“Faith” is a word that is often thrown around haphazardly. I would like to challenge you to consider what you “desire” most from your faith, and can the “object” of your faith give you it’s desired outcome.
In addition, is the desired outcome of your faith the most important thing?
Also, is there a solid basis for the object of your faith?
For example; let’s say someone answers the first question with, “The desired outcome of my faith is good health?”
You ask, why is that? They answer, “Because I was diagnosed with a terminal disease and now I have a clean bill of health after being given 2 months to live.”
You then reply, “Wow! That is amazing! What or who do you put this faith in?”
And they answer, “Butterfinger Candy Bars.”
Surprised and confused you say, “What!?”
“Yep, I was diagnosed and a friend told me, if you eat 5 Butterfingers every day, you will be healed. So I did and 4 weeks later when I went back to the doctor the disease was gone.”
What they did not know, and what doctor didn’t know is that the original diagnosis was inaccurate; they never had the disease.
As silly as trusting in Butterfingers for good health is, you will not convince them otherwise because in their mind the Butterfingers healed them, and further more, the one that told them to eat 5 Butterfingers a day is now who they trust for all their health advise and even their “spiritual” counsel, although they have no real track record of authority or success.
Beyond the silliness of the Butterfinger protocol, there are much bigger issues with this thought process.
The premise of the most important “desired” outcome of faith illogical. We often see a misplaced “desired outcome”:
- Material Success
- Worldly Accomplishments
- Sobriety
- Happiness
- Good Health
Can God give these things? Yes.
Should that be the most desired outcome of our faith? NO!
The desired outcome of our faith should be the salvation of our soul. (1Peter 1:9)
1Peter 1:9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
All the success, accomplishments, sobriety, happiness, and good health in the world will not mean a thing if a man dies and his soul is condemned forever.
If a man does not know his eternal soul is in danger, that does not make the condemnation of his soul any less dreadful.
WE MUST WARN!
The “Butterfinger Preacher” does not have any authority to speak Truth, because he does not know the Truth. The life and message of the coming Messiah was foretold in Old Testament Scripture. All prophecies of the Scriptures were fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. He performed signs and wonders to show HIs authority. He rose from the dead and proved it by showing Himself to over 500 people over 40 days.
So this begs the question, do you want to know what His message was/is?
His message is, you need to be concerned for your eternal soul, it is under the threat of eternal condemnation.
It is interesting to consider that a doctor can unknowingly misdiagnose a person with a terminal disease and we will blindly follow their instruction in an attempt to prolong our life; yet we will put no, or very little effort, into researching the Authority of God’s Word, the warning of His Word, and the Way of Salvation therein.
If you are concerned; ask what the jailer from of Acts 16 did, “what must I do to be saved?”
Seek the Truth, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
