by Barry Newton

Sitting on a large branch seven feet in the air, a small boy looked down at his father's raised arms. Calmly his father said, "Have faith in me." For the lad to have faith in his dad, he would need to lower himself into his dad's waiting arms.

An excited teenager proudly held up her new driver's license for all to see. Smiling, she looked at her dad and said, "have faith in me." To possess faith in his daughter demanded dropping the keys into her hand.

God commanded Noah to build an ark because He was sending a flood. For Noah to have faith in God, he would need to cut down trees and build that ark.

At the age of seventy-five, Abram was told by God to leave his country and his father's house to go to a land God would show him. For Abram to exhibit faith, he would need to pack his bags and start walking down the road.

Although he was elderly and had no son of his own, God promised Abram that his descendants would be like the stars of the heavens. For Abram to have faith in God, he was required to believe God's promise.

When a vast enemy army began advancing against Judah and her king Jehoshaphat, God's message to His people was to march out against them. They were instructed to have faith in God because the battle belonged to God. For Judah to possess faith in God, they would have to march out to see God's victory.

Key Observations

1. How faith is expressed differs from one context to another.

2. How people have been called to exhibit faith in God changes from one situation to another.

3. Whether someone possesses faith in someone or something is determined by how that situation calls for a person to respond.

4. In order to have faith in an unconditional promise, a person only has to believe. To possess faith in someone who issues a command or in a situation where activity is demanded, faith requires obedient action.

Having died for our sins and then raised to life, Jesus cries out through the gospel, "have faith in me." How are we called to trust in Jesus that we might be saved and become members of God's family? Do we only need to accept Jesus into our heart? Is it necessary for us to trust in Jesus by being baptized?

The biblical answer is determined by hearing the story, not by what I think it means to have faith in Jesus. Whether through the genre of letter, narrative (Acts) or Gospel, the New Testament message is consistent.

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were immersed into Christ have been clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27).

"But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being immersed, men and women alike" (Acts 8:12).

"So then, those who had received his word were immersed; and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

"...preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been immersed shall be saved; ..." (Mark 16:15,16).

Whether someone has faith in Jesus is determined by the story, not by what that individual might think it means to have faith in Jesus. Whether baptism is essential for salvation is determined by whether the gospel calls us to trust in Jesus by being baptized. It does. It is.

Next article: "The Framework of Covenant & Baptism"

by Stan Mitchell

I have just reread Alan Paton's classic, "Cry the Beloved Country." In his lovely, heartbreaking tale of South Africa, Paton tells of a young black man named Absolom who breaks into a house in white, suburban Johannesburg. He and his accomplices, however, are discovered, and in the ensuing fight the man of the house is murdered. It turns out that the fathers of both killer and victim are neighbors - living amongst the beautiful hills of Kwazulu-Natal. The bereaved father is a commercial farmer named Jarvis, and the murderer's father a Zulu minister.

Absolom is arrested for killing Jarvis' son, and sentenced to death. The elderly minister appeals for his life, and awaits word of the appeal's success. By chance, when the letter comes, he and Jarvis are caught in a terrific thunderstorm and take refuge in the little village church building. Paton writes:

"It was nearly over when Jarvis rose and stood in the aisle near Kumalo. Without looking at the old man he said, 'Is there mercy?'"

There was no mercy. Absolom would be executed, and both fathers would suffer their own unique grief. Of course in earthly courts, justice must prevail; a young man who takes another's life must suffer the consequences. But Kumalo, a man of great dignity, finds to his surprise that rather than seek revenge, Jarvis offers to rebuild the little church building and build a dam to provide water for the valley of Umzimkulu.

Rather than be overcome by vengeance, their suffering brought these two men together, the taciturn white farmer and the simple preacher. And, one wonders, could their South Africa one day also be united?

But Christians already know that suffering and loss bring people together, for the sacrifice of Christ reconciles us (or ought to) to each other. How could we, who needed Christ's mercy, look down on another mercy-given child of God? How could we who have been forgiven, refuse to forgive?

Jesus brought us together in his dying: "to reconcile both of them (Jew and Gentile) through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility" (Ephesians 2:16, NIV).

South Africa - and our sad old earth - is a pretty tough place. But yes - apparently there is mercy.

Heavenly Father, God omnipresent, your most precious promise has always been to be with those who do your will. That assurance gives us comfort and courage. We know we can succeed in this Christian life because you walk with us, support us, encourage us, uphold us.

Lord, we recognize it as the promise for all times, for all places, for all peoples, for all states of mind and work. And it is this promise of your presence we most desire, for Jesus came to bring us back to you. Amen.

[Pertinent passages: Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5,6; 1 Peter 3:18]