Food for Thought by David Jackson

Some people have difficulty defining the word “faith.” The term is a frequent part of conversation, but few really take the time to think about the content of what they are saying. Most people understand that it deals with something beyond the ordinary, but they can’t tell you what that is. In fact, too many would agree with this famous statement, “Having faith is believing in something you just know ain't true,” from Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

A statement from John’s gospel could be one reason for the confusion: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (1:14). This statement asserts that the infinite became finite, the eternal entered time and space, God became “flesh,” the creator became a creature. Later John will add, “which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched…” (1 John 1:1). 

Some early Christians had so much trouble getting their minds around this idea that they tried to explain it away. They said it only “appeared” that God was in the flesh; he was really spirit all along. Others taught that an ordinary man named Jesus was inhabited by God’s Spirit from his baptism until his crucifixion, at which time the Spirit returned to heaven, leaving a human to die on the cross. Surely the divine, infinite God could not really experience the limited life as we do!

And yet that is exactly what Scripture says God did. The eternal, infinite Word became flesh, not just in appearance, but truly flesh. He accepted our limitations, lived as we live, was tempted as we are tempted, and died a terrible death in time, on the earth. Why did he do this? John will say it is because “God so loved the world,” meaning us, the people living in this place and time. Early Christians said Christ took our place so that we might come to be in his place. As John has already said, “he gave the right to become children of God,” to those who believe in him.

Therein is the true definition of faith. God has done the physically impossible to forgive our sins and make us into his children. What we could not be on our own, God has made us because of his grace and truth, because of his infinite love. All of that is beyond our ability, almost beyond our imagination, outside of our wildest hopes. No other religion in the world has taught that God takes sin so seriously that he takes on himself the solution to our need, sacrificing himself for us.

Do you believe that? Can you admit that God can act beyond our reason, beyond our deserving, beyond anything that is even conceivable, except from the infinite love of our Creator? That is the message of the Bible, the definition of “good news,” the reason for our hope. 

The apostle Paul summarizes it this way: “Here is a trustworthy saying, that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…[so that] Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience…for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:15, 16). Praise God for his great mercy and love!