Undervalued Faith

When is a quarter not a quarter?

The most recent of the United States Quarter has been the Washington. It was first minted in 1932, and has enjoyed a uninterrupted run from then until today. These coins were 90% silver up until 1964, at which time the US Mint switched to a copper and nickel mixture. Current silver melt value* for a pre-1965 coin is $4.07 and this price is based off the current silver spot price of $22.1

* Notice as of December 2006 it is illegal to melt down US Minted Pennies and Nickels, and there is a $10,000 fine to help enforce the law. It is legal however to melt down silver dollars, half dollars, dimes, quarters for their content.
So not all quarters are equal? Yet, a 1964 quarter is still only worth 25 cents at the back because we believe that it is all that is worth.

We have a similar problem with faith.  While we say we have faith, most often we are selling our faith short of its full value.

The Greek word behind "faith" in the NT is pistis. As a noun, pistis is a word that was used as a technical rhetorical term for forensic proof. Examples of this usage of the word are found in the works of Aristotle, Quintiallian, and throughout the New Testament:

“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof (pistis) of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31 NIV)

The point here is that we are to ground our belief in Christianity on evidence - or, as the definition of pistis in Acts 17:31 would put it - proofs. We are not to have an empty blind faith!  Faith and proof are one in the same in the Bible. To have faith is have to proof. 

Pistis, or faith, was knowing what you believed and why. But knowing what you believed and why was not the end of faith in Bible. Spiritual growth is essential to our salvation, because it is the only way to sustain our faith. Like all living things, when they stop growing, they will tend to die. So does our faith.

Faith does not just mean knowing the truth, intellectually accepting the truth, proclaiming the truth, rejoicing with the truth. Most importantly, it means living the truth. It is to exercise God’s principle in every part of life. It is to put the knowledge of God to work. It is not just a momentary sentiment, but a life-long commitment and practice in every deed we do.

Within the confines of the church we often ask, “What is your testimony of faith?”

The reason is that Faith was never intended to be something that happened to you one time and put on a shelf like a stock certificate/savings bond waiting to be cashed in at a later date. Our faith is not a “rainy day” fund. We are taught to have the faith of a tiny mustard seed, but what value is a mustard seed if it is never planted and allowed to grow?

We are called to not only have faith – a belief and understanding of the evidential proofs of Jesus Christ, but we are also called to an active and living faith.

Faith without works is of no value.  but faith as an active living proof is like a quarter building value far beyond the face value.
Is your faith building treasure in heaven or losing value here on earth?