Unanswered Prayer and A Hidden God

Sometimes, from our point of view in our prayers, God seems to hide Himself when He does not give to us what we request of Him. We ask the Lord for this or that, but we do not receive it. We may ask again and again, but what we request is not given.

From our point of view, therefore, it seems as if God is hidden. It is as if He does not hear what we say. We cannot find Him. Heaven is silent. No one is paying any attention.

The reason we are not granted our requests may very well be that we ask something contrary to God's will. Then it ought not to surprise us that God does not give us our request. The solution to the problem is, quite obviously, learn to pray, in every request that you make, "Thy will be done." James puts it succinctly: "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (4:15).

But sometimes we are convinced that we are praying according to the will of God. Perhaps we justify our petition with a line of reasoning similar to this: "I have been given certain responsibilities of God in His kingdom and covenant. Now the Lord has sent me an affliction that makes it impossible for me to carry out my responsibilities. And so, because it is His will that I carry out my responsibilities, it is also His will that I be delivered from this affliction."

I am sure the apostle Paul reasoned much the same way when he prayed that God would remove the thorn from his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-9). He was sure that he could not possibly perform his work as missionary to the Gentiles unless the Lord would remove the thorn. And so he prayed-- three times no less! Heaven was silent. God apparently did not hear him in his anxious request. God said nothing-- neither yes nor no. Where was God? Could He not hear?

Yet even this prayer was not in harmony with the will of God, and Paul's careful reasoning could not make it such. How often does not this happen with us! We mistake, once again, our own desires for God's will, although it may very well be that, as in the case of Paul, we sell the grace of God short. God's grace is able to do beyond what we ask or think, but we are sometimes, in our weak faith, doubtful whether this is really true.

God, in effect, told Paul the following: (1) Get busy with the work to which you were called; (2) Quit praying about that thorn, for I am not going to take it away; (3) When it comes down to it, I really cannot use you unless you continue to have that thorn. The only way you can do your work, quite contrary to what you think, is if that thorn remains; (4) the reason is twofold. My grace is sufficient for you to do the work, and do not sell my grace short. Also my strength is made perfect in weakness. That is, only when you, Paul, are as weak as it is possible to be and the work is still done, will it become apparent that I did it all, and not you. And that is the way it ought to be.

Prof. Herman Hanko 

When You Pray, pp. 147-148

https://rfpa.org/collections/books-by-herman-hanko/products/when-you-pray 

Dealing With the Depressed

Spiritual depression is an involved and complex condition. In dealing with the depressed we must be prepared for great anguish and heartache in the work, as well as for the richest blessings when God grants uplifting to the troubled soul. Here we weep with those who weep, call upon God out of the depths, feel all our inadequacies, and cry out for light. Working with the depressed requires much spiritual strength and wisdom and can leave the pastor/elder weary if he is not consciously trusting in the Lord and hoping in Him (Jer. 17:7).

Spiritual depression is a common ailment of the soul. The frequency with which Scripture (especially the Psalms) deals with this subject brings one to the conclusion that it is a very common condition in the lives of the saints. Almost no saint whose life is depicted in the Scriptures was without times of depression. This answers one of the great questions of the depressed: "How can I be a child of God if I feel this way?" The presence of depression does not mean one is not in a state of grace and adoption. It does not mean that my life is not consistent with what God has made me to be, and thus it is something I must seek the grace of God to overcome and change. Depression keeps us from living to the praise of His grace, and therefore is something from which I must repent (1 Pet. 2:9).

Spiritual depression is not a malady before which we stand defenseless and helpless, simply waiting for the time when the storm clouds will pass and the sun will return. The child of God can do something about it. Depression brings us to see our helplessness (and a whole lot of other things about ourselves too). However, God shows these things not to crush us, but to reveal to us the all sufficiency of the great Physician, who has carried our sorrows, and in whose wings there is healing. He instructs us as to where we have gone through His Word, the grace to change. As great as depression is, ans we must not minimize its depths if we are to deal effectively against it, the grace of Christ is far greater. Also concerning this seemingly impenetrable spiritual darkness we labor in the confidence that God's child "can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).

What is Depression?

By spiritual depression we mean more than what is meant by the popular use of the term. Commonly when we say, "I'm depressed," we mean, "I am feeling low, down, blue, discouraged." Spiritual depression is more than that. It is when the low spirit affects us our life in substantive ways, when we are down and out, when the low feelings take over and drag us even deeper. It is not just feeling bad about one's self and one's circumstances. It is being overwhelmed and governed by those feelings.

