God's Kind of Faith
by Pastor Bill Pevlor

     There are two distinctly different kinds of faith. There’s God’s kind of faith and man’s kind of faith. God’s kind of faith is the stuff miracles are made of. In comparison, man’s kind of faith is pretty ordinary stuff.  You may have heard someone use the illustration of a person sitting in a chair as an example of faith. “As the person sits down they are exercising faith because they believe that the chair will hold them up.” That may be faith, but it’s human faith not God’s kind of faith.

     This “human” faith is based on past experience and one or more of the five senses - touch, sight, hearing, taste and smell. The person sitting in the chair, no doubt looked at it before they sat in it. From what they could see, and based on their past experience, they could believe the chair would support them. If there were any doubt they could slowly sit down, ready to jump back up if the chair showed any weakness.

     There is nothing wrong with human faith. We use it everyday. It is impossible to operate in the physical world without it. However, to access the supernatural world of God, human faith is useless.

     God’s Word, the Holy Bible has a lot to say about both kinds of faith. The biblical definition of God’s kind of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1 - “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Are you sure of something you are hoping for and certain of something that you can’t see (or feel, touch, smell or hear)? If so, you are probably operating in God’s kind of faith.

     The best way to show you the difference is to give you two examples from the Bible. First, let us look at an example of God’s kind of faith in action.

     In the eighth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus, after entering the city of Capernaum is approached by a Roman centurion who asks for help: “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I’ ll go and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:6-9)

     The centurion was operating in God’s kind of faith. The centurion was sure, if Jesus just said the word, that his servant would be healed. The centurion didn’t have to see his servant get up off his sick bed. He was certain it would happen. The centurion had such great faith, the Bible says Jesus was astonished! Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. (Matthew 8:13)

     Now, let’s compare the centurion’s faith (God’s kind) with the apostle Thomas’ (human) faith. When Jesus rose from the dead He appeared to the disciples, however, Thomas was not with them at the time. When the disciples told him “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” (John 20:25) Thomas was not “sure of what he hoped for” or “certain of what he could not see.” Thomas basically said “I’ll believe it only when I see it. If you want me to put my faith in what you are saying, you’re going to have to prove it to me first.”

     That is classic “human” faith. When you look at it, human faith isn’t really faith at all. Think about it. How much faith would it take to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead if He were standing right in front of you? How much faith would you need to believe it if you could reach out and touch His wounds?

     When Jesus appeared again, with Thomas present, He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:26-29)

     Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who would believe without having to see. Faith (God’s kind) is a precursor to the blessings of God. Hebrews 11:6 say “Without faith it is impossible to please God…”

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