Most christians claim they believe the bible to be true. But their life does not reflect it. Lets look at an example of how belief effects action.
In the deepest of the jungles of Africa there are natives. Many of these peoples live very primitive. Some of them teach their children from a young age if they kill and enemy and eat some of their brain they will harvest the power of that enemy. What do these children do when the become adults? The fulfill that belief system.
I was once asked by a non believer if your god is real why are their no christians doing miracles like what is depicted in the bible. Such as regeneration of limbs. The question cut to the quick of my belief system.
Miracles do happen today. But not like that. Why? I began my quest with this question. Why do miracles like that not happen. The bible says:
Mathew 21
18And returning to the city early in the morning, He became hungry. 19And seeing a single fig tree by the way, He came to it and found naught on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” And immediately the fig tree withered. 20And the taught ones, seeing it, marvelled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither so soon?” 21And יהושע answering, said to them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have belief and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be thrown into the sea,’ it shall be done. 22“And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
Now this where my blog is going to take a turn for the hard. As you read the above you may have assumed of few things. Many do who I have talked to about those verses
1 Can a person really cast a mountain down into the sea?
Common answer. No because that would cause great geological issues. Does the need at that moment merit that level of Devine intervention.
2 Is the reason this does not happen because of lack of belief?
Common Answer Potentially but God would not choose to allow that to happen because he knows better than humanity. That this should not happen.
3 Did Yeshua really mean what he said or was he speaking metaphorical?
Common answer, He was being metaphorical.
Both answers are partly true and completely wrong. The geological issue is of no importance to whether it can happen or not. Yes there will be catastrophic affects. But the bible does not address that issue. In fact the bible does address the second half of the issue. Lets look at Mark to see his account of the story.
Mark 11:
12And on the next day, when they had come out from Bĕyth Anyah, He was hungry. 13And seeing at a distance a fig tree having leaves, He went to see whether He would find any fruit on it. And when He came to it, He found none but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14And יהושע, responding, said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His taught ones heard it
Yeshua's motivation according this was hunger. I am going to skip the 3rd for a moment. Was Yeshua meaning that we could cast down mountains metaphorically? My answer is first a resounding NO. But also yes. Can the mountains of bills be taken away and cast into the sea based on this verse. Yes. But thats not really why I am writing this blog. Can we really cast down mountains into the sea. YES. Lets put into context. The disciples that were there saw the whole thing. He withered the fig tree. Was the fig tree metaphorical? Absolutely not. Those men with him saw the tree wither. After seeing something like that, and then hearing Yeshua's words, is there any way that they could have applied those words metaphorically? Answer only someone who wishes to cause doubt in the mind of a believer would ask such a question. And that brings us back number 2. What was the criteria for being able to accomplish something like this? Faith! How do we obtain faith?
Rom 10:
17So then belief comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Elohim
Lets not forget context of what is going on. First he was not saying Yeshua he said Elohim. This name is used more often in the OT. Second what was being talked about was scripture. What was scripture at the time? Not the New Testament. That was happening right then. What was the scripture. The Torah was the scripture of those days. So faith comes from hearing the Torah. The Torah for any who does not know is the first 5 books of the OT. Also something you need to remember is this.
James 2:
14My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him. 15And if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food, 16but one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it? 17So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead. 18But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works. 19You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! 20But do you wish to know, O foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead? 21Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the altar? 22Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? 23And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And he was called, “Elohim’s friend.” 24You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone. 25In the same way, was not Raḥaḇ the whore also declared right by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.
What are works? The answer is obedience. Yeshua was asked what was to be obeyed. He responded:
Mark 10:
17And as He was setting out on the way, one came running, and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit everlasting life?” 18And יהושע said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One – Elohim. 19“You know the commands, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not rob,’ ‘Respect your father and your mother.’ ”
In other words Yeshua sent the rich man to the Torah. In my personal search of finding out what is missing in my life of answered prayer I have figured out. Obedience to the Torah is key. If anyone teaches that we can count on forgiveness and that the Torah is an option and not a requirement, just remember faith comes from hearing of the Torah. Faith is the weapon we have to defeat the enemy and his attacks.
To go into this battle against YHVH's enemy with weak faith is to walk into a war low on bullets against an enemy who has full automatic weapons.
A faithful one who walks into the this battle in obedience walks in with plenty of ammunition that has the innate ability not only to kill but its also like having bullets that track down those enemies no matter where they hide.
I choose to fight in my Heavenly Fathers Battle. I choose to use the best weapons I can get my hands on. Faith mixed with obedience.
I am going to flatten some mountains not just those personal struggles. But I hope that one day. I will go out and in the name of Yeshua I will do my best to show what a obedient faithful man can do in the face of the enemy.
I Stand As One.
Genesis 18
