WHAT IS TRUE FAITH?

WHAT IS TRUE FAITH?  (PART ONE)

The Apostle John proves that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God and that believing in Him, one can have eternal life (John 3:16). It is unfortunate that many hold on to the theology of “Sola Fide” (faith only) because John 3:16 to them, explicitly expresses this. However, to understand true faith, one must not limit himself to John 3:16 and must go on to read the entire book; or at least read the entire chapter three where Jesus meets Nicodemus.

And so, let’s look at some great insights in the Nicodemus encounter.

IN CONTROL (John 3:1-210)

Nicodemus, who was the first intended recipient of John 3:16 was a man of authority.  Apostle John described him as a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews (John 3:1). Jesus called him teacher of the law but questions his failure to know spiritual things (John 3:10)! A man like Nicodemus is deemed lost because of his problem of absolute control. He and the rest of the Pharisees, together with members of the Sanhedrin council and the Chief Priest are control freaks! Jesus called them hypocrites in Mark 7:6-7 which states –

“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ⁷ And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

How could Nicodemus be saved if he will not give up control? And so, Jesus used the illustration of the wind in verse eight to explain to him his present situation.

” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus has control of a lot of things. He is a person who holds a position of authority and people follow him. However, his control has some limitations. When Nicodemus asked what it is to be born of the spirit, Jesus used the illustration of the wind to tell him that his authority ends here. For he can’t tell where the wind comes from and where it is going. It is an illustration that reveals to us that only Jesus can control the wind. The wind obeys the Lord but Nicodemus who is a man of authority will have to give up his control and follow Jesus. And that is how one is born of the spirit. In John 6:63 Jesus tells his disciples how important His words are –

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

To have life, means to obey the word that gives life! It’s going to be a tall order for Nicodemus to obey the word because his flesh is profiting from the authority he enjoys. Although it is not impossible for him to obey the Lord, but it would take so much to give up all that he has build up. Jesus said in Luke 9:23 –

“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me

And so therefore, to believe in Jesus means to believe in His word!

EDWIN BACANI