Bulletins
What Produces Faith?
The Holy Spirit defines faith as “assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). This definition contrasts the view of “I see it, so I believe it” that some use as the basis for their beliefs.
Paul made the contrast between a belief system based only on what can be seen and the deep faith based on things not seen in 2 Corinthians 5:7, where he said “we walk by faith, not by sight.”
No one on earth today has physically seen God or Jesus. Yet, the faithful Christian believes God to be the Creator of the universe and Jesus to be His Son.
Since none of us have physically seen God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, a question one may ask is “How does one obtain faith in God?” How can one have a conviction of things not seen?
The answer is in Romans 10:17: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Jesus explained this principle in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:4-15).
He also showed that saving faith is not produced in the heart of everyone who hears the Word.
Some refuse to accept all or part of the truth because of hard-heartedness. These are represented in Jesus’ parable by the seed that fell by the wayside (Matt. 13:19).
Some obey the Word initially, but don’t allow the truth to become deeply rooted. Their shallow faith is not enough to endure when faced with fiery trials. These are represented in Jesus’ parable by the seed that fell in stony places (verses 20-21).
Some hear the Word but bear little to no fruit because temporal concerns and endeavors choke out the Word. Such distracted hearts receive the seed among thorns (verse 22).
When one hears the truth with the proper heart, though, the seed will grow and bear much fruit in his or her life (verse 23). The Word will cause this person to be transformed into a new creature molded according to God’s will, now living for the glory of our Creator.
God has provided the perfect seed to accomplish this. It’s up to each of us to provide the “honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15), giving diligence to study of God’s perfect Word (2 Tim. 2:15), with a meek spirit that will allow Him to mold us like clay (James 1:21).
May each of us make the soil of our hearts what it ought to be and feed our souls the seed that produces faith. In so doing we, like Paul, can see with the eye of faith what cannot be literally seen with the physical eye.
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