“God's Way Of Restoring Trust” — another look at the the
only safe basis for faith, in the larger setting of the conflict over God's character and
government.
To have peace once again in His universe, all God asks of us is trust. But He does not
expect us to trust Him as a stranger. Besides, He has been charged with being unworthy of
our faith. How has God answered such false accusation? Mere claims of trustworthiness
prove nothing. Only by the demonstration of trustworthiness over a long period of time and
under a great variety of circumstances - especially difficult ones - can trust be
reestablished and confirmed. The Bible is a record of just such a demonstration. This is
God's way of restoring trust.
Bible passages included:
James 2:19. "Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The
demons also believe - and tremble with fear." (GNB)
Revelation 12:12. "The Devil has come down to you, and he is
filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left." (GNB)
Genesis 9:8, 11-13; 11:1, 3, 4. "God said to Noah and his sons..
.'I promise that never again will all living things be destroyed by a flood... As a sign
of this everlasting covenant which I am making with you and with all living beings, I am
putting my bow in the clouds.'
"At first, the people of the whole world had only one language... They said to one
another... 'Now let's build a city with a tower that reaches the sky.'" (GNB)
Deuteronomy 13:1-3. "If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer
of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder which he tells you
comes to pass, and if he says,'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and
let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the word of that prophet or to that dreamer of
dreams." (RSV)
1 Kings 13:15-18. "Then he (the old prophet) said to him, 'Come
home with me and eat bread.' And he (the man of God) said, 'I may not return with you, or
go in with you; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place; for it
was said to me by the word of the Lord, "You shall neither eat bread nor drink water
there, nor return by the way that you came,"' And he said to him, 'I also am a
prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying "Bring
him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water."' But he
lied to him." (RSV)
Luke 24:15-17, 27, 30, 31. "While they were talking and
discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept
from recognizing him. And he said to them 'What is this conversation which you are holding
with each other as you walk?' And they stood still, looking sad... And beginning with
Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself... When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and
broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him." (RSV)
Romans 10:11, 13-15, 17. "For the Scriptures tell us that no one
who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed... Anyone who calls upon the name of the
Lord will be saved. But how shall they ask him to save them unless they believe in him?
And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear
about him unless someone tells them?... How welcome are those who come preaching God's
Good News!... Faith comes from listening to this Good News - the Good News about
Christ." (Living Bible)
Galatians 5:22. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith..." (KJV)
2 Peter 1:20, 21. "But first note this: no one can interpret any
prophecy of Scripture by himself. For it was not through any human whim that men
prophesied of old; men they were, but, impelled by the Holy Spirit, they spoke the words
of God." (NEB)
"You must understand this in the first place, that no prophecy in Scripture can be
understood through one's own powers, for no prophecy ever originated in the human will,
but under the influence of the Holy Spirit men spoke for God." (Goodspeed)
John 14:16, 17, 25, 26; 15:26; 16:12. "I will ask the Father, and
he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you for ever. He is the Spirit, who
reveals the truth about God... The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you... The
Helper will come — the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the
Father. I will send him to you from the Father, and he will speak about me... When,
however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the
truth." (GNB)
John 5:39. "You study the Scriptures, because you think that in
them you will find eternal life. And these very Scriptures speak about me!" (GNB)
Hebrews 1:1. "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our
fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son." (RSV)
©1984 Graham Maxwell
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