Depression is a feeling of guilt and unworthiness. It is a debilitating mood. In depression the conscience becomes overly active and introspective while the body itself slows down and operates at a lower level. In depression we become absorbed in thoughts like, "What good am I?" What's the use anyway? I just can't take it, it's too much."

The Psalmist in the 42nd Psalm gives an extraordinarily accurate picture of depression. Two figures are used: 1) Downcast - As a man bowed down under the weight of some heavy object, so the depressed soul feels itself under a crushing weight from which it cannot escape itself and which it cannot bear. 2) Disquieted - As the sea is tossed by the storm and not at ease, so the depressed heart is plunged into the depths of woe and feels itself unable to attain peace. The psalmist also speaks of the outward symptoms of depression. He looks troubled, haggard, dejected, vexed. He weeps day and night. It has affected his appetite. He is worried about himself and what is happening to him. Everything seems to be on top of him and he is drowning in a sea of woe.

The Scriptures impress on us the depth of this despair. We have already seen that it can affect us physically to the point of sickness, ulcers, weight loss, obesity, loss of memory, etc. (For this see Ps. 77:2-4; Ps. 102:3-5; Ps. 88). It can lead to a total breakdown, in which we cease to function at all (see Jer. 20:7-9). And still more, in depression the sense of God's presence is lost. In the throes of depression we can conclude that God does not answer our prayers or take pity. We become angry with Him and feel ourselves cut off from His presence forever (see Ps. 13; Ps. 77:1-10).

Thus spiritual depression is an interruption of the experience of the peace of God in the soul, a loss of the assurance of God's favor, a surrender to the monster of self-pity, an introspection which is not guided by faith in Christ but by our own pride.

What is the Cause of Depression?

The causes can be many. Anything which tends to get us down a bit can be the initial cause of depression. It can be a change of job, working too much, resentment or bitterness towards someone or something that has happened, marital strife, the waywardness of our child, a disappointment, our looks and abilities, etc. These and more can be the occasion from which depression arises. Or it can be when we know we are guilty to begin with; that is, it can come out of a known and willful sin and transgression of God's will.

However, depression is due to the response one gives to the difficulty, change, disappointment, or sin that has come into one's life. When we fail to respond biblically, and fail to have all our thinking and acting regarding the thing that has come into our lives or the thought has risen in our minds controlled by the Scriptures, then depression strikes. Depression arises when we are governed by and give in to our own feelings regarding these upsetting things, rather than being ruled in our thinking, willing, and acting by the Scriptures.

Depression can spiral. We can fail to handle a responsibility biblically. We walk in a sin impenitently and without making amends as far as we can. we fail to deal with a setback as God would have us deal with it. We look at ourselves and think of ourselves according to the standards we have devised. As a result we feel bad. Then, instead of following our obligations before God and dealing with that responsibility, sin, or lack of self-esteem as God would have-us to do, we follow our feelings on these things. We find ourselves seeking pity. And the end is that we feel worse and worse about ourselves, our circumstances, and our obligations.

We must remember that we are frail and weak saints of God who need at every turn of the way and moment of the day to have our innermost thoughts governed by the Word of the Lord. So easily we slip into viewing life's situations and ourselves from our own vision, rather than through the cross of Christ crucified. When we do this, and then leave ourselves stand for a moment before the gaping hole of our own feelings, our steps well nigh slip and we conclude: "for all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning)" Ps. 73.

The question is asked whether depression can have physical causes. It would be a denial of Scripture to rule that out. Scripture teaches that God has made us one, yet soul and body, and thus there is an inseparable relationship between the physical life and the spiritual. This is powerfully illustrated in the life of our Lord. We read that the devil came to tempt Jesus after He had been in the wilderness forty days and nights fasting, and therefore in a weakened physical state. He, the devil, chose this moment because he was and remains a careful student of human nature, playing every contributing factor in our makeup for his advantage. Because of the close relation between soul and body, we may not dismiss physical factors which either can enter in or lie at the root of depression. A complete physical examination, as well as the use of drugs which supply the body what it normally produces and is not producing can be helpful in the treatment of depression.

Nevertheless, to place depression in the category of physical illness would be a mistake. Then, as with a toothache, so also when my soul is in the depths and I find fear and guilt on every side. I should take myself to a medical doctor for the cure. Then I need perhaps an injection, but I do not need the present power of Christ's grace delivering me from the bondage of my sinful self. To make depression primarily a physical ailment is to negate the need for the real delivering mercies of God working in the heart and soul. Besides, even the aspects of depression which are physically related only underscore and make vivid the problems which are present in the life of the particular saint suffering depression. Depression has to do with sin. Ultimately it has to do with unbelief, the greatest sin against which we struggle. It is the failure to trust in God, even though He slay me. As hard as that is for me to hear, hear it I must, for then, and only then, can I rejoice in the power of Christ Jesus who came to save sinners also from the pit of depression.

