Complete Trust Works where “Little Faith” Fails

Posted on 05. Jan, 2010 by Jim Peters in Hearing God - Jim's Daily D

1 Peter 2:7-16

⁷ So this honour is for you who completely trust. But for those who don’t completely trust….

“The stone the builders rejected – This became the head of the corner.”[1] ⁸ and…

“a stone that trips (people) over and a rock (that) traps[2] (people).”[3]

They trip over (because) they refuse to believe and disobey the word, and they were also appointed for this.

⁹ But you are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people group owned (by God)”[4] so that you will make known the moral goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you weren’t a people group, but now you are God’s people group. You hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ You, who I love unconditionally, I call on you as foreigners and strangers to avoid the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. ¹² Have a good way of life among the Gentiles (that is the non-Jews) so that, (although)[5] they slander you as evildoers, they will (give) honour and glory to God on the day he visits[6] because they saw your good works.

¹³ For the Owner and Master’s sake, obey all human authority[7], whether to the king (who) has control over you ¹⁴ or leaders sent by him to punish evildoers and praise (those who) do good. ¹⁵ This (is what) God wants, that by doing good you will silence the ignorance of foolish people.

¹⁶ Don’t use your freedom as free people to cover evil, but to be God’s slaves.[8]

[1] Psalm 118:22 [2] “trap-stick” – ie the trigger for a trap [3] Isaiah 8:14 [4] Isaiah 43:20-28 [5] “which” [6] “visitation [7] “institution/creation” [8] “but as God’s slaves”

Application

The honour of never being disgraced belongs to me if I will completely trust God. Faith is such an easy word to roll of the tongue and has the connotation of a scale of levels of belief that might be acceptable. However, I am coming to believe more and more that only complete trust in God will cut it. Certainly, complete trust is the assurance that I will not experience shame and disappointment. Accordingly, if shame and disappointment are hammering at the door, the counter measure is complete trust. Most translations continue to say that those who don’t believe will stumble. Well, it appears that the meaning is “those who don’t trust completely” are the ones who will trip up… God is calling me to totally depend on him rather than to have a little faith. Could Jesus have meant this when he said “O you of little faith.” Even the little faith I have is enough for miracles, but God wants me to be like a little child and put ALL my trust in him alone.

If I do this, then it will be no difficulty to obey him, whatever he asks me to do. I can submit to worldly authorities. I can love other people. I can do good despite those around me who may slander me and falsely accuse me. It’s all for God’s sake and I will be happy to do whatever he says because I love him and completely trust him.

I am free to do anything I please. However, I should choose to use my freedom to be God’s slave rather than to do what I want.

Prayer

Father, I need your presence and your love. Please help me to be a person who always trusts you in every circumstance. Thank you for your promise that you will never leave me or forsake me and thank you for your promise that I will never be ashamed. Fill me Holy Spirit and show me what you would have me do. I choose to use my freedom to be your slave, Father.

IJN Amen

Jim Peters

Complete Trust Works where “Little Faith” Fails

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