Where Standeth Your Faith?

by Glendol McClure

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5).

In our text, the very words of the 5th verse indicate that the faith of every accountable being is based in one of two positions – man’s “wisdom” or “the power of God.” I ask then, where does your faith stand? Is it based on the truth of God, or mans’ think-so’s and doctrine, or even your own thinking?

The fact that the Apostle Paul mentioned the location or basis of one’s faith makes this a most important subject! Further, he states where our faith should stand! If your faith is in man’s “wisdom” or your own thinking, then this is not Bible faith, but a pseudo-faith; a faith which promises nothing. The Hebrew writer wrote, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:23). Hence, we can rely on God’s promises to all – the promises of reward to the believing and the promise of punishment to the unbelieving (II Thessalonians 1:7-10).

Faith Defined

But what is faith? The word faith is rendered from the Greek word pistis and is defined by W. E. Vine in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words as, “firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing … used in the New Testament always of faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual” (page 411). Vine goes on to say that the word pistis (faith) is used of trust, and he cites our text, I Corinthians. 2:5. Hence, faith is trust in God’s word, just as the Apostle Paul declared when he wrote, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Man Needs Divine Direction

The Bible explicitly teaches that man cannot direct himself and needs direction. Who better to give that direction than God our creator. The wisdom writer wrote, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). The prophet Jeremiah declared man’s need for Godly direction when he wrote, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Isaiah declared, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Therefore, man’s need for Divine direction is most evidently affirmed in the scriptures (cf. Psalms 22:19; 25:9; 31:3; 32:8; 73:24; 119:105, 130; Romans 15:4; I Timothy 4:12-16; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:3-11).

What Does Bible Faith Require?

Bible faith requires hearing – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). The Jews on Pentecost were pricked in the heart and said, “what shall we do” after they heard (verse 37) the Gospel preached by Peter and the apostles (Acts 2:22-38). The Samaritans believed and obeyed the Gospel after giving “heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 8:6). The Eunuch heard Phillip preach Christ (Acts 8:26-39). Cornelius and his house gathered before God, “to hear all things that are commanded thee of God” (Acts 10:33). When the men at Ephesus, “heard this (the Gospel of Christ - tgm), they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5). Therefore, the need of hearing is clearly established and commanded – “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

Bible faith requires diligent study – “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Bible faith requires reading and understanding what was divinely written – “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:3; cf. Acts 8:30; Ephesians 5:17).

Bible faith requires action – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:22-24). How can one honestly claim to have Bible faith without being a “doer of the word”?

Bible faith requires desire – “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6; cf. I Peter 2:2; II Peter 3:18). We must have a healthy appetite for spiritual food in order to properly grow and maintain our faith in Christ.

Bible faith requires Godly works – “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only … For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:24, 26; cf. Matthew 7:21-23; Titus 3:8; Philippians 2:12).

Bible faith requires trust – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5; cf. I Timothy 4:10; 6:17; Hebrews 2:13).

Bible faith requires a proper walk – “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7; cf. Ephesians 4:1; 5:1-16). Our walk must be “in the light,” in fellowship with Christ and faithful saints (I John 1:7).

What Does The Wisdom Of Men Bring?

The Apostle Paul denounced the “wisdom” of the world when he wrote in I Corinthians 1:20-21, “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” The “wisdom” of this world says: adultery and fornication is “no-big-deal;” the “right-to-choose” to murder an unborn child must be granted; homosexuality must be accepted and tolerated; gambling is needed to fund public schools and Indian communities; drugs and alcohol can bring lasting pleasure; prayer in schools is not to be tolerated, and on and on we could go. But, what does all this bring? I submit it brings untold misery, agony, wasted lives, broken homes, shame, dishonor, and loss of a good name, AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, loss of innocent lives, and eternal loss of souls. There is no end to the destruction! Paul wrote, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9-10). Consequently, the doctrines of men lead to spiritual destruction (Matthew 15:9)!

Conclusion:

Let us always place our faith in God’s word and not in the “wisdom” of men. Our faith must be “grounded and settled” in “that which is written” (Colossians 1:23; I Corinthians 4:6); not in man’s foolishness! May we always keep in memory Paul’s words of admonition, “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:5).

(Adapted by permission)