“But if Not” vs. “Benefit-Driven” Faith

A couple of weeks ago while visiting my father’s Sunday School class, he taught through the book of Habakkuk. The closing paragraph really gripped me. Habakkuk testifies:

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

As I began to meditate on this passage, I thought about how many Christians today cannot relate to Habakkuk’s testimony and faith in God. There is a “benefit driven” gospel today that centers on all the things that you get when you become a Christian. If you become a Christian, you will have peace, hope, happiness, a real sense of purpose in life, healthy friendships, etc. Indeed, much of the gospel presentations today are littered with such promises. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” and other presentations make the gospel so appealing to unregenerate man, making him feel so important and special, that no one would want to turn down such an offer. Most prevalent and blatant forms of this benefit-driven, man-centered gospel can be seen among the health and wealth prosperity preachers today who promise healing, riches, a long life, and an abundance of blessings as God is somehow obligated because of one’s faith.

But then I thought about the testimonies of the Bible and how different they were from what we see today. I thought about Job who said, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him,” and also declared, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” I thought about the three Hebrew boys who proclaimed, “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” I thought of Moses who refused to be identified with Pharaoh but considered the “reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt.” These brothers, along with Habakkuk, knew the Lord was their Shepherd, whether they were led through green pastures or the valley of the shadow of death.

My mind was turned to the New Testament where again saw many examples of Christ-centered faith which treasured knowing Him as infinitely more valuable than anything on earth. I thought of Peter, Andrew, James and John, who left their nets, their families, and everything else behind to follow Jesus. I thought of the parable of the pearl of great price, which when found, brings such joy that one sells everything to buy it. Others were moved with brotherly love and compassion for those in prison which, by do so, resulted in “joyfully accepting the plundering of their property.” They might have well been singing together the words of Marin Luther, “Let goods and kindred go/This mortal life also . . .”. These Christians had Christ at the center, yea Christ as the sum, their All in All. It was not an add-on Christianity which values this world. Rather, it was a radical cross-embracing, Christ-treasuring devotion that leaves no alternative, no substitute, and no plan-B.

Thomas Watson wrote that a godly person “can delight in Christ when other delights have gone. . . . He who esteems Christ can solace himself in Christ when there is an autumn on all other comforts.” All other delights include the “benefits” which become the selling point of Christianity to the modern man. However, Watson truthfully adds, “If we are prizers of Christ, then we prize Him in health as well as in sickness; when we are enlarged, as well as when we are straitened. He who values His Saviour aright has as precious thoughts of him in a day of prosperity as in a day of adversity. The wicked make use of Christ only when they are in straits . . . they only ran to him as they did to a tree, to shelter them in a storm. Sinners desire Christ only for shelter. The Hebrews never chose their judges except when they were in some immanent danger. Godless persons never look for Christ except at death, when they are in danger of hell.”

Charles Spurgeon frequently addressed such “fair-weather” Christians who wanted God on their terms. Spurgeon writes,

“What a multitude of fair-weather Christians we have in this age! Many Christians resemble the nautilus, which in fine smooth weather swims on the surface of the sea, in a splendid little squadron, like the mighty ships; but the moment the first breath of wind ruffles the waves, they take in their sails and sink into the depths. Many Christians are the same. In good company, in evangelical drawing-rooms, in pious parlors, in chapels and vestries, they are tremendously religious; but if they are exposed to a little ridicule, if some should smile at them and call them methodist, or presbyterian, or some name of reproach, it is all over with their religion till the next fine day. Then when it is fine weather, and religion will answer their purpose, up go the sails again, and they are as pious as before. Believe me, that kind of religion is worse than irreligion. I do like a man to be thoroughly what he is—a downright man; and if a man does not love God, do not let him say he does; but if he be a true Christian, a follower of Jesus, let him say it and stand up for it; there is nothing to be ashamed of in it; the only thing to be ashamed of is to be hypocritical. Let us be honest to our profession, and it will be our glory.” (Charles H. Spurgeon, “Faith” in The New Park Street Pulpit, delivered December 14, 1856)

Going back to Habakkuk’s testimony and trust in God, I think of recent examples that God has used to encourage me to have a “but if not” faith. I think of Don Elbourne, and the work he has been doing to rebuild Lakeshore. In the past two and a half years, his church has built 17 houses and rebuilt over 100 more. The perseverance and faith of this brother and the Christian community there is truly an inspiration. I think of the Turk Christian community where the first two Turk believers were martyred on Easter Sunday while trying to win their kinsmen to Christ. Finally, I think of Steve and Molly McCoy. In less than a year, Steve’s grandfather died, both their vehicles broke down, Steve’s mother died of cancer, Molly was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, and their son Elijah had a major head accident. Molly is having brain surgery this Friday (July 13), and I ask that you pray for her, the doctors, and the entire family.

In conclusion, I pray for us all, that we would be men and women who trust in the Lord at all times, knowing that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. When the fig tree does not blossom, I pray that the joy of the Lord will be our strength, that our God would indeed “make our feet like the deer’s and make us tread on our high places.” When the fields yield no food, I pray that we would come to the banqueting table of our all-satisfying Bread of Life. When the vines bear no fruit, I pray that we would remain in sweet communion with the True Vine, knowing that our heavenly Gardener is good. And may Christ be the center of all our lives, knowing that our greatest “benefit” is knowing Him and enjoying the wondrous reality that the God who calms the storms is also the God brings peace to our hearts.

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