Personal faith can’t be delegated, but we must all have our own faith. One of my friends is a faithful believer in Jesus but has an adult child far from God. My friend would love to have faith for his child, but it doesn’t work that way.
In life, there are many times when there is substitution. You may have had a substitute teacher or postal delivery person or, when cooking, substituted a similar ingredient. When it comes to faith, there are no substitutions. Your parents, a friend, or your pastor can’t have faith in Jesus for you. Faith is not about riding someone else’s coattails but developing your own personal faith.
The Israelites wanted Moses to Talk to God
The Israelites had seen one miracle after another as the Lord sent plagues on Egypt. These miracles helped free them from slavery. After freeing them, the Lord gathered the people around Mt. Sinai, where He verbally gave them the ten commandments. After the Lord gave them the commandments, He displayed his power and glory.
Exodus 20:18 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. 19 And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” [1] The people had just heard the Lord speak from heaven and did not die but insisted only Moses talk to God. In essence, the people handed off the fantastic privilege of speaking to the Lord to Moses. In doing so, they would miss a great blessing.
Your Faith is Personal
John 3:16 is called the nutshell of the Bible. 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [2] This verse makes it very clear that Jesus loved us so much that He died for all our sins and that we must have faith in Him. Everyone who believes in Jesus is called a person of faith, which can’t be delegated.
The most significant step a person can take is to ask Jesus into their heart and begin a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. When we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and lives in us. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? [3] If you have never placed your faith in Jesus, the Lord is calling you to do so today.
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I’ve kept you out of my life for too long. I know I am a sinner and cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith, I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.[4]
To learn how personal faith can’t be delegated, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-rules
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.
[4] https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/the-sinners-prayer-4-examples.html