How Should We Deal With the Depressed?

First of all, we must handle the Word of God skillfully, compassionately, and believingly.

I trust we need not work to establish the case among us that the Word of God is the powerful tool for treating depression. Depression can and does lead God's saints to be unable to read the Bible and even to become angry at the Bible itself. For a time they cannot use it right. Or they can be using it but not applying it. Therefore, I want to stress the modifiers above: skillfully, compassionately, and believingly. To bring this out, we should be aware of two dangers in this regard. 

The first danger is that of compassion without actually bringing the Word of God. Now compassion is essential for the work of the pastor/elder as Paul sets forth in Acts 20. But there must be more than mere empathy. If all that is accomplished is that the distressed of soul says, "How understanding and sympathetic you are," but he is not told what the Word of God says to him in his need, what good is it? The goal of much shepherding today seems to be to establish the reputation of ministers as sympathetic men. If we are to help our people in their need, the Word must be brought, for it is in the Word that we believe Jesus comes with His healing grace. More, we will make matters worse. The child of God has come to us and told us his woe. It is out there as big as ever. If no word from God comes, the preoccupation with the problem has only increased as a result of the talk with the pastor. We must not only talk about the problem, we must through the problem to see what God says about it. Even the pastor of pastors, the apostle Paul, did not allow his warm heart for the sheep to keep back the Word of God. He reminds the elders of Ephesus, "I kept back nothing that was profitable for you..."

The second danger is to use the Word of God as some kind of magic wand. This is to use Scripture simplistically, to read a few texts and explain them in a general sort of way and then send the person off reciting a favorite passage. We must be faithful and honest with the Scriptures, using them skillfully- that is, practically, substantively, concretely, pointedly. The Scriptures must be brought to bear on the specifics of the depression the person is enduring.

Secondly we must work with the depressed in the framework of the truths of justification and the adequacy of God.

Justification is the truth which, when it rests in the heart, must soothe the troubled soul. Justification humbles pride by teaching that my acceptance with God cannot be based on myself even if I were as good as my pride would want me to be. Justification proclaims to the soul in the depths that there is no condemnation to it. Justification is truth which supplies the motivation for sanctification and thus the reason why I as a despairing saint ought not despair and can do what I find so impossible to do. It was the knowledge that God had cast all his sins behind His back that delivered Hezekiah from the pit. The sins and failures he saw and could not hide from his view had been hid by God. This knowledge got him up again to praise God and busy himself with teaching his children (Is. 38).

The adequacy of God is the answer to every conceivable feeling of inadequacy in ourselves. "Hope thou in God!" was the counsel David gave to his downcast and disquieted soul. We labor in the conviction that in knowing God in His being there is a balm for every wound, correction for every thought, strength for every duty. God delights in having His people know Him in the full array of His virtues (Ex. 34:5-7). He is Jehovah, and, therefore, though we are so weak and sorrow is so strong, He abides stronger. To the fear which the depressed have that He will not help me, He proclaims His name as merciful, gracious, and longsuffering. In dealing with depression we must never doubt the adequacy of our God.

And thirdly, we must take depression seriously, watching for the warning signs, and spending the needed time and energy in counseling which depression requires.

Our eyes should be sensitive to the beginning of depression in the lives of the saints. Some of the indications of depression are: withdrawal from family and friends; loss of interest or satisfaction in one's calling; a feeling of isolation and loneliness; slowed thinking; feeling a burden; feeling helpless and without hope; problems on the job or in the family; sleep difficulty and weight loss; irritability; talk about dying; prolonged grief.

Depression should be something we address in the preaching, frequently in fact, as the struggle against depression is in one form or another common in the lives of God's people, and will be so long as they are in the body of this death.

We should be prepared to spend the time that is needed and deal as thoroughly as we can with the cases of depression that come to our attention. Seldom is one visit to the pastor or elder going to alter a pattern of depression in the life of a child of God. It does not work that way. "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29).

As difficult as this work can be, we engage in it, as with all our work, in the undefeatable confidence that "The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate" (Ps. 34:22).

Carl J. Haak

Pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington

The Standard Bearer

Volume 69/1993

Issue: 11, 3/1/193

https://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/dealing-depressed?keyword[0]=depression 

Affliction and A Hidden God

It is probably in times of deep affliction, when our souls are overwhelmed in us by the agonizing difficulties of our way, that the problem of a hidden God is greatest.

Our afflictions need not necessarily be caused by some specific sin in our lives. We have the example of Job to testify of this. 

