How May Faith Be Illustrated

Sometimes people will come and ask to us "what is faith like?" And that indeed is a difficult question to answer for I've heard few preachers explain that. For two reasons, firstly, I've not heard enough preachers preaching, secondly, I think many of them are stupid, which is also why I didn't hear a lot of them preaching, so in short, I think they are stupid. Especially those in Malaysia. And that including myself for none of my work here is really original.


But as stupid as I can possibly be, I would try to copycat Charles Spurgeon's works and illustrate faith so that you can imagine or see it in a different perspective, perhaps a clearer one. For those who are familiar with Spurgeon's work, trust me, it is less suffering when you hear it from me then from he himself. If you like, you may also call me the 2nd Spurgeon. I like the idea of being a preaching prodigy.


Faith is like the eye that looks. The eye brings into the mind that which is far away. We can bring the sun and the far-off stars into the mind by a glance of the eye. So by trust we bring the Lord Jesus near to us. And though He is far away in heaven, He enters into our heart.


Faith is the mouth which feeds on Christ. Before food can nourish us it must be received into us. This eating and drinking is a simple matter. We willingly receive food into our mouths, and then we allow it to pass down into our body where it is taken and absorbed. Is it so hard? Paul says in Romans 10:8 "The word is nigh thee, even in they mouth."


Faith is seen when one man relies on another because of a knowledge of the superiority of the other. This is a higher faith, the faith which knows the reason for its dependence and acts on it. A blind man trust his guide because he knows that his friend can see. If the poor man is born blind, he does not know what sight is, but he knows that there is such a thing as sight and that it is possessed by his friend. Therefore, he believes him. "We walk by faith, and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (John 20:29)


God never betrays confidence. When you believe him, you put a responsibility on Him, and He will complete it. In our daily lives also we have people counting on us, people believing and entrusting us. The children believes in their father for good, friends trusting each other for help. I am not afraid that I will have no food for tomorrow, or my education will ceased its funding
because I believe and I know so what my family can provide.


If only you know so what your Father in Heaven can do and provide unto you, you wouldn't have to spend this day in your worries. Therefore it is my honour to reveal to this world and impart upon them an understanding of what our Father in heaven can do. And I do not do so in pride, I do so in humility, I do so in goodwill. I do so everyday because I too believe and have faith in the Lord of grace.


Do I struggle? Many times I do for my lack of understanding, but these struggles cannot be compared to what Jesus had done on the cross. These struggles cannot deny the history that Jesus had come, and had died, and had risen.


Every child who goes to school has to exert faith while learning. His teachers teaches him geography and instructs him as to the form of the earth and the existence of great cities and empires. The child himself does not know these things are true, except that he believes his teachers and books put into his hands. That is what you will have to do with Christ if you are to be saved. You must simply know because He tells you, believe because He assures you it is so.


Almost all that you and I know has come to us by faith. A scientific discovery has been made, and we are sure of it. On what grounds do we believe in? On the authority of certain well-known men of learning whose reputations are established. We have never made or seen their experiments, but we believe their witness. You must do the same with regard to Jesus. Because He teaches you certain truths, you are to be His disciples and believe His words. Because He has performed certain acts, you are to be His client and trust yourself with Him.


Another and a higher form of faith is that faith which grows out of love. Why does a child trust his father? The reason why the child trust his father is because he loves him. Blessed and happy are they who have a sweet faith in Jesus, intertwined with deep affection with Him, for this is a restful confidence. These lovers of Jesus are enthralled with His character and delighted with His mission. They are carried away by the loving-kindness that He has manifested. Therefore, they cannot help trusting Him beacause they so much admire, revere, and love Him.


The way of loving trust in the Saviour is illustrated by a lady who is the wife of the most emiment physician of the day. She is seized with a dangerous illness and is smitten down by its power. Yet, she is wonderfully calm and quiet because her husband has made this disease his special study and has healed thousands who were similarly afflicted. She is not in the least troubled, for she feels perfectly safe in the hands of one so dear to her and in whom skill and love are blended in the highest form. Her faith is reasonable and natural, her husband from every point of view deserves it from her.


This is the kind of faith which the happiest of believers exercise toward Christ.


Faith is the root of obedience, and this may be clearly seen in the affairs of life. When a captain trusts a pilot to steer his vessel into port, he manages the vessel according to his direction, When a gym trainer ask the trainee not to masturbate for the season when he is body building, the trainee doesn't masturbate. Because 6 packs comes with a price. Behold the wonder! He gives us directions as to the way of salvation, we follow those directions and are saved. DO NOT BE WEAK.


A notable form of faith rises out of assured knowlesge. This comes by growth in grace and is the faith which believes Christ because it knows Him and trusts Christ because it has proven Him to be infallible faithful. This matured faith does not ask for signs and tokens but bravely believes.


A mariner sails across the seas for days, weeks and months. He never sees sail or shore. Yet he sails on without fear until one morning he finds himself approaching land. How has he found his way in the trackless deep? He has trusted in his compass, his nautical almanac, his glass and the stars.


Spiritually, it is a blessed thing to altogether leave the shores of sight and feeling and to say good-bye to inward feeling, cheering providences, signs, tokens, and so forth. It is glorious to be far out on the ocean of divine love, believing in God and steering straight for heaven by the direction of the Word of God.


Therefore I am always cool. You don't see me following the ways of men. You don't see me being influenced by simpletons. I walk my way and those who have an above average mind affirm it wise to follow me. You don't see me being annoyed when others judge me, you don't see me retaliate when others speak against me. I know so I can crush and condemn every tongue that rises against me. It is tried and proven. But I don't fight. For I rest with joyous confidence in my Saviour. Not on what other people have to say about me or you. This is the illustration of faith. And I pray you will grasp it.