One Christmas, when my children were young, our church put on a little Christmas Skit that cast an actual pregnant church member playing Mary and her husband played Joseph. Some months later, the kids and I had gone to church one Sunday without their dad, and when we got home, he asked them how church was to which our daughter replied, “Good, we baptized the Baby Jesus Today!” This Mary and Joseph had given birth to a son, who we did in fact celebrate in baptism that morning. We laughed at her response; however, it was very serious for her. The experiential memory of seeing pregnant Mary and baptizing the baby some months later gave form to a biblical story.
Reflecting on raising my children within the church, I recall a significant emphasis on symbolic teaching of faith narratives; some resonated, while others felt like culturally influenced interpretations with a forced biblical connection. Not to mention the effect of religious family tradition, practices along denominational lines, and the differing practices of the many streams of faith that make up Christianity. And while I love the fact that my young daughter believed she witnessed the baptism of baby Jesus, I am afraid that our symbolic faith has left us stagnant.
There is an interesting story in the book of Numbers (Chapter 21) where bitter Israel is complaining against God and Moses. This brings a punishment from Yahweh - snakes in the camp that bit many and killed some. When the Israelites repented, and Moses sought the Lord for deliverance, Yahweh instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and raise it up in the camp. He further commanded that those bitten should look at the bronze serpent to be healed.
The twist to this story comes in 2 Kings (Chapter 18) where we read that the King of Israel is tearing down high places of pagan worship, which we read includes this same bronze serpent. Over time, Israel transformed Yahweh’s symbol of healing into an idol. Forgetting that it was The Great I Am behind the symbol where faith and worship belonged…
They named it.
They made offerings to it.
They worshipped it.
It is worth mentioning that in John 3:14, Jesus refers to this same bronze serpent when he says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” While the cross, to this day, is most definitely a symbol of forgiveness and salvation, it is also just a symbol. It represents the obedience of Christ, his victory over sin and death in resurrection power as He ascended to take His Throne, sending Holy Spirit to save, sanctify, and disciple us. It is the Christ that deserves the praise, the worship and in HIM we place our faith–or more accurately surrender our faith.
What is faith? That can be an interesting thing to define based on individual experiences. Truth be told, we put faith in things all the time. Sometimes it is in ourselves, our abilities, in another person, or even in institutions. The existence of faith is evident in the Israelites’ belief regarding the healing serpent; however, eventually they misplaced it, choosing the symbol over the divine power behind it.
There is a book called “Mind of the Spirit,” by a man named Craig Keener. It is a great read for the believer to understand their new identity in Christ and the power of the renewed mind. While Keener is a theologian, the book does not bury you, it really highlights the scripture and Paul’s understanding as he learned by the Spirit of Christ to be a New Creation. He says these things about the definition of “Faith.”
“Faith is the sound and right response to God’s reliability. For Paul, faith is a CHOICE or CONVICTION, not a subjective emotional state. It is NOT, as it has come to mean in some circles today, wishing so powerfully (“make-believe”) that one’s imagination or will exerts a force in the external world. It is NOT a desperate and subjective leap into the dark. It is NOT even a rational determination that arises from excluding all the alternatives…Faith is more a sense that recognizes the accurate, divine perspective on reality and acts accordingly.” (Page 44) (Capitalization/Italics Mine) (see book link on Amazon below)
Faith is not symbols, religious duties, traditions and holidays. It’s an everyday walk with the one who created you as we mature into the Mind of Christ over all situations in our life. Gain His perspective and our marching orders, our prayer assignments, our assigned tasks set up for us before the creation of the world as we participate in Kingdom History like all those who have gone before us. As we bear the image of the Almighty God and participate in His redemption plan!
Noah’s story is not in the bible just so we know where rainbows come from, it is a sign of what a relationship in covenantal obedience looks like. Building an ark with no rain, family watching, friends mocking, looking like a crazy person. Yet God told him to do it. So, he did! By Faith!
Abraham left his father’s house–left everything he knew to follow God to the land of promise. He and Sarah, through their obedient faith, conceived in their old age the heir to that promise. By Faith!
Moses, at 80, went obediently back to Egypt to rescue Israel through signs and wonders and confrontations of darkness. By Faith!
The young virgin Mary conceived. By Faith!
The Apostle Paul was the very SYMBOL of tradition and religious culture, and his faith was in the law that he represented…until he surrendered to One who is worthy of it all! Paul showed his faith by each obedient yielded step. He is the example on this side of the cross to what a believers life should be like. He knew his identity in Christ, he actively worked toward the renewal of his mind, obedient faith in walk with Holy Spirit, to bring God all the Glory in His Kingdom and to His Son.
I don’t want symbolic faith. I want radical steps of obedient faith to the King who gave Himself for me. I want to be so engaged with Holy Spirit that our ongoing conversations lead me into divine appointments before I even know they exist. I want to walk like Jesus did in signs, wonders, miracles for our Heavenly Father. I want to not be concerned with myself, as each step of faith in Holy Spirit changes me. As Keener puts it, “Because Christ – rather than self – is the object of trust for righteousness those baptized into Christ can leave their justification with HIM and can live lives of obedience with confidence rather than fear.”
I want to live my biblical experience here on this earth…By Faith!
What about you?
Go For It!
Kammy