Nevertheless, there are times when we ask the Lord for something that we are specifically commanded to ask for-- perhaps grace to endure some great trial. But even though we ask according to the will of God, we are still confronted with a hidden God, for no answer comes, even then.

I would venture a guess that, at some time in his or her life, every child of God experiences the same thing as Job. In fact, I am sure that this is why God put this beautiful and important book in the Bible. We all need it.

As was true with Job, sometimes God hides Himself even when there is no chastisement for sin. In a way, even then sin surely is involved. We are by no means perfect in this life, and always chastisement is for the purpose of correction. But God may hide Himself simply to teach us an important truth concerning us or Him, a truth which we have to learn and know. 

God's answer to Job was surprising and very disconcerting. It came, first, through Elihu, who seemed to be the only one with a correct understanding of things; but finally God Himself spoke of Job in that powerful and soul-shaking speech found in chapters 38-41.

In sum, these chapters make just one point, a point which was God's answer to Job. God had hidden Himself from Job. Yes, He did. But then He revealed Himself, and this is what He said.

"Job," God said, "you must learn that I am God. I am the one only God, the creator of all, great, glorious, perfect, beyond understanding in all My works and ways. 

"Now, Job, because this is true, you must also learn that I am under no obligation whatsoever to explain anything I do. I am not under obligation to you to explain what I do to you. I am not to be summoned, as you would like, into the dock to give an account to you of My actions and to justify My deeds. Who, really, do you think you are? Can you require of Me that I explain to you what I do? And even when I do what I have done to you, I have no need whatsoever to justify my actions to you.

"Were you present when I created all things? Were you there when I conceived my own perfect counsel? Should I have consulted with you before I determined to do what I decided had to be done for the perfect glory of My name?

"Job, the simple fact of the matter is that, as far as you are concerned, there is no answer. Nor will I give one. Nor need I give one. I am God!" 

Paradoxically, this is precisely God's purpose in hiding Himself: that we may learn this great truth. To use Calvin's expression, God batters us. We may perhaps rebel. So He batters us some more. We may, with great difficulty, submit but plead to know the reason. He batters us some more. We may cry out that we can take no more of this awful battering. He batters some more. We still have not learned.

And so, finally, at the bottom of the pit of our pain, God shows us that He is God and does what He pleases-- also with us. And so, finally, we say, Lord, whatever is Thy will, do with me as it seems good to Thee. Whatever happens to me is of no account. Do Thou Thy will. I want nothing more." Or as Job put it, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (13:15).

Then the God who is hidden speaks of His love in tenderest of terms and with infinite mercy towards us. He shows us that He never really was hidden, for He continued to hide all our tears in His bottle, but He assures us that it was necessary that He withdraw Himself from us so that we might come to appreciate more fully the wonders of His grace. He humbles us, but only to lift us up. He brings us very low, because only by our going through a deep valley can He bring us to the mountaintop. To forsake us is to draw us nearer to Himself.

Prof. Herman Hanko

When You Pray, pp. 148-149

https://rfpa.org/collections/books-by-herman-hanko/products/when-you-pray 

 

Heroes of Faith (2): CREATION

 

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made from things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3

This verse about creation is somewhat strange in the gallery of the heroes of faith. All the other verses in this chapter speak of people; this verse does not mention any Old Testament saint, but speaks rather of God's work of creation. And, of all things, it says, in so many words, that a person can hold to the doctrine of creation only by faith. that brings up an interesting point.

Let me try the point with an incident out of my own life.

In the years I was studying in Calvin College as a pre-seminary student, I was required to take a two semester course in Physical-Chemistry taught by a professor named, John De Vries. He had to be among the top two or three professors in the college. At that time, there were five or six professors in the science department, and all, with one exception, were theistic evolutionists. They all believed in a very old earth and, because the college was "Christian" and even "Calvinistic," they all believed in God. But they taught that God used evolutionary processes in creation.

Dr. John De Vries, who had worked on the atomic bomb project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, defended an old creation by making the word "day" in Genesis 1 refer to a period of time as long as many millions of years. He began his course by saying something like this: "I know that there are many creationists in this class (there were probably forty or fifty students in all), but I guarantee you that by the end of the year you will all believe in the period theory." (At the end of the year, I and two or three others told him that we remained unconvinced. He hung his head, got a mournful look in his eyes, and sadly said, "My first failures!")

He had many arguments that he raised in support of his views, but one argument especially seemed to be effective in the class. It was an argument used widely and repeated innumerable times by those who defended this particular brand of evolutionism. The argument was intended to be a major concession to creationists, but an attempt to draw creationists to evolutionism by, what I considered to be, dishonest means.

