Faith Challenged

(by Bill Stevenson)

How many committed Christians have had their faith really challenged by scepticism, unjust
actions, or threats to one's welfare by significant others? Jesus Christ warned His followers that
they would be misunderstood by their own people. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated
Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you
are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember
the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they
will persecute you; if they kept My Word, they will keep yours also." (John 15:18-20)
The road in attempting to understand and live the Logos is narrow and rocky with many
challenges, while Satan's many roads are very smooth and wide with few real frustrations. It is
very easy for man to be tempted to take the routine ways of living set up by our society. By
nature we tend to avoid situations or dialogues that might turn out to be challenging or
controversial. But, as the Bible consistently says, we must show perseverance in divine
providence and we should not despair if we are chosen to suffer with God. Paul told
believers at Philippi, "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, you should not only
believe in Him but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict which you saw
and now hear to be mine." (Philippians 1:29 & 30) This suffering usually comes from
challenges by and temptations from the Devil. Why should any true Christian feel that he
or she should be relatively free of Satan's influences when the Holy Spirit guided Job,
Jesus, and Peter into situations of being tempted by the Devil?
One born again Christian said that he wishes that true Christians (including himself) would
have their respective faiths challenged more to enable them to really know the greatness of
spiritual strength. Thanks be to God for giving me a testimonial life of unexpected challenges to
my growing faith, inspiring true strength and perseverance instead of depression and a mental
breakdown. I have kept Romans 8:28 hope and looking for things to be thankful for during and
after each challenge. After Jesus warned His disciples about their possibilities of being hated and
persecuted, He said: "But all this they will do to you on My account, because they do not know
Him who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse
for their sin. He who hates Me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works
which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and
My Father. It is to fulfill the Word that is written in their Law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'"
(John 15:21-25) "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you
may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust... You, therefore must be perfect, as your
Heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-45 & 48)
Members of the true Christian Church should help each other with understanding the above
indicated challenges and temptations on the road of Jesus Christ and they should not be content
when the daily and weekly activities become routine. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any man
would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever
would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew
16:24 & 25) "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. Just as I am, without one
plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidd'st me come to thee, oh Lamb of God,
I come, I home!" Proverbs 3:5-8 and Psalm 37 have been the inspirational passages of God's
Word to me during most of the challenges to my faith.