Faith Is Not Mental Assent Part 2

Faith Is Not Mental Assent Part 2

As shared in the previous post, faith is not simply having the mind agreeing with what the Word says, because even the demons believe. Faith without works is as good as dead (James 2:20).

Since true believing always produces an outcome (Mark 11:24), when an outcome is not produced, we know that one does not truly believe.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 for one who believes. - Mark 9:23 (This has to read in the context of 1 John 5:14-15).

I like to read a verse in different angles: front to back, back to front, scriptures interpreting scriptures, and also the reverse, etc.

If all things are possible for one who believes, it also means that it is not possible for one who does not believe. In the context of Mark 9, the disciples failed to set the boy free. But Jesus DID it. In other words, it is possible for the boy to be free because Jesus believed. And it is not possible for the boy to be free because the disciples did not believe.

Some people say, "Wilson, it's not so simple, you know?" Well, that's because we love to give excuses and reasons to what we do not see, so that we can justify and assure ourselves that the equation is not always on our side. It's called 'self-preservation'. Simplicity (not stupidity) is a virtue.

When the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cast out the demon, Jesus answered, "𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟." (Matt 17:20).

The disciples had all the results earlier. They had Jesus' authority and power (Luke 9:1) to heal and to cast out demons. But they couldn't do so for the boy in Matt 17 aka Mark 9.

In other words, you can be believing in many of the circumstances and still fail to believe in another situation. You can be seeing results (i.e. healing) in 1000 people who have cancer and still NOT believe when you minister to the 1001th person who has cancer.

Believing is not just in the words you say and what you think in your mind. Singing "there can be miracles... when you believe..." doesn't mean it's believing.

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. - Mark 11:23

Doubting and believing take place in the heart. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐎𝐑 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

But let him ask in faith, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. - James 1:6-7

Since you only need little faith like mustard seed to move mountains (Matt 17:20), 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 as each of us has been given the same standard of faith (Rom 12:3). Jesus did not say that His disciples have faith issue. He said that they had unbelief. Because every believer has enough faith to move mountains and produce results.

In other words, faith AND doubt CAN co-exist at the same time in the life of a believer for a particular/specific situation. But believing and doubt CANNOT co-exist.

In the next part, we will see the difference between faith and believing, and how to stand.