We were told, and I heard the same thing repeated times innumerable over the years: "It makes no real difference whether you believe in six-day, twenty-four-hour-days, or not, for the whole question has  nothing to do with salvation nor with the gospel. It has to do only with creation. The gospel came after the fall. One can readily believe in and defend evolutionism and still have faith in Christ by which he is saved."

Early in my ministry I taught an Essentials of Reformed Doctrine class to about thirty catechumens. They were all in high school. Our own high school did not exist at the time, and so they all went to a Christian, but not Protestant Reformed, high school. They were taught evolutionism, particularly, the period theory, in the school they attended. They were a rather unusual class of catechumens for from them came many ministers, teachers, elders and deacons who served with distinction in our churches. And so they were not exactly inclined to make a minister's word for it when it came to doctrine. The class meetings were filled with debate, argument and questions. It usually took at least two classes of an hour each to cover a lesson, and when we got to the doctrine of creation, we must have been on that lesson for at least six weeks. They defended the period theory, which they had been taught. They argued, among many other arguments, that it didn't make any real difference what one believed, for the doctrine of creation was not part of the gospel. 

I gave the catechumens periodic tests and, quite obviously, I asked in the test what the Bible taught concerning the doctrine of creation. One, very intelligent and very articulate person, gave the right answer, but wrote also, "It really does not matter what one believes, for creation is not part of the gospel of Jesus Christ." I wrote in the margin, "It matters this much hat if you still hold this position when you make confession of faith, I will refuse to accept your confession." I think I had barely finished saying, Amen in the closing prayer and this person was in front at my side. "Do you really mean what you said in the margin of my test paper? You will refuse to accept my confession if I hold to the idea that what we believe concerning creation has nothing to do with our salvation?" I assured the person that she had understood me correctly and that what I wrote, I meant. The person turned away and the only word I heard was, "Wow!"

I bring all this up because it leads up to the crucial importance of this text. And this text is decisive for the truth of creation. The text tells us that by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. And as I said in an earlier article, faith always has Christ for its object! The one truth in all Scripture which is fundamental to all our faith is that Christ is the eternal and only-begotten Son of God who came into the world to save sinners. Everything else we believe is only a part of that one great truth concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. If it is by faith that we believe that the worlds were framed by the word of God, then creation also is part of the doctrine of Christ. I shall explain why this is so in the next article, God willing. 

I want to point out to you now, however, that there is good reason why the chapter, which is the roll-call of the heroes of faith, begins with a verse on creation, while all the other verses deal with people. Think of it: All the heroic deeds of God's people as acts of faith could be performed only because these people had faith in Christ, even though He was as yet, in the Old Testament, only promised. And so, by putting creation at the beginning of the list of saints who performed such mighty works of faith, Scripture is saying: "You have to believe in creation first of all, if you are to have the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham.... They believed in creation as part of the gospel; and so they believed in Christ, the heart of the gospel. If you do not believe in six-day, twenty-four hour day creation, forget it; forget the whole chapter; forget what these saints did; forget your faith all together. It means nothing."

To believe in creation as Genesis 1 and 2 describes it and to believe in Genesis 1 and 2 as a literal description of the origin of the worlds is to believe in Christ. Does that sound strange to you? It shouldn't. It's the teaching of the whole Scripture. We shall see.

Perhaps you [in the Philippines] do not have the battle on your hands that we have here [in the USA]. Here it is altogether too common that people try to teach a "Biblical" evolutionism. Christian schools at e very level teach evolutionism. It is preached from the pulpits and taught in the classrooms. It is accepted without question and Christians who do not teach some form of evolutionism are considered old-fashioned, behind-the-times Christians, who cling to old and out-worn theories, who hate science, and who are so totally irrelevant to our 21st century that they cannot even witness to our modern generation.

Creation is a doctrine we must believe - as it is taught in the Scriptures. 

Prof. Herman Hanko

Heroes of Faith (1)

This is a series called Heroes of Faith wherein Prof. Herman Hanko discusses the celebrated chapter of Hebrews 11 known as the "Hall of Faith." 

INTRODUCTION – HEBREWS 11:1-2

This article is also part of the introduction to a closer consideration of the heroes of faith. But it is Scripture’s introduction. It reads: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

Whatever is the meaning of these two verses?

Commentators have argued long over the question and have disagreed, sometimes violently over the meaning of the two words “substance” and “evidence.” I happen to think that  commentators tend sometimes to make Scripture more difficult than it really is. I think the translation in the KJV is correct and that all we really need to do is take the verse as it stands there.

So, first of all, in  this definition of faith that Scripture gives us, we may ask the question: What does “substance” mean here? The answer is: The substance of something is what that something is made of. The substance  of faith is, therefore, what faith is made of.

