Faith Works By Love

The disciples told Jesus, “We need more faith” (Luke 17:5). Jesus didn’t directly answer their question because: the amount of faith is not as important as its genuineness. What is faith? It is total dependence on God and a willingness to do His will. A mustard seed is small, but it is alive and growing. Like a tiny seed, a small amount of genuine faith in God will take root and grow. The apostles didn’t need more faith; a tiny seed of faith would be enough, if it were alive and growing.

Jesus pointed to a nearby mulberry tree and said that even small faith could uproot it and send it into the sea. Mulberry trees grow quite large (as high as thirty-five feet). It is the power of God, not faith, that uproots trees and moves mountains, but faith must be present for God to work. Even a small “seed” of faith is sufficient.

We might have expected the disciples to respond with the prayer, "Increase our love!”  Certainly love is a key element in forgiveness, but faith is even more important. It takes living faith to obey these instructions and forgive others. Our obedience in forgiving others shows that we are trusting God to take care of the consequences, handle the possible misunderstandings, and work everything out for our good and His glory.

Mature Christians understand that forgiveness is not a cheap exchange of words, the way squabbling children often flippantly say "I'm sorry" to each other. True forgiveness always involves pain; somebody has been hurt and there is a price to pay in healing the wound. Love motivates us to forgive, but faith activates that forgiveness so that God can use it to work blessings in the lives of His people.

Our Lord's image of the mustard seed conveys the idea of life and growth. The mustard seed is very small, but it has life in it and, therefore, it can grow and produce fruit (Mark 4:30-32). If our faith is a living faith (James 2:14-26), it will grow and enable us to obey God's commands. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).

Forgiveness is a test of both our faith and our love. Human nature being what it is, there will always be offenses that can easily become opportunities for sin. God's people must get into the habit of facing these offenses honestly and lovingly, and forgiving others when they repent.

Faith

Luke 17:5-6:  The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Jesus strengthens our faith by telling us (in verse 6) that the crucial issue in accomplishing great things is not the quantity of our faith, but the power of God.  He says, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”  By referring to the tiny mustard seed after being asked about increased faith, He deflects attention away from the quantity of faith to the object of faith.  God moves mulberry trees.  And it does not depend decisively on the quantity of our faith, but on His power and wisdom and love. In knowing this, we are helped not to worry about our faith and are inspired to trust God’s free initiative and power.

Concerning faith, let’s remember that God is not concerned with how much we have, but with whether our faith is truly placed in Him (Luke 17:5-6).

Jesus also used this miracle to teach us a lesson on faith. The next morning, when the disciples noticed the dead tree, Jesus said, "Have faith in God," meaning, "Constantly be trusting God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him." In Jewish imagery, a mountain signifies something strong and immovable, a problem that stands in the way (Zechariah 4:7). We can move these mountains only by trusting God.

Here are some truths relative to faith and prayer:
1) Prayer must be in the will of God (1 John 5:14-15), and the one praying must be abiding in the love of God (John 15:7-14).

2) Prayer is not an emergency measure that we turn to when we have a problem. Real prayer is a part of our constant communion with God and worship of God.

3) Nor should we interpret Mark 11:24 to mean, "If you pray hard enough and really believe, God is obligated to answer your prayers, no matter what you ask. That kind of faith is not faith in God; rather, it is nothing but faith in faith, or faith in feelings.

4) True faith in God is based on His Word (John 15:7; Romans 10:17), and His Word reveals His will to us. It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth.

5) True prayer involves forgiveness as well as faith. I must be in fellowship with both my Father in heaven and my brethren on earth if God is to answer my prayers (Matthew 5:21-26; 6:14-15; 18:15-35). The first word in "The Lord's Prayer" is our—"Our Father which art in heaven" and not "My Father which art in heaven." Though Christians may pray in private, no Christian ever prays alone; for all of God's people are part of a worldwide family that unites to seek God's blessing (Ephesians 3:14-15). Prayer draws us together.

6) We do not earn God's blessing by forgiving one another. Our forgiving spirit is one evidence that our hearts are right with God and that we want to obey His will, and this makes it possible for the Father to hear us and to answer prayer (Psalm 66:18). Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). If I have faith in God, I will also have love for my brother.

If the promise of Christ, "Whatever you ask for... it shall be y o u r s" seems almost unbelievable, it should be borne in mind that such praying and asking must, of course, be in harmony with the characteristics of true prayer which Jesus reveals; in fact, it must be in line with all of scriptural teaching. Accordingly it must be the expression of:
1) a humble, childlike trust; note "believing that you received it,"
(Mark 10:15; also Matthew 7:11; 18:3, 4; James 1:6).

2) a sincere heart and mind (Mark 12:40; Matthew 6:5).

3) a will to persevere (Mark 13:13b; Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8).

4) a love for all concerned (Mark 12:31, 33; Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:32-36).

5) a submission to God's sovereign will (Mark 14:36b; Matthew 6:10b; 26:39).

6) This also implies that such praying is "in Christ's name," that is, it is in harmony with all that Jesus has revealed concerning himself and it rests on his merits (Mark 9:37, 41; John 15:16; 16:23, 24; Ephesians 4:32; 5:20; Colossians 3:17).