Meditation on the Text of the Week

Faith And Its Counterfeits

Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turnout exactly as I have been told.
Acts 27:25

The final two chapters of the book of Acts are remarkable in many ways. Luke takes us on an extended travelogue, as Paul is transported by ship as a prisoner to Rome, in order to have his case heard before Caesar, to whom he had appealed. Many have wondered why Luke became so discursive at the end of Acts, providing so many details of a journey from Caesarea to Rome, about storms, sailing tactics, shipwrecks, life threatening circumstances, the interaction with Maltese rescuers, and so forth.

But the point is obvious. Paul began the journey as a prisoner at the hands of pagans; he ended up commanding and counseling the centurion, the ship, and the Maltese, through service, servanthood, and doing good to all he met. Luke (and therefore the Lord) has him serve as a prototype of the New Covenant man; the microcosm of Paul's journey to Rome provides a type of how the people of God transform the world from the bottom up, with no ambition other than to be a bondslave of the Lord Jesus, and a servant to all men. The mode and method of the arrival of Paul in Rome actually are a harbinger of Rome's fate. It would eventually succumb peacefully to the Gospel, despite its best endeavours to stamp out followers of the Way. It would be broken and torn down by a Kingdom not made with hands.

Amidst the events of the journey, Paul reveals the faith that drives him, assures him, makes him calm and certain amidst severe storms. An angel of the Lord had appeared to him, declaring to him that not only would be survive the storm and the shipwreck, but that all the lives of those who sailed with him would also be saved (Acts 27:24) Paul, like Abraham before him, simply believed God—that it would happen and turn out exactly as God declared and promised. This is the faith that conquers kingdoms amongst other things (Hebrews 11:33).

It is precisely at this point, however, that many make a shipwreck of their faith. Operating on a half truth, many Believers in our day correctly grasp that faith is a matter of trusting and believing God—that what He has said, and what He has promised will surely come to pass. Then comes two untruths: the first is that faith makes these things come to pass, or makes God do things. The second, is that rather than understanding that special revelation, as Paul experienced it, has ceased, they believe that God continues to reveal special, pointed, and individual promises and commands to Believers.

Both are mistakes and errors with tragic consequences. The first error—our faith makes God do things—continues the vulpine apostasy of old, but now subtly clothed in lambskins. It makes man the director, commander, and manipulator of the Almighty. One has a disease: if one believes hard enough that God will heal one, it will move and persuade God to accede, and the healing will indeed eventuate. To state the case is to expose its disgusting idolatrous spirit.

The second error—that God continues to provide specific special revelation to direct and command Believers—is not an idolatry, but a childish and naïve error. It is something Believers need to grow up out of as they mature in faith. Part of the glory of the New Covenant is that special revelation ceases, for it is full and complete in Christ. Special revelation was only necessary whilst it remained incomplete. Being incomplete, it was inadequate—partial, limited, and a darkened, dim mirror. Once Christ revealed God fully, by His redemptive works and the inspired commentary upon, exposition of, and interpretation of His work through His apostles, all special revelation ceased. The Scriptures were then sufficient for every good work (II Timothy 3:16,17), even down to directing us how to perform even the most mundane tasks in life, such as eating and drinking properly (I Corinthians 10:31).

The force of our text, once stripped of these modern popular perversions, remains. Faith is trusting that what God has promised will certainly and infallibly come to pass. Faith that all enemies will indeed be placed under His feet; that the earth will be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea; that every knee will bow before Him and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, that all creation will be redeemed, once the sons of God are revealed—and so forth. Faith in these things—believing that what God has said will surely come to pass—makes us steadfast and faithful in the little things of day-by-day living, the daily tasks of servanthood. The immediate consequences and effects of our lives and service we leave with God; the final consequences we already know, for He has declared them to us already.

We know they will turn out exactly as He has said. Therefore, we are able to keep up our courage, and maintain steadfastness.