Faith-Found On The Earth?

Bible Questions Answered:
“Just how are we to understand Christ's words “nevertheless, when the Son of man commeth, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Ashley/ Manilia, Philippines

Bible Answer:

Bible Text:

Luke 18:1-8 NLT

1 One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.

3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’

4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,

5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.

7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end.

So don’t you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?

8 I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when The Son Of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?”

Luke 18:1-8 KJV

1 And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?

8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The Son Of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

For full comment on this parable, see the blog posting.... Parables-Our Lord's: The Unjust Judge

View a listing of subjects:

Trials And Temptations End Times Signs Falling Away-The Great (See View A List Of Subjects....5 listings under “Last Days.”) Suffering-Christian

Bible Lessons: Calamity, Catastrophe And Disaster

But to say a word about

Luke 18:7,8 NLT

7...So don’t you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?

8 I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when The Son Of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?”

Our Lord's words here, in now way, state or imply that God's child, will not under go trials, and tribulations!

Isaiah 43:1-3 KJV (Promises for Israel, and God's children today.)

1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee..., and He that formed thee..., Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior..."

Matthew 5:45 KJV

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Hardships happen to one and all.

Does God hear prayer, and will He answer? Yes!

Prayer Answered See “View A List Of Subjects” (9 different categories of “prayer answered.”)

Yes, our God answers prayer for His people, but, do not necessarily deduce that He will answer always in the affirmative, for His answer may be no, or to wait for the answer later.

And any and all of these answers are to the betterment of the spiritual success of His child.

“But pastor in verse 8, doesn't it say God will answer them “speedily?”

Luke 18:7,8 KJV

7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?

8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The Son Of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

Yes, it certainly does, but let us fully understand, the context in which it does.

May there indeed be a waiting involved in answer to prayer? Yes, one would only need to read the story of Godly Daniel to see that, or that of the Apostle Paul (Daniel 10:13/II Corinthians 12:7-10).

And notice if you will, in this verse our Lord's open honesty on answered prayer.

Verse 7 “ His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him,” (Certainly, a period of time, though not specified.)

Verse 7 “ though He bear* long* with them?”

*Bear, Greek: Makrothumeo (Mak-roth-oo-meh-o): To be long-spirited, forbearing or patient: bear (suffer) long, be long suffering, have (long) patience, be patient, patiently endure.

*Long, Greek: (Same as Makrothumeo.)

So, in proper exegetical interpretation, it is not, "the answer” (in prayer), that is instant (speedily-quickly), for we have just seen that that may not be the case at all!

What God does “speedily-quickly,” is that when the time comes (determined by Him, and Him alone.), for His action, it will be more than swift!

We must “not,” confuse the two!

A poem by Friedrich von Logau written in 1694, stated...."God's mill grinds slow but sure."

Yes, it may seem at times that God's answers are “slow.”

But let us never, ever mistake that with blatant stoicism!

For our living God, sees, knows and yes, feels our pain!

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son Of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses (infirmities), for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

God's delays are, God's business.

Being that as it may, be pleased to understand this.

Philippians 2:12 KJV

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

The misunderstood answer, regarding prayer.

Oh, how many are mad a God, when they should be down on their knees in unending praise.

God in His infinite wisdom, something which may not be measured or ever fully understood by man, is doing something (Psalm 145:17/Isaiah 55:8,9/ Romans 11:33,34)! He is helping and guiding (through His precious Spirit), to mold us according to our yieldedness, into His glorious image.

II Corinthians 3:18 KJV

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by The Spirit Of The Lord.

No, it is “not,” always best for us to have our prayers answered instantly!

For this, God, is often maligned by His own people, a people, who have been called to live in and by their faith.

Romans 1:17 KJV

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Hebrews 10:36 KJV

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

This dear saints, should not, be so.

II Peter 3:9 KJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God hears the prayers of His people, and will answer, in this rest assured.

And if we be yielded and faithful...

I Corinthians 15:49 KJV

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

But knowing all of this, will our returning Savior, “find faith on the earth?”

The question, brings with it, the hint of pessimism.

In an age of instant, this and instant that, we as God's people, had better be more careful and redeem the precious time that we have.

Ephesians 5:15,16 AMP

15 Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),

16 Making the very most of (Redeem) the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

Salvation Prayer