Objection: It Is Unbalanced to Teach That Life’s Problems Are Due to a Lack of Faith
This is mostly an objection to some phantom teaching that if you ever have a problem, it’s because of your lack of faith. I don’t know of anyone who actually teaches that you are promised a problem-free life. I don’t teach that. Jesus certainly didn’t teach that (John 16:33). Paul didn’t teach that, and he would be an abject failure if having problems meant there was something wrong with his faith. Paul went through all kinds of trials and he exhorted the disciples that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). So if the idea is teaching that having problems come on you is due to a lack of faith, I’m as against that as the objector is.
However, the objector would probably disagree with my next statement, which is that STAYING in many of life’s problems often IS due to a lack of faith on our part! You can’t stop Satan from shooting fiery darts at you, but you can quench them with the shield of faith. It is NOT “good news” to teach that God loves you during your trials and says, “Dude, I feel for you. I know it’s tough.” He has more than sympathy for you; He has compassion. Sympathy is a feeling. Compassion involves action. Compassion moves you. Compassion MOVED Jesus to heal the sick. He did not just sympathize with the sick; He healed them. He hasn’t changed. He is just as compassionate today. He is not withholding healing from anyone, including you.
Some problems CAN be overcome through faith. Lack and sickness are two such cases. Having a close relative give you a hard time about serving Jesus is NOT something that you can overcome through faith because someone else’s will is involved. The person MAY see the light and apologize, or the person may keep ridiculing you until his dying day. Paul could not stop people from persecuting him by using his faith; that was the context in which God said that His grace was sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
The folks in Capernaum came to Jesus in faith and got healed. The folks in Nazareth did not come to Jesus in faith and they did not get healed. Was it a matter of Jesus being willing to heal the people in Capernaum but not the people in Nazareth? Of course not; He was always willing to heal everyone and He still is to this day. He was the same Anointed One in both cities. The ONLY difference was the faith (or unbelief) in the different places. So I repeat my point that SOME of life’s problems CAN be overcome by faith, or they can just continue if you don’t exercise any faith. Keeping these problems IS due to either ignorance (you don’t know what God really says) or unbelief (you know what God really says but you won’t act accordingly). If God says you’re healed and you won’t agree with Him and instead you go around saying, “Man, I’m sick as a dog!” you are perpetuating your problem rather than solving it.
If the people in the Bible could be healed as a result of their faith or stay sick because of their unbelief, the same options are available to us today. This is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith (1 John 5:4)!