We’re about to dive into one of the most famous stories in all of Scripture.
I’m talking about Samson’s love affair with Delilah and how it led to his destruction.
There’s a ton of spiritual lessons to be extracted from this story and I doubt I’ll even scratch the surface of the theological gold to be mined from the text.
But hey, we’re gonna try.
Historically speaking, I find it funny how this story has been labelled as a quaint and simple Hebrew children’s bedtime story when it’s anything but that.
Now as we move forward, there is a concept I want you to be aware of.
It’s the difference between HAVING faith and BEING faithful.
The former is just a mere intellectual exercise inside one’s head.
The latter refers to one’s faith vigorously acting itself out in the real world.
Now this may surprise you, but even folks who don’t worship the God of Israel have faith.
That’s right.
If you hold to the belief in some divine spirit out there that lies beyond our physical world, then you possess a faith of some kind.
So in this sense, even atheists who profess only belief in science and the laws of the universe have faith.
Because they believe in something UNSEEN that controls what is SEEN.
But what separates a true Biblical faith from all the other kinds of faiths out there?
There are a couple of factors but the main one is the OBJECT of our faith.
What are we putting our faith in?
We, as believers, have decided to put our faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through accepting His son Yeshua of Nazareth.
However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
If we are to grow in our faith, we need to exercise our faith through action…
Just like if we want to increase the strength of our muscles, we have to exercise them…
Which means, this involves struggle, wrestling with doubts and allowing ourselves to be inconvenienced.
So that’s the big takeaway for today.
Until faith is put to work, it is what James, the brother of Yeshua called a “dead faith”.
However, when we express our faith through action, that’s when we transition from HAVING faith to BEING faithful.
So I want you to discern the difference between the two in the many examples throughout Scripture.
Notice when a Bible character has faith but is not being faithful.
The 12 spies who went out to spy the land are a perfect example.
Joshua and Caleb were chomping at the bit, ready to go out and “be faithful”.
While the other ten let fear and worry get the better of them.
It’s been said that faith in the right thing will save you for heaven in the next world…
But it’s being faithful that will save us from misery and confusion in this world.
I’d have to agree with that.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“But someone will say,
‘You have faith, and I have works.’
Show me your faith without your works,
and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that there is one God.
You do well.
Even the demons believe—and tremble!
But do you want to know, O foolish man,
that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Do you see that faith was working together with his works,
and by works faith was made perfect?
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.”
And he was called the friend of God.
You see then that a man is justified by works,
and not by faith only.”
-James 2:18-24
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