Faith or Superstition?
by Donald C. Boice

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Romans 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

If a person claims that God speaks or appears directly to him, does he lack faith?

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;  Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 1Jo 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  (They did not see him, we do not see him.)

If a person claims that God has shown him a sign, does he lack faith?

Mt 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mr 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

 (The Jews received no sign and we will receive no sign.  Christ said there will be no sign given so it is ridicules to seek after one or claim to have seen one.)

If a person says that he knows by what he felt in his heart that he was saved, does he lack faith?

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?   (No where in the bible does it teach or imply that a person will feel a particular feeling when he is saved).

Look carefully at the following verses;

Ac 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Eph 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

If God is no respecter of persons, then he is not going to talk or appear to one and not talk or appear to another.  He is not going to give one a sign and not give a sign to another.  He is not going to give a feeling to one and not give a feeling to another. The Holy Spirit gave guidance to the writers of the New Testament and he told them to write that God is no respecter of persons!  If you have to hear a voice, see a sign, feel something, or have The Lord appear to you,  then you are lacking in faith and are not pleasing to God!  (Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.)  If you can feel, hear, see, touch, smell, taste, it is not faith! (2 Corinthians 5:7)  That voice you hear is your conscience telling you that something ain’t right!! That blinking light you take for a sign is a short in the wiring.  That feeling is a reaction to your guilty conscience.

Back to Bulletin Fodder