What about faith?

As I have been reading in my great new theology text book (ha), that I have notice God opening up this word to me about faith. I am still trying to make sense of what he is trying to tell me but I think what is becoming clear is that faith does not matter as much as the object of your faith. Now I know this is not a new concept or even that it requires much thought to know the truth of that statement. However, if it is so important why are so many people putting their faith in a false object that can do nothing for them, even Christians?

I have spent some time in deep thought over the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and its beliefs about Mary, Peter, popes, and law. I have looked at how man tries to define the deity and humanity of Jesus. I have even peeked into how cults add or take away from Jesus. Even to the aspect of what is important as doctrines of God, i.e. spiritual gifts, women in the church, the problem of evil. What I started to see was this concept, that all these people have faith but what are they putting their faith in? One author describes an encounter with one such person.

"I didn't expect to find this kind of heresy in the church. But one evening at a religious gathering I found myself seated next to a popular woman pastor who skillfully blends Christianity with the New Age movement, which teaches that God exists within every person and simply is awaiting discovery. "Do you believe Christ is the only way to God?" I asked, quite sure that she would deny such an exclusive claim. "Of course I believe Christ is the only way to God," was the direct reply. "What makes you think I wouldn't believe that?"

But I persisted. "Do you believe that all the religions of the world are equally valid?" I asked, forcing her to define her doctrine with more precision. "Yes I do," she answered candidly.

"Then how does the square with the view that Christ is the only way to God?" I asked, puzzled at what seemed to be a contradiction. "When I speak bout Christ, I am not speaking about Jesus of Nazareth" was her honest reply.

For her, the name of Christ was generic, to be used for whatever god one wished. Christ was the one universal that exists in every person. This Christ, she candidly admitted, was not the Jesus of the Bible.¹

So in light of understanding faith and for even those who say they believe in Christ the next questions should be, "Which Christ?" or "What is it that you have faith in?" Most of us when we talk to people take for granted that when someone says they believe in God they believe in the God, Yahweh, Jehovah, the God of the Bible. Some people will claim to know Christ but which Christ. What about saying the name of Jesus, is it the Jesus that is pointed out in Scripture? Unless we ask, we will never know. Today, with so many heresies floating about we cannot take anything for granted.

Maybe you are looking an answer to the object of your faith. What do you believe and why do you believe it. You might be one who has a whole lot of faith but it is unclear the object of your faith. Maybe it is time that you clearly define the object of your faith. Remember, your faith must rest upon Jesus and not just Jesus the man but the one who died and rose from the dead to make the way for our salvation. It is in that we have redemption.  Maybe this will be the chance for you to reconcile a relationship with the Father that was built on traditions and not Jesus. It is time that we stand up and say that there is only one Christ and He is Jesus the Nazarene.