Isaiah Roman

Faith vs. Common Sense

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” For by it the elders obtained a good report (Hebrews 11:1-2).

The entire eleventh chapter of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews is dedicated to the kind of faith God established in the Israelites. It was built upon the manner in which He lead the Patriarchs beginning with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. There is through the line of Shem (Noah’s middle son) a direct connection to Seth (the Good, Holy Seed) the third son of Adam before the flood.

“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.(Genesis 4:25).

(Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Judah… David… Solomon and Nathan; Jesus, legal son of Joseph, conceived by the Holy Spirit;1 born of the virgin Mary (Miriam) both of the house and lineage of David.)

But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The one who calls himself a Christian and does not have a firm foundation in truth (God is truth!) will not be able to see, understand nor serve effectively the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.2 It is He who created from nothing all that is. He is the Eternal God, JHVH called in the English language Jehovah, in the Hebrew Jeshuah, sometimes referred to as Yeshuah or Yaweh etc.

Faith is not common sense; it is supernatural sense brought about by God, through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a “gift” of God to sustain the believer in an unholy corrupted world. Faith acted upon merits more of the same from God. Faith is quicksand until it is acted upon then it becomes cement. Acting on faith then brings a gift of more and stronger faith.  Be soberly advised3 faith is incumbent4 upon belief5 and obedience6. It is dangerous to tempt the Lord.

Acts of healing, raising the dead, making the blind see and the lame walk required faith in those that came to Jesus, He asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”  “ He also said, “your faith has made you whole” (Matthew 9: 22; Mark 10: 52).” It may be possible for miracles in this day and time; yet, there are miraculous things that defy explanation that take place from time to time. Beware however, Satan is capable of counterfeiting some of the works of the Holy Spirit to deceive the unwary.

“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour” (Matthew 9:22; Used five times in the gospels).

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me “(Mark 10:21)

“She said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole” (Matthew 9:21)

“The Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6).

This begs the question, “are miracles gone because faith is no longer cultivated by Christians or are miracles no longer used by God since the Holy Spirit was imparted after Pentecost? It is of a certainty that God is still omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, faithful, and “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance!”

One reason the Church is weak in this time rests in unbelief as well as ignorance of the power, prescience and work and therefore effectiveness of the Holy Spirit. It has been said only as few as 22% to 55% (depending upon denomination) of Christian preachers believe the Bible to be “the inerrant, verbal, plenary inspiration of God.” Erudite educationalists (a profession as other secular professions) from modern corrupted seminaries have replaced as “experts” men called by the Spirit of God to the ministry.  It seems their educational credentials stand in place of a “call” from God.7

Satan has not been asleep and continues to counterfeit God’s works among those who deny God, Jesus the Christ and the Holy Spirit. He has not forgotten his claim, “you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14: 13-14).

Evil men and women that lust for power are still being used of Satan to “lead captive silly women” (II Timothy 3: 6) and men who unwittingly or willingly usurp the power of God for “supposed goodness of mankind.”

It is time for Christians to take seriously (Romans 12: 1-2)8 and Matthew (28: 19).9 Make known the Gospel “Christ came to save sinners.” Stand up for God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit; make Them known! He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.

1. Then as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child…Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily… the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1: 18-21).
2. God always honors His word when it is spoken whether by the righteous or unrighteous.
3. See acts 19: 13-16 for an example of some who thought to tempt God.
4. The word “incumbent” is derived from the Latin verb incumbere, literally meaning “to lean or lie upon,” with the present participle stem incumbent-, “leaning or lying upon.”
5. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good” (Numbers 23:19)?
6. “Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord [God theFather]” (Leviticus 22:31). “If ye love me, keep my commandments [Jesus the Son]” (John 14:15)!
7. Be assured there are many well educated men of God who are called to serve Him. Education is not necessarily equal to or replaced by a call from God.
8. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
9. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.