole sum of the sins of the world, it is for faithful, those of little faith and those who have no belief at all. Consider that God’s commandants are what establish the code of sinful behavior. When they were issued, there was no clause or disclaimer that identified a certain group to follow the commandments - only. If you believe, God expects you to follow His commandments. If you are not a believer . . . guess what?? – God expects you to follow His commandments!

This makes Christ’s sacrifice an “over and above” act, as all the sins of the world include the transgressions of those who scorn or have no faith in Him or God. Hopefully that will help you to realize a more significant and different measure of sacrifice than you may have in the past. It’s never too late to accept Christ, and the more that do, lightens both His load and theirs.

However this is different than God not interceding. The answer, “Why would He?” applies here because He already has interceded. By reviewing your fundamentals you find that with the third fundamental of faith (Free Will), that God has already interceded through providing us with a choice. If we choose to believe in God, we will choose to do faithful acts. If we choose not to believe in God we will fall short and do faithless acts.  Please remember from my February message that God’s plan is flexible, and can change through our prayer and action, but never change the end goal He intends for His faithful.

We are part of the intercession process by applying the third fundamental of faith correctly. We should always expect more of ourselves when it comes to changing the world, instead of expecting God to do this for us and becoming dissatisfied when He “naturally” doesn’t. Remember, God changes our world through us – and by that vehicle, for us.

So, in truth, those who ask these kinds of questions have a misplaced belief and trust in God, and usually results in a criticism of His intentions or “lack thereof.” Also realize that this is nothing new, as we can look directly back to the Crucifixion and find that this very criticism existed even there.

Remember the two thieves that died with Christ. The one usually noted to Christ's left, who criticizes God and Christ for not intervening and saving them all from the cross and their deaths, I’ll call The Jaded Cross. There is the one usually noted to Christ's right who scolds the criticism of God and Christ, stating that they deserve their punishment, but Jesus - who has done no wrong - does not deserve to be treated this way. In his final words he asks Christ to remember him when He enters His kingdom, with Christ answering that he will be with Jesus in paradise this very day. I’ll call this The Enlightened Cross.

Now let’s lift our understanding and application of the fundamentals of our faith by way of that same Crucifixion.
One: God Exists – He exists on The Salvations Cross. The cross Christ occupies.
Two: God Does Not Lie. God said he would raise Jesus on the third day, as it was He did.
The third and most important fundamental, Free will is your choice to believe in God (The Enlightened Cross – accepting his station and having only an expectation of love and remembrance from Christ – and showing his belief in Him by believing in His kingdom) Or not to believe in God (The Jaded Cross, spiteful and critical of God), nothing else.

By this entire example, understand that during our most horrific times, Christ suffers, pains, cries, aches and dies with us. Bearing the brunt of the pain so we only need endure what is acceptable for us to handle; the very moment we endure it; the same as He did with the two thieves whom He also suffered, pained, cried and died with and for.

TRUST in God’s promise that He is always with us and has made it so, “through Christ,” that we are always with Him.

As Always, May God Agree.