“ but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2: 4; Rom 1: 17; Gal 3: 11; Heb 10: 38)

These words have been immortalized in the hearts of the faithful because this was the battle cry of the Reformation. Ever since then, this has come to characterize the one and only resource that is available for the godly in times of great distress and trouble. Even today it holds true for any child of God who has come to depend on the Lord unreservedly.

It is indeed true that the righteous has great potential in his ‘faith’ because it has been granted to him by the Lord. Since, faith itself is a gift from the Lord we can rest assured that faith shall never let us down. In Hebrews the writer adds that when the righteous is unable to trust and live by his faith, the Lord is not pleased with him. When he steps backward, the Lord is not pleased in him. In other words unbelief brings displeasure to God. This unbelief is characterized in some of the words that we use when we are confronted with believing what the Lord says and the reality that is out before us.

These words do not speak of faith but they are words of unbelief. We may see the use of these words in the book of Numbers chapter 13 and 14. These words are ‘but’ ‘if’ and ‘why’.

We know the context of Numbers chapter 13 and 14. Moses had send 12 people representing the 12 tribes as the people waited at Kadesh Barnea to spy the land of Canaan. It was primarily a task to understand the topography of the land and also to assuage the strength and weakness of the inhabitants. They were also told to bring back some of the produce of the land for the people to see that indeed the land promised by the Lord flowed with milk and honey or simply to speak that it was indeed fruitful and abundant. The spies did what they were told and they came back with a report of what they had seen and encountered.

All the spies agreed on one significant detail that the land was indeed a prosperous land and the Israelite were indeed blessed to have it. “But” there was a problem. We see this word in Num 13: 28. Some translations have it as however. This was the roadblock that the ten spies brought. They said in unison that the inhabitants of the land were powerful and strong and huge and thus the Israelite could not defeat them any way. By choosing the word “but” they questioned the ‘power’ of God. They failed to realize that the Lord God with them is far greater and powerful than any enemy they have faced thus far. They allowed the shadow of unbelief to be cast over the past historical deliverances of the Lord.

In Numbers 14: 2 and 3 they used yet another word “if” by stating that it would have been good if they had been slain in Egypt itself. By stating thus they questioned the perfect goodness of the Lord God. The Lord knew what was best for them and what they needed the most. But now by saying this they are questioning his good intentions for them. They failed to see the goodness of the Lord and the land that he was giving them as inheritance. They saw Egypt more good than the promised land. We too many a times allow the fleeting pleasure of this world to outshine the glory of the eternal age.

Thirdly, they used the word “why” in Numbers 14: 3 by asking, what was the whole purpose of them coming into the wilderness and this close to Canaan only to be killed by the sword? By asking this way they questioned the wisdom of God for their lives. They failed to appreciate the wisdom of God which leads to life. They failed to see the all wise God guiding and leading them all through these years. In any ways they are just like us.

Many a times this is what we also do. We are called believers but we fail to live up to faith. We use many vocabularies like ‘but’ ‘if’ and ‘why’ which questions the power, goodness and wisdom of God for our lives. We tend to think that we are smarter than God and can fix our problems. But such words bring the displeasure of God and it is time that we realize our faults and continue to live a life of faith in the power, goodness and wisdom of God.