“Faith Alone” was the call from Martin Luther when he hung his 95 thesis on the door of the Wittenberg cathedral. This is recognized as an instrumental event, inspiring as well as motivating the protestant reformation. The religious leadership of the day saw themselves as holding the power, placing rules and regulations on everyday people, in essence, removing the peoples will to decide. Luther said it is not in the power of the leadership, but in the activity and belief of the people that change and forgiveness can be obtained, by “faith alone”.

This is an echo from an earlier period in history when Jesus challenged the religious organization for putting heavy burdens on the average person, things they – the leadership - could not live up to themselves (cf. Luke 11:46). It became apparent they were intent not to receive the challenge from God Himself, holding to their control, trying to get rid of the One carrying the message. But His words still ring around the world today, it is “faith alone!”

The message cannot be stopped but continues to move throughout the universe. It is the message that we must look past our own abilities and circumstances toward the One who changes the way things appear to be. It is only through “Faith – seeing things which are not, as though they are”, that will change your present atmosphere and future destination (cf. Hebrews 11). It requires an active decision and movement past what we have been told and have come to believe as the norm, into a realm that is available for all. It is beyond religious practice or law, operating in what is referred to as the supernatural, or above the natural – referred to as spiritual.

We are made of two parts, the natural and the spiritual. The natural is what you perceive with your senses, whereas your spiritual person cannot be perceived by the natural. Once it is perceived, then it is natural. Faith is the activity of seeing the truth in the spiritual person and moving in that fashion, then the natural person reflects that reality. Take for instance a person who is sick. They have all the symptoms and have come to believe that they have a particular disease, accepting it as part of who they are. They see themselves as sick, instead of seeing themselves as well. In order to change their situation they must ask God for their healing (cf. James 1:6), and since God says yes (Isaiah 53:5), they then must see themselves as well. After they see themselves as well in the spiritual, their natural body will come in line.

Before everyone gets upset saying “I tried that and it did not work, I believed and nothing changed”, we need to understand one more activity. Belief is acting on what you say you have faith in. Belief is NOT a one time event but an ongoing activity. We have come to think ‘belief’ is a head ascent to some form of knowledge, but it is an ongoing activity. Earlier in this writing you will notice the phrase “come to believe”. I am not referring to what someone has told you or what you have learned through a scholarly writing, but the way you are acting now. This is why the writer James challenges that your faith is seen by your works (James 2:18).

What do you believe, or better put, how are you acting? Are you a person of faith as seen by your actions or are you a person who is driven by the waves and circumstances of everyday life? It is possible to rise above the natural everyday life but you must take your eyes off the circumstances and present situation. When Jesus encouraged Peter to step out of the boat and walk on the water (cf. Matthew 14:29), Peter had to overlook the waves and circumstances. Any sane person would know that we cannot walk on water – or so you would think. We know the rest of the story.

Is it possible that there are very few who actually move in faith in this modern day (cf. Luke 18:8)? Have we become so programmed to believe that the only reality is that which you can perceive, nothing else should even be our concern? Has our society, and most of all, those who once believed, returned to again trust in rituals and practices (religious or otherwise) to try and see our lives changed?

s comfortable as it may be to remaim within a structure where leadership makes the decisions for you, it is not what was intended by God, neither is it good for today or for your future. It is YOU who must make your decisions whether you like it or not. It is YOU who will determine your life and what you will become, but it is faith alone that will lift you above the circumstances of this life and the life to come.