In the modern church culture, there is a pervasive desire to be “nice.” We want to avoid conflict, we want to keep the peace, and we want to ensure that no one feels offended. But this desire for harmony resulting in a watered down gospel. We have become careless about Jesus’ words, treating even basic concepts—such as what it truly means to have faith—as matters of opinion rather than biblical truth.
Human opinion and theological hypotheses have, in many places, replaced the Scriptures. We preach a message that offends almost no one, but does it save anyone? A.W. Pink, in his book Studies on Saving Faith, issued a sobering warning that still rings true today:
“The ‘Gospel’ which is now being proclaimed is, in nine cases out of every ten, but a perversion of the Truth, and tens of thousands, assured they are bound for Heaven, are now hastening to Hell, as fast as time can take them!”
This is a call to re-examine God’s words with humble heart. It is time to stop trusting in men’s interpretations and start listening to Jesus, our only Shepherd’s voice. As He said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Real Faith
We often assume we have faith, simply because we confessed, “I believed Jesus”. However, the Bible tells a different story. Even Jesus’ own disciples struggled with faith in the beginning. It takes time to grow. In Matthew 8:10, after witnessing the centurion’s belief, Jesus marveled and said to those who followed Him, “Truly I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
This statement is saying faith is measured by submission and respect to God’s authority. No obedience, no faith. Even His close followers had very little faith at that point. His expectations for all disciples are clear. In Matthew 21:21, He declared:
Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you be able to do what has been done to the fig tree, but you will also say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe.
Today, we must ask ourselves honestly: Did Jesus exaggerate, or is this the truth we don’t like to hear? These are not figure of speech, they are the evidence of genuine faith in God.
The Cost of Little Faith
The danger of insufficient faith is not merely theoretical. In Matthew 17:19-20, the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” referring to a demon they were unable to cast out. His response was direct: “Because of your lack of faith.”
He went on to say, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
This passage is often quoted, but its weight is rarely felt. We ignore the reality that little faith leads to powerlessness in ministry. We see this echoed in Luke 17:6, where Jesus says, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.”
Furthermore, James 5:14-15 is a serious statement that should not be ignored: “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”
But many churches do not practice this. Because don’t have enough faith to expect that result. People repeat the same prayer requests week after week, month after month, without ever questioning why the has not come and what is God’s will. Deep inside we know we don’t have that kind of faith.
The Danger of Human Hypothesis
We often willfully forget what is written. Paul commands us in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?”
It is vital that we do not trust men’s hypotheses. We should be asking, why does no one want to inquire of the Lord for how to do God’s will? The answer is obvious, very few know how to hear Jesus’ voice. The question remains unanswered in many churches: why do those with years of ministry experience or seminary training often white-wash these problems by twisting Scripture instead of seeking to hear the Shepherd’s voice? Does anyone have respect for what is written, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.“
Faith Comes from God, Not Within Us
Another critical mistake is assuming that faith originates within us. It does not. In Mark 9:24, the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” He recognized that his faith was insufficient and needed divine assistance.
Paul understood this dependency. In Ephesians 3:14-17, he prayed, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love.”
These scriptures are plain and clear, but many blind guides cannot see them. They are not interested. Their concern is often attendance rather than spiritual life. Usually, a prayer meeting is a good indication of a church’s spiritual health. If most items are requests for healing or personal problems, they are not interested in knowing and doing God’s will. They only want God to fix their problems.
Our Only Hope: Listening to Jesus
Our only hope is in Jesus. In Revelation 3:18-20, He speaks directly to all churches and every one who has an ear: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold tried in the fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me.”
The message is clear. Disciples must strive to enter through the narrow door by listening to His voice and opening the door of our hearts. We need a direct connection or relationship with Him so that we can buy from Him gold, white clothing, and eye salve, and truly repent. The lukewarm church will be spit out of Jesus’ mouth.
A Call to Daily Prayer and Listening
The prayer example is already written for us. In Psalm 28:1, David cries out, “I will cry to You, O LORD; my Rock, do not be deaf to me, lest, if You be silent to me, I become like those who go down into the pit.”
And in Psalm 31:1-5, he declares, “In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me; deliver me quickly; be my strong rock, a fortress to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; and for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me. Bring me out of the net that they hid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.”
Jesus said “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” It is essential to hear His voice on a daily basis through prayer. Too many sheep have been embracing false gospel and deceiving themselves. We cannot afford to be careless about His words. Let us test ourselves, seek His face, and open our hearts to the One who knocks. Only then will we possess the faith that moves mountains and the assurance that we are truly bound for Heaven.
Search me, O Lord
After asking the Lord to search me, I can see I have very little faith, I am not much better than “many rebellious people, mere talkers” (Titus 1:10), if I do not repent. As His calling is, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” and for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” I may have some knowledge but not much faith. I still have to learn how to take up my cross everyday. I still have difficulty in identifying the Lord’s voice correctly, and still learning how to inquire of the Lord. May our Savior have mercy on me.
Let’s learn to pray Psalm 32, because practicing what we say is lot more difficult than merely repeating the prayer;
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!