Our Fathers' Faith

On this last day of the month, which marks the end of half the year of 2025, many of us, if not the majority of us, believers and non-believers are all trying to get our heads around the fact that we are now climbing down, with rollercoaster speed, to the end of the year. Be that as it may, we know that it is our faith that will sustain us and keep us looking unto Jesus, day by day.

The last thing we were reminded of, in yesterday’s offering was that regardless of what we do or how we do it, whether within or without, unless there is faith, we will never please God. Listen to the sound advice on faith, which Paul gives to the Church at Galatia. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. Galatians 2: 15 – 16 NKJV.

We have been reminded of it for two vital reasons. One is that we know that the faith of our fathers, who were willing to give their lives for Jesus, was faith that pleased Father God. The other even more affirming truth, is that our fathers' faith is what they have passed on to us and that we must be true to it.

Receive again, our given verse and refrain.  

Faith of our fathers, we will love

Both friend and foe in all our strife,

And preach thee, too, as love knows how,

By kindly words and virtuous life.

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to thee till death!

Our received, fathers' faith, grants us freedom of heart and conscience, to live by faith, in rough, harsh and imprisoning situations.

• It is our fathers' faith, which allows us to love friend and foe, in our times of inner and outer strife.

• It is our fathers' faith, which propels us to preach faith, as love schools us and leads us.

• It is our fathers' faith, which we live with kindly, saving word and virtuous, faithful life.   

• It is our fathers' faith, holy faith, to which we will be true, till death.

Holy Father, You were pleased with the faith of our fathers. You granted them Your peace and freedom in the midst of atrocities, and their faith never disappointed them. You were with them all the way. We acknowledge the self-sacrificing faith of our forefathers and foremothers, and give unrelenting thanks. Amen!

Ah! Holy God! I cannot even begin to stand in any of their shoes, yet I carry their God-pleasing faith in me. Let me never deny that faith please. Let me not treat such great faith with contempt. Save me from calling and mixing the world’s faith with our fathers' faith. What blasphemy! What low bigotry! What horrible evil! Save me from distorting, misleading and deceiving myself and others, about the history of the faith of our mothers and fathers. Amen!

Where I am? Where are you? I’m in no dungeon, my life is not threatened because of my faith, and I have no human chains around my mouth, hands and feet. Is this true in your life also? Nevertheless, you and I can preach the same faith and live it, through the love of Christ. We can know the exact faith, not because of what is outside of us, but because of what is inside of us. It is to know, beyond any temptation, any evil crippling forces and any tumultuous paths, God’s perfect peace of mind and conscience, which nothing and no one can remove. It is the faith that allows one, with such unsurpassed peace, to live the perfect love of Christ Jesus, in obedience to Him, as His Holy Spirit daily enables. It is to pass on to others, through our faithful, virtuous living, faith that pleases our Father in heaven.

How can we all activate this faith-life? How can we draw on it daily? How can we, in the midst of our trials, remain in our fathers' faith?

We answer this question, tomorrow.