| Spiritual growth is directly related to the depth of a | | | | written by royal court composer Asaph. The top level |
| one's faith. When a person's faith is shallow then God | | | | songwriter of his day, Asaph seemed to write this |
| seems small and unable to do much in that person's | | | | psalm when he was at a low place in his life. He |
| life. When a person's belief and ascent is deep then | | | | wonders aloud why the wicked seem to prosper in |
| God grows in their sight; they trust him more, believing | | | | this life, while the righteous know nothing but continual |
| that he can positively affect their existence. Through | | | | hardship. After he has finished his rant, Asaph finally |
| the narrative of the Christian Bible, the watchful reader | | | | realizes that the success of the wicked is but a |
| can detect at least seven stages of faith. This article | | | | slippery slope and altogether temporal. Then he |
| will briefly discuss those seven stages. | | | | confesses his folly and acknowledges that if he has a |
| Stage One - No or Contemptible Faith | | | | relationship with the Lord Almighty, he has all he needs. |
| The first stage of faith is no faith or contemptible faith. | | | | Asaph declares: "Whom have I in heaven but you? |
| It is the type of carnal acknowledgement that does not | | | | And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh |
| really believe God exists but plays along with others in | | | | and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my |
| order to manipulate a situation for their favor. This is | | | | heart and my portion forever." Asaph has faith that, |
| the type of faith demonstrated by the Pharaoh of | | | | even if he cannot see how, God will provide for his |
| Egypt when God sent Moses to deliver the Israelites | | | | well-being. |
| from captivity. When God sent plagues on the people | | | | Stage Six - Faith Even if God Does Not Choose to |
| of Egypt, Pharaoh would attempt to placate Moses | | | | Provide |
| and Aaron by acquiescing to the thought of God. | | | | In the book of prophecy bearing his name, Daniel |
| When the effects of each plague would subside, | | | | recounts the occasion when King Nebuchadnezzar of |
| Pharaoh would harden his heart and reject God. | | | | Babylon erected a giant golden statute in his likeness |
| Stage Two - Faith on One's Own Terms | | | | and ordered all the peoples of his kingdom to bow |
| The second stage of belief is faith on one's own | | | | down to it. When the time came for the people to |
| terms. This is the type of faith demonstrated by Jacob. | | | | prostrate themselves before the idol, three of Daniel's |
| In the story of Jacob found in the book of Genesis | | | | Israelite compatriots, Shadrach, Meshach, and |
| (the first book of the Bible), Jacob is sent away from | | | | Abednego, refused and were thrown in prison. The |
| his family because his older brother Esau wants to kill | | | | king was incensed by this and had a furnace prepared |
| him. On the way out of Canaan (modern day | | | | to burn them alive. Before he through them in the |
| Palestine), Jacob has a dream about angels ascending | | | | flames, the king gave them one more chance to |
| and descending a ladder connected to heaven. In the | | | | comply. To this the men answered that they did not |
| dream God promises to bless Jacob like he blessed | | | | have to answer to the king and that they had |
| Jacob's grandfather Abraham and father Isaac. | | | | confidence that there God would deliver them. Then |
| However, Jacob sets up conditions that must be met if | | | | they added these words: "But even if [God] does not, |
| God is to be Jacob's God. Jacob agrees to allow God | | | | we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve |
| to be his God only if God leads him safely back to his | | | | your gods or worship the image of gold you have set |
| father's home. Jacob ties his faith to God's faithfulness | | | | up." (Daniel 3, Holy Bible, NIV). The sixth stage of faith is |
| to meet Jacob's needs according to Jacob's terms. | | | | the undying belief that sticks even if God chooses not |
| Stage Three - Faith Linked to a Vision and a Tangible | | | | to intervene and provide salvation. God is God and he |
| Promise | | | | is not bound to serve us. Instead, we should believe |
| The third stage of faith is belief based on a tangible | | | | because he exists and humbly accept his will for our |
| promise. This type of faith is exemplified by Abram | | | | lives whether favorable or not. |
| (later renamed Abraham). Abram lived with his parents | | | | This type of trust in God the Heavenly Father was |
| and extended family in the land of the Chaldeans (also | | | | also demonstrated by Jesus in the garden of |
| known as Babylon or modern day Iraq). Abraham has | | | | Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion. Jesus, |
| been described in the Bible as a friend of God and the | | | | deeply anguished by the fate awaiting him, asked the |
| father of faith. However, Abraham's faith came in | | | | Father to take the cup away from him and then, |
| conjunction with a vision of God and a tangible promise | | | | relinquished his will to the Father's will and plan. |
| that God gave him. When the Lord commanded | | | | Stage Seven - Faith Even if there is No Prospect of |
| Abram to leave his family and friends to go to a land | | | | God Intervening or Providing in Any Way |
| he had never seen before, God also promised that he | | | | In the two examples listed above, Jesus and the three |
| would bless Abraham and his offspring greatly for | | | | Israelites had some prospect that God would intervene |
| doing so. | | | | in some shape or form. Many prophecies had been |
| Stage Four - Faith without Seeing | | | | written and records preserved about the coming |
| The next stage of faith is belief without seeing. After | | | | Messiah and how he would suffer, die and then |
| Jesus had resurrected and appeared to some of his | | | | conquer the grave. Jesus knew these prophecies and |
| disciples, another disciple named Thomas refused to | | | | he knew that he was the anointed one to fulfill them. |
| accept the idea that Jesus had risen from the dead. | | | | However, the prophet Habakkuk had no such promise. |
| He stated emphatically that the only way he would | | | | He only knew that the Babylonians were going to |
| believe is if Jesus appeared to him and he was able to | | | | invade and destroy Jerusalem. He is fully aware that |
| touch Jesus' scars in his hands and his side. A week | | | | there is no hope of salvation in his lifetime. Yet in the |
| later, Jesus fulfilled Thomas' request and appeared to | | | | midst of such utter despair he writes: |
| him at which time Thomas fell to his knees and | | | | "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no |
| declared Jesus to be "My Lord and My God." (The | | | | grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails and the |
| Holy Bible, John 20, NIV). To this Jesus commented | | | | fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in |
| that Thomas had to see in order to believe and then | | | | the pen and no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the |
| said, "Blessed are those who believe and yet have not | | | | LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." |
| seen." In the same way the Apostle Peter praises | | | | (Habakkuk 3: 16-18, The Holy Bible, NIV). |
| believers in Asia Minor for continuing to whether | | | | Faith is the unwavering confidence that some exists or |
| persecution even though they had never seen Jesus | | | | will happen even if you cannot see it. This includes faith |
| nor had a vision of God. | | | | in the outcome of a new venture or in an Almighty |
| Stage Five - Faith When Things Are Not Going So | | | | God. There are different stages of faith. This article |
| Well | | | | has discussed seven stages found and illustrated by |
| Psalm 73 in the Bible's Old Testament was a lament | | | | characters in the Christian Bible. |