On the Nature of True Faith - Paul M. Williams

James 2:14-26

Two farmers got down on their knees to pray.  One lived on the east of the village and the other on the west.  The farmer living in the east of the village longed so much for it to rain — it hadn’t rained for months! The crops were perishing and the livestock was famished.  He prayed, “O God, I believe with all my heart that you are going to send rain on Monday!!” News travelled fast of this farmer’s praying efforts and it reached the ears of the farmer living on the other side of the village.  Ordinarily, he would have been the first to join his fellow farmer in prayer for he longed to see rain also; only on this occasion there was a problem.  Monday he had planned a great celebration, “...by all means let it rain on Tuesday or Wednesday or Friday — any day except for Monday or the planned celebration will be a washout!” Thus he got down on his knees and prayed, “O God, I believe with all my heart that you won’t send rain on Monday!!”  Allow me please if I may, to ask a question; which farmer had his prayer answered?  If I were to ask that question in the vast majority of Christian circles, do you know what answer I would get?  The farmer with the most faith!  Now on the surface, this might well seem to be a good and proper answer, but it’s only half the picture, and if left incomplete, it is an unbiblical answer! 

In this sermon, we look at the Biblical nature of true faith.