Romans 12:3 (NKJV) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Faith cannot be developed through teaching Christian philosophical thoughts or created if we have watered-down or rationalised thinking about the Word. Faith comes by listening to the teaching, preaching, and reading of the living Word of God—the Bible. If we want to have faith in God, we cannot afford to doubt the Bible’s inspiration and authority. Instead, we must trust and believe in the inspiration and authority of God’s Word.
All of us are expected to grow our faith since we are given a measure of faith, but how can we do that? The Word of God is likened to a seed sown in our hearts. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. The Eucalyptus tree can grow to 100 meters tall, and its trunk can be a few meters wide in diameter, but the tree did not appear overnight; it took years to grow to this size after the seed had been planted in the soil. It always begins with the seed.
Likewise, we cannot expect to have strong faith unless we allow the Word of God to be planted in our hearts. We must be open to the Word. The Eucalyptus tree would not have grown if someone had stolen the seed or if a bird had eaten it. It has grown because the seed was given the right environment to grow. We should do the same with our faith. We need to allow the Word of God to grow in our hearts so that it will take root in our lives. It would be easier for the devil to steal the seed, but uprooting a tree would be much more challenging.
Today, we live in a fast-paced society where people want quick fixes or life hacks because it doesn’t require patience. We don’t want the Word but a formula to get out of our difficult situation. Also, people are more interested in the miraculous, spectacular manifestation and a Word for the individual from the prophet than the teaching of the Word and spending quality time with the Lord in their quiet moments. However, faith must be anchored in the Word of God. Otherwise, it would be foolish and presumptuous to say that we believe in God for something without a Word from God or promises found in the Bible.
While the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the Word of God are equally important, and we should not neglect either, the Word must be the foundation for our Christian life; otherwise, our faith in God will not last.
Sermon Series:Growing Our Faith In God (Part 1)
增长我们的信心
罗马书 12:3 我凭着所赐我的恩对你们各人说:不要看自己过于所当看的;要照着上帝所分给各人信心的大小,看得合乎中道。
信心不能通过教授基督教哲学思想来培养,也不能通过对神的话语进行淡化或理性化思考来创造。信心来自聆听神活泼话语的教导、讲解和阅读—即圣经。如果我们想要在神面前有信心,我们不能怀疑圣经的启示和权威。相反,我们必须相信并依靠神话语的启示和权威。
我们每个人都被期望增长我们的信心,因为神赐给了我们每个人一定的信心。但我们如何做到这一点呢?神的话语像一颗种子撒在我们心中。信心是通过听神的话而来的。桉树可以长到100米高,树干的直径也可以达到几米,但这棵树不是一夜之间长成的;它需要数年时间,经过种子在土壤中发芽、成长,才能达到这样的规模。一切总是从种子开始的。
同样,除非我们让上帝的话语种在我们心中,否则我们不能指望拥有坚定的信心。我们必须对神的话敞开心扉。如果有人偷了种子,或者鸟吃了它,桉树就不会长大。桉树之所以长大,是因为种子得到了合适的生长环境。我们应该对我们的信心做同样的事情。我们需要让上帝的话语在我们心中成长,这样它才能在我们的生活中扎根。魔鬼偷种子很容易;但连根拔起一棵树会更具挑战性。
今天,我们生活在一个快节奏的社会,人们希望能得到快速的解决办法或生活窍门,因为这样不需要耐心。我们不想要神的话语,而是想要一种公式,帮助我们摆脱困境。同时,人们更关注奇迹、壮观的显现和先知为个人所带来的信息,而非神的话语教导,以及在安静时光中与主亲近的时刻。然而,信心必须扎根于神的话语。否则,若没有神的话语或圣经中的应许,说我们信靠神得到某种东西将是愚昧且自负的。
虽然圣灵的超自然显现和神的话语教导同样重要,我们不应忽视其中任何一方面,但神的话语必须是我们基督徒生活的基础;否则,我们对神的信心将无法持久。
讲章系列:在神里面让信心生发成长(第一部)
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