The text gives us the answer to that question. Faith is “made” of things hoped for. 

What  are  things  hoped  for?  The  things  we  hope  for  are  the  things  that  are  in  heaven:  Christ himself, the whole church from Adam on, all the blessings of salvation, moral perfection, the glory of a new creation, the angels as our servants, freedom from weakness and sin and death, glorified bodies and souls. We hope for those. We do not want to live in this world forever, a place where we keep on sinning and suffering all sorts of diseases. Even though we sometimes live as if things in this world are really the things we want, deep down in our hearts we know that heaven is infinitely better than anything in this world, and that heaven is the place we want to go.

 Faith then is “made up” of those things we hope for. Faith is the same as those things we hope for.

When we have faith we have those things. All the things of heaven we already have now when we have faith.

All that sounds like strange language, but it really isn’t. Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, tells the saints that God blesses us with all spiritual  blessings  “in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

Paul says that the blessings we now receive from God really put us in heavenly places with Christ.

The Bible teaches us again and again that faith is the bond that unites us to Christ. And when we are united to Christ we are with Him, and being with Him we receive from Him all He has to give.

Sometimes the Bible uses expressions like, faith as appropriating Christ, or as laying hold on Christ, or as making Him our own. We do have Christ! We have Him as our possession! By faith! We walk with Him  as Enoch  and Noah  did.  We talk  with  Him  and  He  talks  to  us. He  even  calls  us by  our names.  He strengthens us in our weakness and is in fact our strength – by faith! You who read this article ought to sit down for a few minutes and think of all this. Do you really and truly realize that when you believe in Christ you actually possess Him? And, possessing Him, you have everything that heaven is all about.

Let  me  point  out  to  you  that  the  object  of  our  faith,  that  which  we  believe,  is  always  Christ Himself. We believe the Scriptures, but the Scriptures are the infallible portrait of Christ. Every last word of it is part of the portrait of Christ.

This is also true of the Old Testament saints. Let’s try to remember that as we discuss their acts of faith. They did what they did because they believed in Christ  – even though He had not yet come. “All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them ... .” The promises are salvation in Christ.

Our one question in discussing these heroes of faith is: What did these people do because they

believed in the coming of Christ? They did remarkable things! And we must do the same.

***********

  Hebrews 11 also tells us that faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” What does that mean?

  You see, while we have Christ already now in this life, we cannot see Him; and while the blessings we  shall  someday  receive  are  ours  now  (although  only  partly),  we  cannot  show  anyone  that  we  have them. Peter talks about this as well: “. . . at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:7-9).

Faith sees things that cannot be seen. Faith is proof that these things are real. Faith is a proof stronger than seeing. Faith is so strong of the reality of Christ and heaven that the one who has faith will stake his life on the reality of heaven and salvation. Faith is the ultimate proof. Job says, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

Faith is a wonderful power in the lives of God’s people. It is a whole new way of knowing and seeing things.

Let me explain.

Before Adam fell, Adam could see, know and love God, because of Adam knew God through God’s revelation in His creation; trees and birds, flowers and animals, stars and planets all revealed God.

But the fall of Adam into sin did two terrible things. The curse came on the creation so that the revelation of God in creation could barely be seen, for God’s curse brought death and violence to the creation. The creation was like a book that had been laying out in the weather for a year. Such a book, rained on and dried, rain on again and dried again, blown about by the wind, can hardly be read.

But something, happened also to man. He died as God said he would. He died spiritually so that he became totally depraved. He lost his ability to see God who has revealed in creation.

But even that was not the worst. The real reason for his inability to see God is the hatred of God that depravity brings. Paul says, “He [wicked man] suppresses the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). He will not confess God. He is like you and me: when we do something terribly wicked that every one knows about, and we regret it, we refuse to allow ourselves to think about it and we try drown the wicked deed in the bottom of our consciousness. And anyone that forces us to think about it again, we hate because we cannot bear to think about it.

Whether such hatred is characteristic of an atheist, or of a man who goes to church but will not believe the truth, both are hateful of God.

Faith corrects all that. It is a God-given power to believe what God says in the Bible. Faith takes away our spiritual blindness so that we can “see” and believe as true what God says. Faith banishes the effects of sin from our hate-filled minds and wills, and gives us the power, the spiritual power to love God so much that we take the Bible and study it as carefully as a young lady reads and studies a letter she has received from her boy-friend whom she has not seen for ever so long a time.

Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, goes even a step further. He says that when by faith we put on the eyeglasses of the Bible, we can once again see God’s revelation in creation as well. God tells us in the Bible all He is doing and will continue to do in the creation.

