Biased and Unbiased Faith
In the electronics world this terminology is not uncommon but is very well known. Actually the device I am using to type this on plus the device you are reading it on could not even work without the “Bias” concept.
Everyone reading this is very accustomed to the term, “Semiconductor.” Which is exactly that. It’s neither a good conductor nor a good insulator. This is why it is called a “Semiconductor.”
It has to be this way in order to fulfill it’s purpose. Take for instance a transistor. A basic silicone transistor, whether it be an NPN or PNP is made up of three elements. A base, an emitter and collector with the base in between.
In the NPN transistor the emitter will be negative or ground and the collector will be positive.
So now we are left with the base. The purpose and job of the base is to influence, either to increase or to decrease, if you will, the current flow through the transistor. By simply applying a very small positive voltage and very low current to the base, the transistor will increase in it’s current load.
So now we can use this in a spiritual way to bring out a very important truth.
Now looking into this concept, hopefully we can see how it can help us in our walk with God.
The walk we have with our Lord has to be the walk of “Faith” and that without being “Biased” from any outside source.
The trouble of allowing an outside source in our our walk is that when the source changes, then also our walk will change, just like the transistor. A very small change in current on the base will make a large change in the output current through the transistor.
For instance, if we were to apply a positive voltage and too much current to the base, it will overload the transistor which will most of the time burn it out. On the other hand if we put a negative voltage and current on the NPN transistor, it will quit working and just sit idle.
Our faith will work this way if allowed to be influenced by outside sources.
One of the worst influences that will affect our walk of faith is emotions and feelings. While these are good when in their place and certainly to be enjoyed in their rightful order but cannot be trusted when taken the wrong way.
Faith has to be influenced by it’s rightful source. That being the source which produced it in the first place. “The word of God.”
So here is where it gets interesting. If feeling produce faith then the faith is being “Biased” from the wrong source and will fail.
On the other hand, when faith is increased from it’s source, the word of God, then many times the feeling and excitement that follows will be real. Not so much to be lived by, but enjoyed as the result of trusting the word which produced the joy. I realize the joy of The Lord is our strength but if we trust the joy and not the word that produced the joy then our strength will eventually falter.
The thing we have to watch for is, if we are not careful, when blessed and enjoying the feelings of joy in The Lord, it is easy once again to drift off in their direction and forget the faith that produced them. And in the end learning the hard lesson of failing to remember:
“The Just Shall Live by Faith.”
To put it in another way is. We get our eyes on the blessing and off the one from where all blessings flow.
It is certainly never wrong when our faith is increased to enjoy the blessings of joy unspeakable and full of glory. Such as, when we read the scriptures and our Lord reveals some great truth we had never seen before in His word. This will automatically increase our faith and many times will also fill our hearts with joy.
Also, answered prayer will increase our faith, especially when we know there was no one praying concerning the request other than ourselves. Both of these are certainly “Biased” from His word. In prayer, our Lord speaks the words. “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Faith increased as a result of obeying His word.” Luke 11:9
If we look into Luke Chapter 24, we read the account of the two men on the road to Emmaus.
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
I’m only going to use a few verses here in order to point out the source of their faith being increased and the excitement His spoken words produced.
For a brief summary of what this passage is referring to. These two men having seen their King go to the cross rather than the Throne as the promised King of the Jews. As they traveled the road back home their resurrected Lord comes and walks along beside them. Discouraged and walking in unbelief He begins the conversation and inquiring, “….as ye walk, and are sad?” verse 17 As if He didn’t know.
At any rate He scolds them for their unbelief and from the scriptures begins the cure for their unbelief. It is said of them as they heard His words, “….. Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” verse 32. Once they make it home, they invite Him into their lodging, which by the way is always a good thing. And as they sat at meat, He takes the bread and blesses it and breaks it, then they recognize who He is. The excitement sets in and He vanishes out of their sight. Now late in the day and heading back to Jerusalem with the good news: Jesus is alive.
Point is, they of course had faith but now their faith is increased dramatically beginning with Jesus quoting the scriptures and in the end revealing Himself to them. What a happy day it always is when Jesus reveals Himself to our hearts, and that through His word and we see Him.
So here we see the correct “Bias” for their faith. The written word of God as quoted from the writings of Moses when opened up to their hearts by the Incarnate word of God, Jesus Christ Himself.
This order will indeed produce joy in the heart. Now with Him vanished out of their sight, the walk of faith back to Jerusalem begins. It has to be in this order for us to ever survive.
Now another example but not so joyous we find in the book of Job.
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15
We are all familiar with Job and his fiery trial. Losing all his family except his wife. All his wealth and his health and his friends become little more than miserable comforters.
Nevertheless his faith standeth sure. This is seen in the word Job used. “Trust” Him. Faith in God and His word.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:…” Job 19:25
Job knew who he trusted. “For I know.”
Sounds a lot like the Apostle Paul “For I know whom I have believed……” II Timothy 1:12
It is highly unlikely Job based anything concerning his faith on anything he felt. All his feelings at that time in his life were only nothing short of horrible.
Job based his “all” in the hands of God and that by “Faith.”
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23
Many more scriptures could be used in this short message but hopefully these will suffice. Let us walk by faith and also enjoy the goodness of God in the joy He gives in return.