What is Trust?

What is Trust?

“What little trust you have!”

Matthew 6:30b CJB

Everyone understands that trust is depending on others to keep their word, that strangers are honest and helpful, that we’re getting a good deal that is trust. We trust the government to have our best interest in the laws they pass, that our schools will actually teach our children what they need to succeed educationally.

But, trust is also hopeful, we trust that we have raised our children so that they will be honest and helpful people, that they will make us proud, that they understand who we are and who they are, that they will love and care for us when we need it.

These are natural trusts, trusts that make life a little easier when they are rewarded by the actions of others. What about trusting GOD? Why is there such a disparity of trust in GOD by Christians?

Some denominations teach that you will not know if you are saved for sure until you die and face GOD. Some teach that if you are not in right standing with GOD when you die, those alive must pray for you and pay penance for you so that you go to heaven. Some teach that you have to be baptized in water to be saved; so some believe that you can be baptized for a dead person so they will go to heaven. Some teach that only the most holy and righteous will go to heaven and the rest will live in the new earth. Some don’t even believe in hell or eternal judgment; that everyone will eventually go to heaven. Some do not believe that the Bible is the Word of GOD for humanity. Yet all these claim to be Christian.

And they all have to do with trusting GOD! If we do not trust that GOD is who He says He is then we cannot trust the Bible. We cannot trust GOD to just redeem us by the shed Blood of Jesus so we have to figure out how to get saved. And there are scriptures that can confuse us when taken out of context, like, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Many Christians believe that is saying we have to get our life in order for GOD to save us or even help us; that we have to live right by the 10 Commandments; that we have to toe the line.

That is a legalistic way of making sure we are saved and going to heaven. While GOD does require us to live our life by the 10 Commandments that is where trust starts; we have to believe that everything the Bible says is true and that everything that Jesus did is enough. We have to trust like the early Christians did; that the testing, trials and tribulations of life are part of GOD’s conforming us into the image of Christ so that we can do the Father’s works in the earth just as Jesus did. “Father, Your will be done not mine!” “I only do what I see My Father in Heaven doing; I only say what I hear My Father in Heaven saying!”

The reason why so many Christians have a hard time in trusting GOD is they have been taught to not trust that GOD is who He says He is and that the Bible is His divinely inspired Word for humanity. They have been taught that they have to do so much themselves rather than letting GOD work in them His will and purpose. Some denominations teach that GOD wants us to live a happy, prosperous, good life and that the devil, who is a liar, a thief and a murderer (this is true) is just trying to steal what GOD has for us. While on it’s face value this is a true statement they neglect the fact that Jesus said we would be persecuted by family, friends and fellow believers to the point of imprisonment and death. The early believers understood this and even though they praised GOD for the joy of their salvation and proclaimed it through the world doing the will and works of GOD they were persecuted, imprisoned and killed for their faith. Not the good live we hear about in the Western Church world today. Even recently when a missionary was killed trying to reach an unreached people group, Christians criticized him and the mission organization that supported him for doing what he knew GOD called him to do.

When we hear from GOD we have to do what He calls us to do no matter what others think or say; but we do have to do it in His timing and way. It took Jesus just over a year to complete His mission ministry to Israel. He spent 30 years submitting to His earthly parents and local authorities preparing for His one plus year of ministry, but in that time He prepared the disciples to receive His Spirit and to start evangelizing the world; which is still going on.  They understood the cost and they taught the cost to the new believers.

At the moment of our conception GOD gives us a spirit and we became a living being, He then gifts and calls us to live according to His purpose for our life, to the point that He wrote out the days of our life before any of them existed. Now He did create humanity with a free will and He knew that we would rebel so before the foundation of the earth was laid Christ was crucified so that every person born could be saved by faith in Jesus.

Faith as the Bible defines it is, The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV) Faith is the issue of trust; if we have faith in GOD then we must trust Him explicitly! Therefore trust works out in every detail of our life. This can be the hard part, trusting GOD for everything by seeking, waiting, learning and doing what we hear from the Bible and hear from His Spirit (Holy Spirit). Faith and trust are the same, if we have faith in GOD then we trust Him; if we trust Him then we have faith in Him.

This is an area where I have my own struggles trusting and waiting; like everything I write about; it is what GOD is dealing with me about.

But those that wait on the LORD will renew their strength; Isaiah 40:31a NKJV

Perseverance is the proof of trust! Holding on till the end of the race, in the race of GOD’s will we do not have to be the first to finish but we have to finish too get the crown. If we trip we have to get up and resume the race. Perseverance is the evidence that we believe the Word of GOD and trust GOD to do what He says.

Trust is always followed by obedience; trust and obedience always go together! If we trust GOD we will be obedient! Jesus learned and was obedient and obedience is a requirement of salvation! (1 Samuel 15:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Luke 2:52; John 8:28-29; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 5:8)

Study Isaiah 40; Matthew 6; Philippians 2; Hebrew 5