By the way, this is why, we ought to appreciate the flowers, birds, trees, mountains and stars in God’s world.

In this way of faith, faith becomes the evidence, the proof of all the spiritual realities of God, His Christ, and the salvation of the church and the creation.

And finally, when a person really has faith, that faith does wonderful things in life – as Hebrews 11 tells us.

Prof. Herman Hanko 

What Prayer Is

 

Prayer is to the Christian what breathing is to a healthy person. Without prayer a Christian dies.  Breathing is spontaneous; in many ways so is prayer. 

Prayer is like a river that returns to its source, for prayer has its power in the Spirit of Christ working life in the heart of God's child; that life returns again in prayer to God who gave it. It is the expression of the thirst for God that makes a stag panting after the water brooks an apt simile (Ps. 42:1).

Prayer is lovers' talk, for it is a holy conversation between the living and eternal God and the redeemed child of God in which both speak to each other in the most intimate relationship of love. 

Prayer is a child coming to his Father, knowing that his Father loves him and will provide for him in every need. We must begin our prayers, the Lord says, with "Our Father who art in heaven."

In prayer the believer enters consciously into God's presence. There is an earthly element in prayer, for in heaven we will not pray any longer, at least not in the sense in which we usually speak of it. We shall see Christ face-to-face (1 Cor. 13:12) and be consciously in Christ's presence every moment. But here on earth we are preoccupied with many things, and God is often far from our thoughts. Prayer is the pause in our often busy and hectic lives that brings us face-to-face with God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is also heavenly, for it takes us out of this world and carries us soaring on the wings of prayer into God's own dwelling place.

Usually we think of prayer as those moments when we fold our hands and close our eyes and it is usually necessary for us to do this, because we are easily distracted and our minds are easily turned away from being in God's presence. But folding our hands and closing our eyes are not essential to prayer, nor do these actions guarantee prayer. A mother, while all but overwhelmed with the cares and duties of tending to the needs of her family, may offer a silent prayer to God as she has her hands immersed in dishwater. A child, taunted by cruel classmates, may seek grace from God to retaliate against his tormentors. A father, forced to listen to foul language in the shop, may, while operating his press, seek strength to witness properly to those who take the name of his God in vain.

To remember that prayer is consciously to be in the presence of God in order to carry on a holy conversation with Him will help us to understand how Scripture can admonish us to pray continuously. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul literally says, "Pray without ceasing." There are no qualifications, no limitations, no explanations that would ease the force of the command, but only this: "Pray without ceasing." The same admonition is repeated in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (6:18). In Colossians 4:2 the members of the church at Colosse are urged to "continue in prayer," and to the church at Rome Paul writes that they should continue "instant in prayer" (12:12). This is the high calling to which we are called, the goal of sanctification in our lives. To walk every moment in the consciousness of being in the presence of God is that for which we strive here in the world, but which shall be ours only in glory.

Herman Hanko 

When You Pray, pp. 1-2 

https://rfpa.org/collections/books-by-herman-hanko/products/when-you-pray

Confessing the Living Redeemer

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Job. 19:25

"I know that my redeemer liveth."

What a confession! What a comfort! On this day when we observe the resurrection of our blessed Savior we echo the triumphant cry of victory that the saints who have gone before us have uttered. As pilgrims and strangers whose citizenship is in the kingdom of God we and all of God's children must face the relentless onslaught of Satan as he attacks us by means of the world, our flesh, and himself personally. But in the darkness of despair the Lord always comes to us with the good news of the gospel that the grave could not hold the Lord Jesus Christ. He lives. And I know that my Redeemer liveth. That is the certain knowledge and blessed assurance of faith.

In our text we have the confession of Job, the likes of whose trials and afflictions you and I have never known and perhaps never will. We know the account very well. In one day he lost all that he had, both possessions and his ten children. In addition he was plagued with a most dreadful disease, which made him so sick that he desired to die. Then there came to him friends who were supposed to comfort him, but only added to his misery. Out of that unspeakable misery, when it appeared that it could get no worse, there came the confident testimony of faith: "I know my redeemer liveth."

We can understand the significance of having a redeemer when we take a look at what a redeemer is. Then we, too, will be glad that He lives. A redeemer is one who will take up the cause of another in order to help him in his time of need. This redeemer is not only ready and willing to pay the price of redemption but actually does so. In this way the redeemer vindicates the one in need and delivers him from all his trouble. Along with Job we need a redeemer because we cannot pay the price. We are in bondage by nature with no way out. This is, of course, a spiritual bondage, the bondage of sin and death under the righteous judgment of God. Since this is the righteous judgment of God who is righteous in all His ways, we know that we deserve the eternal woe of hell.

