1 April 2021
“I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)
In the context, the Lord Jesus was communicating that we ought to always pray and not to lose heart, especially when we see injustice and evil abounding in the last days. The question He asked is a very solemn question: why so? In these last days, we would find it hard to see men and women of faith, for what is happening seems to make it almost impossible to have faith – we see evil, we see the rise of immorality, the lack of justice, violence, deception and obvious ungodliness, even in the so-called religious institutions.
The question shows the uselessness of expecting that all the world will be converted before Christ comes again. It shows the foolishness of supposing that all persons are ‘good’, and that though differing in outward matters, they are all right at heart, and all going to heaven. Such notions find no support in the text before us.
We cannot ignore facts under our own eyes: facts in the world, facts in the churches, facts even in the congregations we belong to, facts by our own doors and families. Where is faith to be seen?
How many of us really believe what the Bible contains? How many live as if they believed that Christ died for them,and there is a judgement, a heaven and a hell?
When we see all the evil and injustice, do we doubt that there is indeed God? Hebrews 11 shows us a list of those who continued to have faith in God despite all their trying circumstances and even when they did not receive what was promised.
Do we believe that God permits evil; He punishes evil with evil; He brings good out of evil: He uses evil to test and discipline those He loves; and one day He will redeem His people from the power and presence of evil altogether? This requires faith, especially when evil abounds.
After all, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). What we hope is not yet realised; what we believe with convictions are not seen in the physical sense – yet God calls us to have faith in Him and His promises. Trust Him for His promises and trust Him in His being; trust Him even if you do not see what is happening in the spiritual realm. Continue to have faith in Him and when the Son of Man comes again, He would find those who still believe!