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Faith Is Not Always Required – Part One

Posted by Paul Yeenie Harry on October 29, 2005

I have heard from a lot of people who say that in order for God to perform miracles, or work in a special way, in our lives, we must always exercise faith.

They contend that we have to have faith to indicate that God can, and is going to, do it. Other than that, they say, the miracle or the special working of God will not occur. They then go on to prove their view by citing an array of scriptures, including Mark 5 verse 34, to substantiate their claim.

Well, I beg to differ with this view. I do not believe that God always requires our faith before acting in our lives in special ways. Such a claim tends to restrict God’s sovereign power. Now, don’t get me wrong! I am not saying that faith is not necessary. No, I cannot, and will not, say such a thing! We read in Hebrews 11 verse 6 that without faith, it is impossible to please God. But, does this mean that we should conclude that for God to act in our lives in a special way, we must always exercise faith first? NO! Absolutely, no!

While it is true that there are examples of situations where God acted, based on the faith exercised by the subject, God does not necessarily always wait for our faith to act. I wonder this point is lucid enough! Let’s go a little further.

This is my point: God being God, He may choose to act in ways that have something, or nothing, to do with any human faith. This is what makes God sovereign. And saying that we MUST exercise faith before God can act in out lives is tantamount to saying that God will never act in our lives if we do not have/exercise faith. Doesn’t this tend to deprive God, or better tend to restrict God, of His sovereign power, which He uses as He chooses?

Some people reading this might shout, “Wait a minute, Paul, you sound too theological. I am getting confused!” Ok let’s take it easy! OK?

The point I am making is that God is free to do what He wants to do, how He wants to do it, why He wants to do it, when He wants to do it and where He wants to do. If God chooses to act in our lives without our first exercising faith, then who are we to contend that God will only act when there is faith on the person being acted upon?

From what I have been able to study so far, this is what I have observed: 1) in some instances, God chooses to act in a person’s life (or that of a group) based on the person’s (or the group’s collective) faith. 2) In other instances, God acts in a person’s life (or that of a group) based on a third party’s faith, and not on the faith of the person or group being acted upon. 3) At other times, God acts in a person’s life (or that of a group) based on both the person’s faith and his/her action, or the group’s collective faith and action. 4) Still, sometimes, God acts in a person’s life (or that of a group) with neither the person’s faith nor his/her action being required. 5) God may even act based on only action, and nothing else. 6)God may still do it in many other ways. That’s one of the things that make Him God!

Do you still have some time? If you do, then let’s read together Isaiah 55 verse 9: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

To conclude this first part, look at Psalm 115 verse 3: Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him. So, if it pleases God to perform miracles in a person’s life without that person, first exercising faith, who are we to question the sovereign power of God? All you can say, I believe, is “Thank you, God, for having your will done!” Not so?

In the next part, we will look at some Biblical examples of the different ways (listed above) in which God may choose to act.

May the grace of the compassionate God of the universe continue to be upon us, as He does what pleases Him! Amen! Amen!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send them to me: pyharry@help-liberia.org