The Great Gamble

Biblical faith is not blind, but it is a gamble. It is reasonable and evidential, but it involves risk. Faith is the risk of taking God at his Word.

It’s easy to read the Word, go to church, pray, spend time with believers, and use all these activities to cover up a lack of risk. True faith is risky, because it gambles the farm on God’s Word.

> Noah took the risk of building a gigantic, ridiculous boat on land because he was so confident in God’s Word: that a flood of judgment was coming.

> Abraham took the risk of (almost) sacrificing his son Isaac because he was so confident in God’s Word: that the promised seed would come through Isaac.

> Moses took the risk of confronting a megalomaniacal tyrant, Pharaoh, because he was so confident in God’s Word: the promise that he would lead Israel out of Egypt.

> Esther took the risk of going before the king unrequested because she was so confident in God’s Word: that Israel was the covenant nation that enjoyed God’s special protection.

> Daniel took the risk of refusing the king’s command and facing lions because he was so confident in God’s Word: that we should not worship man.

> Paul took the risk of preaching the gospel to the gentiles because he was so confident in God’s Word: that Christians are called to spread the gospel to the world.

The list could go on and on. Each of these biblical characters risked much: their reputations, their hopes, and even their lives. If God’s Word was not true, they would lose everything. Risking everything was evidence of faith. 

So, what does it look like for you to live by faith? In a truly nitty-gritty, raw-details sort of way, what does bold faith, 100% confidence in God, without taking into account all the what-ifs of unbelief, look like?

I keep a running note on my phone, trying to answer that question. I refer to it when I’m reading my Bible. If this is actually true, if I actually believe this, what does it look like in my life for me to gamble on the truth of this?

Faith is betting the farm on what God said. Faith is living over your ski tips. It’s taking action which is totally reasonable if God’s Word is true, and recklessly foolish if God’s Word isn’t. The manifestations of faith look different depending on the unique situations of your life, but the root confidence in God’s Word is the mark of God’s people through all ages.

Enjoying this content? Subscribe to receive it directly in your email, once a week.