In Colossians 2:6-7, the Apostle Paul told the Colossian Christians to sink their roots deep in Christ: “And now, just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.” (The Living Bible)
Paul is saying keep on growing. Don’t let your faith become stagnant. It is time for your faith to get stronger, and the way for your faith to get stronger is for you to sink your spiritual roots deeper.
Faith, like a diamond, has many facets. If you want to understand what it really means to have bigger faith in our big God, the best place to start is the great faith chapter found in Hebrews 11. This chapter is like the faith in God Hall of Fame.
This important chapter contains a list of the people whose lives you will want to study and know if you want to live a life of great faith. There, we read about heroes of the faith, like Joseph, Abraham, Moses and Noah.
From these examples, we learn faith begins by believing in God’s character. He is who he says he is. And faith grows by believing in God’s promises. He’ll do what he says he will do.
The importance of faith cannot be overemphasized. The Bible has so much to say about faith. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.”
In Romans 14:3, we are told, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
In Matthew 9:29, Jesus said, "According to your faith will it be done to you."
And Romans 1:17 reminds us that “the righteous will live by faith."
The Scriptures make it clear: God wants us to learn to trust him completely.
Part of the reason God put you on this planet is so that you could learn to love him and to trust him. Living by faith is not a peripheral issue. It is central to who we are as followers of Christ.
You can’t please God — as in cannot please God — except through faith. The only way you bring pleasure to God is by loving him and trusting him completely.
You may read Steve Greene’s blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or you can email him at [email protected].
