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Read Numbers 13 and 14. In these chapters we read the account of Moses sending 12 spies into the promised land to bring back a report on the general situation - a report intended to help develop a strategy so that they might go in and possess their inheritance which had been promised by the Lord. When the twelve came back to give their report, they were divided in what they expressed. Ten expressed unbelief, and two - Joshua and Caleb - expressed faith. The whole attitude of a nation, a city, a family, or an individual depends on how we "see" circumstances and events of life. The roots of our action are based on whether we look at a situation through eyes of faith, knowing God's provision, or through eyes of unbelief, tinted by human limitation.

Let's examine the two companies of spies. All the spies had heard God's promise that he would subdue the nations before them and give them the land (see Exodus 13:5; 33:1-2), but the two companies reacted differently:

The ten spies

• In captivity to their five senses - they believed what they saw and heard more than word of God.
  
• Believed how they felt in the situation - fear.
  
• Past experience had not included fighting giants like this, so they were not prepared to step out into a new experience where the power of God would confirm His promise to them.
• Were not prepared to move beyond their previous capacity in warfare.
  
• There was no total commitment to the cause of God. They were not prepared to give their lives for the purposes of God.
  
• Placed their dependence on their own ability, and thus saw their lack.

The two spies

• Moved beyond the realm of their five senses, and put their total trust in the word of God, despite what they saw and heard.
  
• Ignored conflicting emotions and believed God's power to be adequate for the situation - faith.
  
• Stepped out of their past experience and put their confidence in the Lord.
  
• Extended their past capacity by believing that God was with them.
  
• Totally commited to the call and cause of God, and were willing to give their lives, if need be, for it.
  
• Knew their own lack, but did not put their trust in themselves, but in the Lord.

Why is Faith So Important?

Faith is a vital ingredient for the Christian life. This is because:

One cannot be saved without faith

"Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" Mark 16:16.

"God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe" 1 Corinthians 1:21 (see also Luke 8:12).

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith..." Ephesians 2:8.

One cannot please God without faith

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" Hebrews 11:6.

God has put such a priority on faith because in our life's walk it represents total dependence on Him. This is why the Lord says that it's impossible to please Him without faith. When Adam fell into sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), he stepped out of God dependence into independence - out of God-consciousness into self-consciousness. The centre of man's life became self, instead of God. So God has designed the life of faith as the way out of self-centred independence, back to total trust in Him.

What Does Real Faith Involve?

As we are learning day by day to trust God and please Him, there are a number of aspects of our being which are involved in this process of expressing faith.

The mind is informed

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" Romans 10:17 (see also Acts 4:4; 8:12; 24:14; John 12:38).

We must hear and understand the message, before we can respond in faith to it. However, an informed mind alone does not guarantee an expression of real faith.

"You believe that there is one God. You do well. The demons also believe - and tremble" James 2:19.

The emotions are stirred

In repentance, one experiences the emotion of "godly sorrow" (2 Corinthians 7:10). This is understandable, since repentance has to do with sin which has estranged us from God and wrought such havoc in our lives. But in faith we experience "joy" and "gladness" of our salvation. This is proper, since through faith we enter into all the rich blessings of God's salvation, not the least of which includes a new relationship with God.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptised" Acts 2:41 (see also 8:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:8).

However, an informed mind and stirred emotions alone still do not guarantee an expression of real faith.

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word (the informed mind) and immediately receives it with joy (stirred emotions); yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while..." Matthew 13: 20-21.

The will is committed

"By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name" Romans 1:5.

"For I will not dare to speak to any of those things which Christ has accomplished by me, through word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient" Romans 15:18.

"...the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began . . . has been made known to all nations...for obedience to the faith" Romans 16:25-26.

Note: Faith consists of these three major aspects - and if one is missing, real faith is not expressed. So we need to understand what God has promised (the mind informed) and be stirred about it (the emotions stirred), and then act upon it (the will committed). Faith links us with God, and is the conviction that the things which he has promised are true, in spite of the fact that we do not yet see them (Hebrews 11:1).

As Christians, the roots of our action are to be in the two spies (faith), not in the ten spies (unbelief).

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Copyright © 1981,1996 Paul, Bunty and David Collins. All rights reserved. This study may be freely used and reproduced, wholly or in part, by the Christian Church for the non-profit purposes of study and training only, provided copyright and contact information is included.

Unless otherwise stated, all scriptures quoted in these studies are from the New International Version of the Bible, © New York International Bible Society, used by permission. Other versions referred to are: KJV (King James Version), NKJB (New King James Bible), TLB (The Living Bible), Amp (The Amplified Bible) and The Message. All versions used by permission.

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