O, but we know of one who has paid the price of our redemption. Indeed, there is one who as atoned for our sins, thereby delivering us out of our bondage and assuring us of everlasting life in glory. Yes, we know as well as Job knew that this redeemer is Christ, the only promised Savior, the perfect and eternal Redeemer.

Job spoke of Him as he saw Him in prophecy, as the one that was still to come. Since the promise was not yet realized, Job did not know the Christ in the full revelation that we have today. But that does not mean that he was less convinced of his salvation than we are. Just as we do today, the day in which we rejoice in the resurrection of Christ from the dead, so Job could confess with his whole heart and soul: My Redeemer lives.

His Redeemer, even as ours, is Jehovah, the almighty, unchangeable, sovereign God. With His friend Job, God had established His covenant. God says of Job, "This is my servant, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil." How could God possibly say that of Job unless He had taken him into His covenant? The Lord our God was not looking at Job in his nature, but as he was in Christ. What is true of Job is also true of us. Eternally God has engraven us in the palm of His hands. Therefore, before our holy God we are holy and righteous, redeemed and sanctified in Christ.

Thus, as a child of God, Job was first of all deeply conscious of his sin and guilt. But as a child of God he also confessed his sin and obtained pardon. He experienced the blessedness of those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. He loved his God and hated evil. This was evident even at that moment when he was suddenly made destitute and childless. Humbly he confesses, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked I return thither. Jehovah gave, Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah." It is in this consciousness that this servant of God can say in harmony with all God's children: It is God who justifies; God is my justifier. My Redeemer lives! 

O blessed confession, I know that my Redeemer liveth! He lives! He is the Almighty, unchangeable Jehovah, who keeps covenant with His people forever. His grace abideth ever. He does not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities. He lives! How much richer these words are for us now, since the cross and the resurrection have become a historical reality. The Son of God came into our flesh, suffered, died, and was buried. For a moment even the disciples despaired, so that they hid themselves in bitter sorrow. He who had professed to be the living Savior, the Christ, the Son of the living God, had perished in the hands of wicked men. His body rested in the grave. 

Yet the flame of faith and hope within their souls never entirely faded out. No, suddenly it flared up to shine forth in glorious brilliancy. Jesus arose as victor over death. He had satisfied God's justice. And God raised Him up to exalt Him to power and glory in the highest heavens. We now see Jesus with an eye of faith, crowned with glory and honor, living and reigning with God forever! 

He lives! We know that He lives, for as He has come to dwell with us in the Spirit. He lives even now within our hearts. I know! That is the confession and testimony of faith. The assurance of faith is always personal. Faith says: I know. Faith speaks of my Redeemer. Thus we confess together, I know that my Redeemer liveth. No one can actually know God without knowing that this God is his God, the God of His eternal salvation. The same is true with respect to Christ. No one can know Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners without knowing that this Jesus is also his personal Savior. He who confesses God with a sincere heart also says: My God. And he who confesses Jesus to be the Christ also adds the personal assurance: My Lord and my God.

This faith is and will be sorely tried in our lifetime. There are many temptations that beset us. The world and its lusts still appeal to our sinful flesh. We are filled with dread at the scorn of the world. Then there is our old nature with all its sinfulness. We really need say no more here. Each of us knows his own heart and the sin that arises from it. Added to all that, there are all the sufferings that we must bear. With Asaph we wonder why it appears that the wicked prosper while the righteous must suffer. So our life is fulled with a variety of disappointments, adversities, pains, and distresses. Does God really love us? Certainly it would appear to be contrary. We are inclined to complain with the psalmist in Psalm 77:7-9. "Will God cast us off forever: and will He be favorable no more? IS His mercy clean gone forever? Doth His promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies?"

Yet, wonder of all wonders, you and I confess in triumph of faith: I know that my Redeemer liveth! That is good news that is revealed to us in the Scriptures. God has made known to us His eternal love. He has revealed to us His pardoning grace and saving mercy as it is ours only in Jesus Christ. And ultimately we will dwell in heaven in that glorious inheritance which He has prepared for us, His saints. 

This I know. How do I know? The Spirit assures us of that in our hearts. How does He do that? By the Word and the preaching of that Word. Through this means He not only convicts us of our sins but points us to the cross. Thus being cast down we are lifted up, being hungry we are fed. Being thirsty we are led to the streams of living water. To the grave we are pointed. O, but do not forget, that grave is empty. He who died for us lives. 

Faith says: I know that my Redeemer liveth. Let that word of truth ring forth from now even unto all eternity. That is our victory cry. He lives! 

Rev. Rodney Miersma 

https://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/confessing-living-redeemer