Here is one of the many verses in the Bible on faith.  A great emphasis is placed on faith.  We are told in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.”  We are told in Ephesians 2:8-9 “By grace you are saved through faith.”  God’s grace is when he gives us forgiveness because of what the Lord Jesus did on the cross to pay for sins.  This is given as a free gift to those who believe upon him.  So faith  is the empty channel that that brings the fullness of heaven to us.  Faith is the empty hand that receives the undeserved gift of pardon from God. 

  Each passage on faith gives us more insight on its nature.  In this passage (Matthew 9:29) the two blind men ask Jesus to restore  their sight.  Jesus responds by asking if they believe he is able to do this.  They respond with a confident ‘yes.’  Jesus responds with the declaration “according to your faith, let it be to you”—and they were instantly healed.  Here are a few lessons we can learn from this gospel narrative.

1.     Faith is an interchange between persons.  They speak and Christ responds.  Christ speaks and they respond.  He calls on them to declare their faith and they respond positively.  Here we see that faith is part of a relationship between persons.  Our faith must be a response to the Living Person of Christ.  It will be just as real as a relationship with any person we know.

2.     The reality of a relationship with Christ based on faith is still true today.  Christ says to us, “Come to me and trust me and I will forgive you.”  We must respond by saying, “I believe you, Lord.”  The Savior delights in this response of faith.

3.     Why does he take so much delight in faith?  For one thing this puts the power of salvation in His hands and not in religious human effort.  If salvation were based on our religious deeds we would tend to feel proud of ourselves.  This is the farthest thing there is from true Biblical faith.  We must come to God as those who deserve His judgment for our sins, but thankfully we are still called to come humbly believing that he has promised to have mercy on those who repent of their sins and believe his promise of mercy.  The Apostle Paul told the jailer in Philippi the same thing.  When asked by the jailer, “What must I do to be saved?”  Paul responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”  (see Acts 16:31).

4.     Another reason the Lord delights in faith is that it honors him.  WE are told in 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those who honor me, I will honor.”  When we say, “I believe you Lord.”  He in effect says to us, “I will be faithful to you and keep my promise.  I will be your Father and your Savior.  I will never leave you or forsake you.”  When we don’t believe God we dishonor Him.  Note that  1 John 5:10 says if we don’t believe the witness that God has given of His Son, we call God a liar.  It should be obvious that God wants us to honor Him by believing Him.

5.     Another reason why the Lord seems to delight in faith is that it keeps us focused on the Word of God.  Faith believes what the Bible says is in actuality what God is saying to me from heaven today.  This focus on the Bible teaches us that salvation is direct dealing with God as a Living Person by believing the words out of God’s own mouth.  Any time people get between us and God, the message is easily distorted.  We deal with God directly by dealing with the Savior as He speaks to us in the Bible.  The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”  (Rom. 10:17).  Everyone who is ever saved is saved because God speaks to them through the Bible and the Holy Spirit attends this with a power that creates faith in our hearts.  The root of true faith is found in responding to God by believing his own words. 

6.     These important lessons about faith show us why the Lord would say to us also, “According to your faith, let it be to you.”  Why would we not want to believe him?  What he promises are the greatest things in life and after this life.  He will forgive us now, come and walk with us through all of our trials in life, and one day take us to be with Him forever in heaven. The Bible says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 95:7-8).  In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep recognize my voice.”  In effect, He says to us, “Believe me.” We must say to Him, “I believe you, Lord.”  As your faith, so be it to you.