Members Message February 2026

Introduction

The issue of faith is one of the most misunderstood concepts in N.T. teaching. For some, it is seen as a kind of magical gift that sets apart those who are truly spiritual from the rest of us; for others, it is the greatest power in the Universe—one that even God must submit to if it is used correctly.

Most often, it is mistaken for hope, which—though a Biblical idea—differs significantly from faith. James has plenty to say on this topic, so let’s have a look and try to find some insight.

James 1:6-8 - "5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Here, James shifts from explaining how God provides abundantly to emphasise how we should ask. God often limits His response to our requests based on what we're asking for and our motives behind it.

He is not about granting just any request, especially those made selfishly and foolishly - remember this passage begins by talking about wisdom - God wants to grant any wise or reasonable request made in faith, understanding that it aligns with His character - and it is this that we are told we should never doubt.

Defining Principle = Faith is NOT a power or tool to make God do our bidding.

Definition

James describes true faith as a strong, unwavering commitment to God and Christ (verse 2:1) that is tested and shaped through trials (verse 1:2, 4), and that seizes hold of God's blessings in prayer (verse 1:5–8; 5:14–18).

He is controlling everything primarily based on what He is doing, what His purposes are, what He wants to achieve, and what His Word clearly instructs us. It can never be about us first—we are fallen—we would send His purposes into a downward spiral they could not recover from. The world in the hands of unbelievers already testifies to this.

Faith Formula

1. Firstly, our primary focus must be on Christ and His Kingdom, not ours. God does not grant requests that would harm us or others or that would go against His nature or will. For our requests to be fulfilled, they must align with the principles of God’s Kingdom, which are always rooted in our relationship with Him and His Word.

Oswald Chambers states, there is nothing easier than establishing the right relationship with God - unless it is not God’s purposes you seek but you are only after what He can give you.

The deeper our relationship and the stronger our belief, the more likely our prayers will align with God’s will, and then God will be pleased to grant them.

2. James said that we must not doubt. So, let’s clarify what doubting means. It does NOT mean that we lack sufficient belief or faith.

The Greek word is diakrano (dee-ah-kreeno) — it means to separate, make a distinction, learn by discrimination, try, or decide. Here, James uses it in the context of making a decision based on a faulty judgment.

The essence of faith is about making sound judgments based on the belief that we have entered into something God is also in. Doubting is the opposite of this, and this is what James is talking about.

Faith isn’t about wandering around trying to believe “in faith” that you already have what you asked God for - this cannot and must not be the case. It is more akin to witchcraft!

God reserves the right to say No - and He might not give a reason — depending on what best serves His purposes - which ultimately always work out for our good.

The Issue of Healing

Nowhere is this more often misused than in the topic of healing. We explore questions like “did God make us sick; is it possible for sickness to master even God; does our level of faith control our level of healing; can the devil attack us when God forbids it; where does sickness come from?” - and it goes on.

These are all reasonable questions to ask, and the Scriptures do offer some insight into them, but there remains an element of mystery in them all.

 

Theodicy

We all must face the reality that God is unquestionably sovereign, all-knowing, perfectly good, and all-powerful; yet, evil is painfully evident in this fallen world and often seems to triumph. It has been a significant stumbling block for many Christians. Many say, with some justification, that it is our Achilles' heel—something we just cannot fully understand.

If Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature and sustains all things by the word of His power, we can learn a lot by observing Jesus’ life on earth.

1. Did Jesus heal every sick person He encountered during His time on earth? The answer is NO!

The story of the Pool of Bethesda is an example (John 5). Everyone there was unwell, and Jesus only healed one person. Here's another interesting point in this passage - the man at the pool responded to Christ's invitation without any faith. He didn't realise it was Jesus who healed him until later (verse 12-13).

2. Did Jesus heal everyone who came to Him for it? Again, the answer is NO!

Mark 1:32-34 shows how all the sick and demon-possessed were at his door, and he heals some of them. Then verse 35 tells us that He got up in the morning! This indicates that while he was healing them, he went to bed and left them there.

Furthermore, when told they are all still there waiting, he says (verse 38) 'No - we are going to another town today' - meaning all the sick waiting outside His doorstep were left behind. There are several other passages like this in the Gospels.

Does Jesus heal everyone who is sick? No! Why not? We don’t know, but it’s not about their faith or lack of it. He healed some who had no faith at all - and left some unhealed who did believe in His healing powers.

It is not about or dependent on our faith. This is a cruel, debilitating error in belief that has left thousands of Christians in condemnation and caused many to leave the faith.

There will be people in the Christian community who will be unwell and carrying burdens in their bodies; people who will be poor and oppressed; people who are in prison, some being beaten and tortured, and people who are going through tough times.

 

Show Them Dignity

Each of these individuals has their own unique charisma, role, and part to play. Disabled people; crippled people; those born with birth defects; individuals who are socially or mentally disabled—along with other such issues—all possess their own dignity and can make a meaningful contribution to the Kingdom of God, just as they are. In response, the apostle Paul said, “power, or strength, is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We need to invite them into our communities, and instead of assuring them they will be healed once they have enough faith, we should welcome, embrace, and empower them to serve - just as they are.

When we do this, their dignity is uplifted, and that often leads to a significant healing in itself. Our well-known, charismatic movement tended to treat these people as faith failures, making them feel like lepers, which is why some would never come near us and still stay away today.

Whenever the splendour of God’s love touches a life, that person begins to shine despite their circumstances.

 

Moving on to Maturity

Faith is active confidence in the God who has revealed Himself, and our prioritising His Kingdom in whatever way He requires — it is about making the right judgment or choice. Understanding this is the key to maturity.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

We are called to trust and acknowledge God in “all your ways.” It is about our active confidence in Him —the thing we hold onto while we wait to see how the Lord will respond to our request.