Truth 3: Sola Fides – Faith Alone
Introduction:
Oct. 31 is Reformation Day, the day we remember that start of the Reformation. As part of the Reformed (Presbyterian) tradition within Christianity this is part of our heritage as Presbyterians. This then is a good time of year to remind ourselves of the great truths that we have inherited, which still shape us today.
Truth 3: Sola Fides – Faith Alone – Habakkuk 3:16-19
16 I hear, and I tremble within; my lips quiver at the sound.
Rottenness enters into my bones, and my steps tremble beneath me.
I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us.
17 Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.
Faith is trust. To have faith in someone is to trust them. It is just that simple.
Faith is loyalty. To have faith in someone is to be loyal to them. It is just that simple.
Habakkuk has come to the realization that the military forces of an enemy are about to sweep through Judah bringing destruction. Habakkuk has had an argument with God, “How can you allow this, O Lord?” And God’s response has been, “It is going to happen. Yes, things will be bad.” Habakkuk has a choice to make, who will he put his trust in, to whom will he be loyal. And in this amazing statement of faith, Habakkuk declares that he will be loyal to God, he will trust God, no matter what. Even if there is no crop in the field or on the vine, even if there are no animals – Habakkuk will praise God and declare his loyalty and trust in God.
This then is the question of faith, where will we put our trust? When the chips are down, when we are at the end of rope, when there is nowhere to turn, (you get the picture), in that moment who do we trust?
The Christian answer is, “We trust Jesus”, which we put in slightly different language “Jesus is Lord.” In the face of the many things that would ask us to put our trust in them, only one is worthy of our trust and that is Jesus. To him alone do we offer our ultimate loyalty.
Even when things are hard, even when we feel like we are at the end of rope, even when there is nothing – even then Jesus Christ alone is worthy of our loyalty and faith.
PRAYER:
You, O Lord, are worthy of our praise and our trust, for you are the great God. In your Son Jesus, we have one in whom we can trust and to whom we can be loyal. Grow loyalty in us that we might trust your Son as the Lord of all things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.