The Thin Line Between Faith and Presumption
Apr 16th, 2007 by Admin
There is a line - I think. Somewhere between faith and presumption. When one is no longer standing in faith, but in presumption. I’m not sure where the line starts to blur, but I know it’s there.
For example, I heard a story the other day of someone who had diabetes. They believed that God was going to heal them. They refused any medical treatment at all. They even refused to alter their diet. They simply believed their faith in God was going fix everything.
Now I can’t say that they’re wrong. Maybe, they’re standing in faith? Maybe God will bring about a mighty healing in their lives? But in my flesh, I feel as though they may be standing in presumption. You know, God’s going to take care of it, so it doesn’t matter what we do. We can abuse our bodies, because one day, God’s going to fix it.
Is it faith or is it presumption? I don’t know. You could go to the other extreme and say, “well, God’s not healed yet, so let’s do everything the doctors say.” Is that response a refusal to stand in faith?
The thing is you could apply this question to a million different situations. I’m sure Mary looked as if she was standing in presumption when she believed she would have a child without even knowing a man. I’m sure Abraham stood in presumption when he took matters into his own hands to accomplish God’s will in his life. But yet, God says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as faith? David must have been ridiculed as standing in presumption when he refused to take the crown that was prophesied as his by Samuel long ago. Who would’ve said that the three Hebrew children were standing in faith when they tested God’s ability to rescue them from a firey furnace.
We could go on and on. Impossible stories that to an unbelieving world looked like men were standing in presumption, because they could not comprehend faith.
Hey, glad to have you back! You make some great points. I think you’re right - I think there is a fine line and you have to figure out where that line is. I think God wants us to take care of our bodies and I think he gave us doctors to help us do that so to completely ignore a doctor and his/her recommendation seems risky to me. Of course, if you believe that the advice goes against what God would have you do then you wouldn’t want to follow it. I think each person just needs to make sure they are truly seeking God on matters like this.
Great post!
Job offers a vital insight which is this: If you do not have specific knowledge (from God) about a specific situation, do not venture to speculate on the whys, hows or whens as this upsets the Almighty (see Job 42:7)
The book of James tells us that God will give knowledge freely without fault.
In all your examples above excluding diabetic dude or dudess, God had given ‘knowledge’ to faith which was already in place.
mlbah-
Thanks! I agree with your point. I guess the thing that we need to better acquaint ourselves with is recognizing and hearing the voice of God. I think we make it seem so foreign to the Christian walk. We view it as either for the super-spiritual or for weird folk.
Thanks for the comments and the interaction!
starshine-
Welcome! Thanks for the comments.
I guess I don’t understand why you would exclude the diabetic? What if they did hear a word from God? Is that out of the question? I mean to me it seems strange, but so does sacrificing your son?
Maybe you could better explain your statement - “God had given ‘knowledge’ to faith which was already in place.”
God’s people often heard from God audibly in the O.T. I’m guessing that’s what starshine is referencing. It’s a whole lot easier to have faith when you are in direct communication. But when it comes to the diabetic person mentioned, we have many verses in Scripture about taking care of our “temple,” etc. And modern medicine and doctors might just be God’s will and answered prayer in those situations. Faith never ignores what God has already provided or has already revealed to us in His Word.
If Abraham had ignored the ram in the thicket, that would have been presumptuous. It would have killed his son.
Old Ford-
Welcome! Are you trying to say that direct communication doesn’t happen any more?
I see your point about Abraham - ignoring the provision. I think your statement about faith never ignoring what God has already provided or has already revealed is good.
Thanks for stopping by!
[I’m sure Abraham stood in presumption when he took matters into his own hands to accomplish God’s will in his life. But yet, God says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as faith?]
But note that all Abraham did to receive God’s declaration of righteousness (eternal life) was simply to believe God’s Word or promise as presented in Gen 15:1-5 and that’s what Abraham did.
The same goes with all who simply in a moments time, believe on Jesus Christ and if they do they too will be declared righteous/saved forever by God (Jn 3.16, Acts 16:30-31)!!
[I’m sure Abraham stood in presumption when he took matters into his own hands to accomplish God’s will in his life. But yet, God says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as faith?]
Another thing I forgot to point out is that you cited Abraham as being presumptous, a possibility but clearly he was becoming impatient with God (Gen 15:3). Nonetheless he was rebellious as we all are naturally but note he was already declared righteous/saved by God in Gen 15, which was probably some time before Sarai and Abrams rebellion account in Gen 16.
So you see the righteous/saved can sin and most often do but inspite of them God remains forever faithful to His declarations and promises.