But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:22 KJV

What is subjective Faith and how does it apply to us as believers?

There are actually two kinds of faith mentioned in scripture. One is real faith and one is a lack of it. So before I dive off into a deep subject let’s define a few things. Please be patient as I explain where I am going with this.

First, what does subjective mean exactly?

sub·jec·tive
səbˈjektiv/Submit
adjective
1.
based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
“his views are highly subjective”
synonyms: personal, individual, emotional, instinctive, intuitive
“a subjective analysis”

This is just the first meaning but the one that is the closest related to my text.

When we say subjective we are in essence saying that our lives are centered around our subjective thought, feeling or emotion.

So just for a further breakdown lets see how faith is used in scripture.

Greek: ὀλιγόπιστος
Transliteration: oligopistos
Pronunciation: ol-ig-op’-is-tos
Definition: From G3641 and G4102; incredulous that is lacking confidence (in Christ): – of little faith.
KJV Usage: of little faith (5x).
Occurs: 5
In verses: 5

This kind of faith is mentioned four times in Matthew and once in Luke. It is always preceded by “Oh Ye of little faith”

Matthew 6:30 speaks of clothing

Luke 12:28  speaks of clothing

Matthew 8:26 speaks of protection

Matthew 14:31 speaks of healing

Matthew 16:8 speaks of food

Do you see the pattern here? In all of these circumstances Jesus spoke of their lack of faith.

Do we have this same kind of faith perhaps?

Now, the other kind of faith is what we would call the good one and the one everybody believes they have.

Greek: πίστις
Transliteration: pistis
Pronunciation: pis’-tis
Definition: From G3982; persuasion that is credence; moral conviction (of religious truth or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher) especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: – assurance belief believe faith fidelity.
KJV Usage: faith (239x), assurance (1x), believe (with G1537) (1x), belief (1x), them that believe (1x), fidelity (1x).
Occurs: 244
In verses: 228

This is the faith that is mentioned throughout the NT such as in the verse in Galatians.

So let’s just do a little maintenance in our heart and see if we have this kind of faith or if it is subjective to our thoughts, feelings and emotions.

If you are like me and want to be honest our faith is subjective at best and non-existent at the least.

We want to be seen as having faith but even in the smallest details of our lives we prove time and again it can be and will be sacrificed upon the altar of our subjective thought, actions or emotions.

I’m not one to be talking as I too struggle with this daily. Will I have enough food, shelter and clothing? Maybe not today so much but next week, next month or year. Will God take care of me beyond today? We say we trust Him and have faith but when He doesn’t come through for us like we think He should, suddenly we are back peddling into worry, doubt and fear.

Gently He whispers “Oh Ye of little faith” and trust me that’s not a good thing.

When we hear that, what He is saying is that we do not have any confidence at all in Him to take care of us. This could include anything from food, shelter and clothing to even salvation itself.

Listen to these verses in Habakkuk

Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
Habakkuk 3:12 KJV

I’m only putting verses 12 here because it gives you an overall idea what Habakkuk was experiencing. This was the true anger and fierceness of the Lord of Host.

When he heard it, when he walked through this experience, this is what he said:

When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Habakkuk 3:16‭-‬17 KJV

This is serious stuff going on. All of sudden food, clothing and shelter were gone.

The prophet understood that this was a bad situation indeed and it scared him so bad he was trembling.

You might think this is the end of the story but it’s not by a long shot.

This is the part where you and I bail out, jump ship and say adios. We cover our heads and cry God has forsaken me and I’m going to die, His mercy is gone forever.

This is subjective Faith.

Faith that is not at resting in assurance in Christ and His word. It’s subjected to our own inability to trust that He is faithful.

Storms come, we lose things, sometimes people as well, but this is the part we have to have true genuine faith in who Christ is and what He’s accomplished on our behalf.

I’m preaching to the choir I know

I just want us to get a true picture of faith and be doers of the word and not hearers only.

Faith is not supposed to be subjective to how we think or feel. It’s not supposed to roll up and down with every emotional tidal wave we encounter. It’s supposed to be steady and sure according to our complete trust in Jesus.

Can you imagine the outcome for us if Jesus had had faith like us? I shudder to consider it.

Lets return to Habakkuk and see how he handled the whole situation coming apart at the scenes scenario.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:18‭-‬19 KJV

He rejoiced.

What, is he crazy? Did he lose his mind? You mean he didn’t rail against God and ask Him why are you doing this? Don’t you care we are perishing, we are hungry, we are naked and we have nowhere to rest? Hey God have you forgotten us?

Isn’t that what we do most of the time?

No you see Habakkuk rejoiced and had joy, yep joy in the God of his salvation. Why is that? It is because Habakkuk had the kind of faith that wasn’t subjective to his circumstances. He walked with complete trust and reliance upon God. He wasn’t moved by what he saw, felt or experienced. He moved by faith alone in God alone.

This guy had a relationship with his God and sink or swim you could not move him.

Can you say that about your walk with Christ?

Consider Job, poor guy went through stuff none of us ever will. Can you say as Job said, “Even if God should slay me, I will trust in Him”.

If you cannot say that may I suggest to you that your faith is subjective at best and non-existent at the least.

Jesus said that He came that we might have life and that more abundantly. So what is the problem?

The problem is that we don’t find Jesus trustworthy

Ouch, that really hits me square in the face.

Do I find Jesus trustworthy?

More often than not I have to say no. If I found Him to be trustworthy I would be at complete rest. I would not abandoned Him to the rolling tide of my emotion. I would have unwavering peace.

If I found Jesus to be worthy of my trust I would relinquish complete and utter control to His unwavering love for me.

What a faith to have. I won’t beat you up or myself because this is a lesson even Jesus closest disciples struggled with.

I will urge you to stretch your faith a little farther. Sink your toes a little deeper in His love and eventually we both will find that place of unwavering faith.

I’m going to leave you with a couple more verses and I hope over the coming days that you will meditate on them and change your faith. At the very least make strides forward.

Ask the Lord, He will help you. I know I’m doing inventory myself because I don’t have that faith He’s looking for when He returns.  You and I can do this together and we can become the people of true faith He’s called us to be.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 1:17 KJV

God bless and if I can help in any way let me know.

I’m hid with Christ,
Shawn