"I've always just been blessed to have great faith"

Galatians 2:

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If your faith is fully and completely built upon Jesus Christ, this post will fill your heart with even greater Trust in Him.

If your faith is in anything other than Christ...you will know it by the end of this post.

Since we have opened up to others about our Journey to Christ, we have had those who are lovingly concerned for us share their testimony of, "I've always just been blessed to have great faith" and that they have always had "faith to never question or have any doubts about the church".

That got me thinking...

What is Faith? 

Merriam Webster dictionary defines faith as:

1. Belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
2. Complete Trust.

Faith is TRUST. 

You could substitute the phrase 'trust in God' every single time the scriptures say 'faith' and you would be saying the exact same thing.

Question: Does God want us to have faith/trust in the church or church leadership?

Answer: 

In my quest to understand if I was 'lacking faith', I have read every single verse that uses the word 'faith' in the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great price. Never once did any verse say to have "faith" in man or an institution. To have faith/trust in man or to make flesh your arm would be doing what 2 Nephi 4:34 describes:

O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. 

Let's look at the Joseph Smith translation of James 2:1 

My brethren, ye cannot have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, and yet have respect to persons.

Question: What does the opening chapter in the Doctrine and Covenants have to say on the matter?

Answer:

D&C 1:

18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—
20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
21 That faith [trust in God] also might increase in the earth;

Question: What did Joseph Smith have to say about putting our faith/trust in man?

Answer:

“President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel–said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church–that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls–applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall–that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves…” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 237-38). 

Question: What did Moses say about other people having faith and trust in God (rather than depending on Moses)?

Answer:

Numbers 11: 

24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! 

What was Moses reaction to people outside of the tabernacle rising up and prophesying? Did he tell leadership to get back in their purview? Did he tell them they weren't part of the 70 and to stop?? Did he say that he was the only one authorized to prophesy?

NO! 

Moses' response was: "Would to God that ALL THE LORD'S PEOPLE were PROPHETS and the Lord would put His spirit upon them!" Moses, like all prophets, was the messenger, not the message.

Question: So what IS great (or exceeding) faith?

Answer: 

Ether 3:

9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?
10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.
11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?
12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.
13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

Later we see what WE are promised if WE have FAITH:

Ether 4:

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. 

Ether 12: 

19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.

Question: So where are we at with our faith as a people?

Answer: 

If we're not exercising the kind of faith the Brother of Jared did...then we are still working on the Aaronic level of faith (which is the ministering of angel's [...who stand as sentinels] ) versus possessing the Melchizedek priesthood level which requires speaking with God face to face (see our paper here for scripture references to further explore the Melchizedek priesthood).

Moroni gives us something to think about when we examine our lives:

Moroni 7:

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain. 

Question: So how do we have perfect faith, or TRUST in the Lord???

Answer:

2 Nephi 9: 

23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

Consider reading all of James 2 to understand what "perfect faith" looks like in action (hint: think Abraham). Perfect faith leads to receiving your calling and election and as you continue in "perfect faith", it will lead to your calling and election made sure.

What does your endowment in the Temple point to? What is each sign and token leading you to? Does it say anywhere that your endowment is rewarded to you upon death...or is it to be obtained NOW?

Alma 34:

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

Was it by faith in an institution that Abraham offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice? Or faith in a man that caused Moses to part the Red Sea? Or faith in the history of his people that saved Daniel in the Lion's den?

NO.

1 Corinthians 2:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

If you feel that temple attendance, tithing, hours in service, callings accepted and magnified, and even how far you get in the hierarchy of your ward, stake, and church, enhances your salvation...YOU HAVE MISSED THE MARK.

Question: What is "the mark"? Don't you think that seeking a personal relationship with Jesus, in this life, is missing the mark?

Answer:

He IS the mark...in the sure place.

No amount of works will save you. None. Zero. Only faith in JESUS saves, totally and completely. 

James 2:

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

We often read those verses and don't bother to understand the entire chapter. What was James getting at..."showing our faith by our works". Temple work? Family History work? Charity work? Missionary work? What "work"??? 

Let's look further at the verses in James 2 and substitute the word "works" with "seeking and doing the Lord's will". It's a little brain bending to read but stick with it. Don't be that person who skims it and succumbs to a tictok level of an attention span!

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works [and does not do what the Lord prompts him]? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (I pay my tithing and a generous fast offering, I don't have to give to the beggar on the street)
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works [if you don't follow what the Lord prompts you to do], is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works [I follow the promptings of the Lord]: shew me thy faith without works [without following the promptings of the Lord], and I will shew thee my faith by my works [by following what the Lord prompts me to do].
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works [faith without following the promptings of the Lord] is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works [justified by following the promptings of the Lord], when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works [Abraham's trusted/had faith in the Lord], and by works [by following the promptings of the Lord] was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works [by following the promptings of the Lord] a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works [justified by following the promptings of the Lord], when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [faith without following the promptings of the Lord] is dead also.

1 Peter 1:

21 Who by him do believe in God,...and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

1 Nephi 12:

11 And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith [trust] in him.

Hebrews 11:

6 But without faith [trust in God] it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And lastly...

Hebrews 12:

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In Christ Alone 

by 

Caleb + Kelsey 

https://youtu.be/1oHN1-ifsT8