Simplicity Takes Faith

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. --I John 4:4

At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from {the} wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight.” --Luke 10:21

Often I hear this type of comment: “That is a simplification.” “The answer is too simple.” “You are taking a simplistic approach to a complex problem!” I hope that I am! I want to be simple, for all that Jesus taught concerning life was simple. In fact, He took the complex and made it simple, and yet believers are the first to shout foul, shallow, and unlearned when the Christian life is made out to be simple. Why? Simplicity takes faith, while an unbelieving, fleshly approach to life demands understanding. If man can maintain the idol of understanding, he can maintain unbelief, since there will always be the need for one more indisputable fact before action is taken. This is why there is no end to the pursuit of knowledge for the unbelieving believer, who never intends to act. If knowledge were obtained, action would be demanded.

When we minister to discouraged believers, the answer needed is simple. However, a simple answer requires faith, which is just what the defeated are missing. Therefore, it is important to make understanding a starting point, not the end of discipling, to bring believers to faith. No matter how eloquently the information is presented, the whole issue will rest on faith. If the element of faith is removed from what is being taught, then Christ Himself is removed. We believe and we act. The secret is that when we are unbelieving, we can ask Jesus to help us in our unbelief, and at that point all the forces of heaven and earth will back us and push us forward in a believing life.

One of the most staggering points Michael makes is that UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS never intend to act…only to pursue more knowledge.  “Maintaining the idol of understanding”…that’s a new thought for a lot of Christians to ponder.  We stress Bible study and discipleship without making known that without faith and action following we have created a monster…a teaching that has removed Christ Himself from its heart.

The beauty of Christianity is that it is all so very simple.  Jesus’ words in Luke 10:21 proclaim His love for the Father’s making it so simple that the “wise of the world” would miss it.  It is below their level of academia.  But, He also loved that to “babes” it is revealed.  Amen!

“We believe and we act.”  Truer words were never spoken.  We do act upon what we believe.  As Michael states, “If knowledge were obtained, action would be demanded.”  So, this day’s writing makes it clear to me that I need to take a look at what I have learned from God and see whether I am acting upon it.

James made it very clear in his epistle that faith without works is dead.  That should be a startling alarm to all of us to do a “self-check” as to whether we have settled for understanding as the end of our pursuit for discipleship.  Are we acting upon that which we have learned, or not?  Has “Bible study” become our detour or distraction from Christ?  He as much as said such in one instance to a group of “Bible studiers” (John 5:39).