Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 21
June 19, 1969
NUMBER 8, PAGE 3b

Rock-Anchored Faith

Donald R. Givens

This Article Shows the Importance of Properly Placed Faith Ed.

We need to have our complete trust and unwavering faith built on Jesus Christ, not on some human being. Humans sin. Humans fail. Humans falter, stumble, and fall from grace. But Christ is the solid ROCK. He shall never fail us. "Everyone therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock." (Matt. 7:24,25)

We need to anchor our faith in the Lord Jesus and then we will be building on the ROCK. If our faith is built on ANY human being, it is doomed to failure because it rests on the treacherous SAND.

Many times a congregation, or a group of individuals, will place their faith solely on a man; perhaps a certain preacher or elder. Then if the preacher or elder sins and perhaps falls from grace...so do his "followers." We are yet carnal if we follow after men. If we exalt any human being (whether he be "great preacher," "renown writer," "college president," "world-wide traveler," "famous author," "big promoter," or "world-wide speaker") above his rightful place — then we are carnal. Remember that Jesus said whosoever humbles himself shall be greatest (Matt. 18:4) What we like to call great is not necessarily what God calls "great." Isaiah 55:8 reminds us: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah."

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul wrote some good admonition needed even today: "For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. But we will not glory beyond our measure...But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." (II Cor. 10:12, 13, 17, 18)

If the Christian will keep his faith anchored to the Rock, when the storms and trials come his faith will stand firm. But if we are converted to some human being, and that human being falls from grace — our faith will come tumbling down also. We have all known of cases where some person "quit the church" because, as they express it: "so and so did such and such." Well, is our faith supposed to be built on "so and so" or on Christ Jesus? The worst mistake we can make is to misplace our faith. If we are converted to some man...then our faith will be doomed to failure, because all men sin.

Let us pray for wisdom (James 1:5) and let each one of us be filled with genuine humility (I Peter 5:5,6). Place your complete, whole-hearted, unwavering trust, love, and faith IN CHRIST. Then you shall have spiritual strength, help, guidance, and final victory.

There stands a Rock on shores of time, That rears to heaven its head sublime;

That Rock is cleft, and they are blest Who find within this cleft a rest:

Some build their hopes on the ever-drifting sand, Some on their fame or their treasure or their land:

Mine's on the Rock that forever shall stand. Jesus, the "Rock of Ages."

— 4349 Vassar, Port Author, Texas 77640