Resolute, Unconditional, Unshakable Faith

Trevor S Ferguson

March 7, 2015

Daniel 3:16-18 (KJV)
¹⁶  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
¹⁷  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
¹⁸  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

INTRODUCTION

Christianity today has become excessively centered on the potential blessings of a life affiliated with Jesus Christ. Preachers quote extensively from scriptures which promise blessings and prosperity with little focus on the need for real faith, commitment and sacrifice. The driving force behind this is that while many people want to benefit from Christianity, few are willing to put off the things of the world or to endure the hardships involved in a real spiritual battle.

Today, many are concerned about the next generation, and generations to come - if the Lord tarries. Will the young people of today maintain the doctrine, standards and principles of a bible believing church? Or will they morph into a worldly, self-indulging church, such as the church in Laodicea, as described by John in Revelation? I believe that God will always have a true bible believing church! Despite the fact that some may fall away and depart from the faith, God’s word is sure. His Spirit will continue to be poured out in the last days and His Spirit is will lead believers into all truth. While I can speak with confidence for the corporate church, for the individual Christian our survival depends on the depth of our faith. Will we stand in the face of grave testing and trials or will we give in, give up and deny the faith?

Today, I want to share with you from the scriptures, to encourage your hearts to seek after God so that you may develop what I describe as resolute, unconditional and unshakable faith. Such faith was demonstrated by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the passage from Daniel 3 and can be developed in our youth (and older adults) today.    

EXPOSITION

Let’s look at the text, so that we may understand the context and glean the essential principles required to develop such faith.

The book of Daniel is set in the time of Babylonian captivity for the Jews. These were Jews from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The Northern Kingdom had previously gone into captivity under Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, brought the best of the Jews to Babylon, to train them for service in his kingdom. Among them were Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego).

Daniel and his three friends first stood out when they refused to eat the king’s meat and drink the wine provided because this violated their religious beliefs. They spoke to the person in charge and got permission to eat a diet more aligned to the principles of the Jewish faith.

We next see Daniel and his three friends when they sought God to reveal unto them the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten and to give them also the interpretation of the dream. When Daniel was able to reveal and interpret the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, he was promoted to being the chief of the governors and wise men of Babylon. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were also promoted to high positions in the province of Babylon.

The story in Daniel 3 records how these three Hebrew boys (as they are often called) stood up to the king of a great empire and received a mighty deliverance from the burning furnace. When we reflect on this story, we often speak of the mighty hand of God in delivering His people. While this is a great point to emphasize, a deeper look at the story reveals the characteristics of true faith, which we will need more and more as the world becomes more secular and distant from God.

To summarize the story, Nebuchadnezzar made a great golden image, about 100 feet tall, and gathered all his officials together for the dedication of the image. As part of the dedication ceremony all the persons present were to fall down and worship the image after the playing of a band of musical instruments. Failure to comply with the kings orders would result in the ‘offenders’ being cast in a burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in obedience to the first commandment refused to bow down to the image and their refusal was reported to the king. Nebuchadnezzar was furious, but offered them a second chance to bow down to the image. They refused. Their response to the king is instructive. Let’s look at their response again using the New Living Translation:  

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”       

For Shadrach Meshach and Abednego this was a clear confession of faith in their God and a decision to stand up for what is right, even if it would cost them their lives. This is the kind of faith that we need in the church today. This is the kind of faith that will empower the next generation.

I would like to expound a bit on three characteristics of their faith.

(1) THEIR FAITH WAS RESOLUTE

The word resolute means to be marked by a firm determination. It comes from the word resolve, which means to make a definite, firm and serious decision. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had evaluated the situation and had made a decision as to how they would respond. The decision was firm and final.

A problem in the church today is that we attempt to serve God through feelings and emotions rather than through with our minds. Faith is not a feeling it is a decision. I often define faith as ‘believing enough to act’. Action requires a decision. The scripture says that “he that cometh to God, must believe that He is …” The bible begins with a declaration that God is – “In the beginning God …” Every human being has to choose to accept or reject that God is! I choose to believe! When faced with test or challenges to our faith me must make a choice. We must be resolute; we must make a firm decision to stand for God and act in accordance with that decision.

(2) THEIR FAITH WAS UNCONDITIONAL   

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had full confidence that God was able to deliver, but were also cognizant of the fact that God was sovereign and the decision of whether to deliver or not to deliver was completely in His hands. Their faith however was based on the wisdom and sovereignty of God and not on whether He was going to deliver. They were fully prepared and trusted God to such an extent that they would not bow – even if God did not choose to deliver. This is in contrast to the situation today where many people are willing to walk out on God, if He does not deliver on their expectation.

So what do you do when you don’t get the job you expected, or when you are thirty years old and still single, or per chance, you mother was sick and God has not shown up to heal? Is your faith dependent on what God can do for you? Or are you willing to serve God unconditionally?

I admonish all of us today to refocus our faith on who God is and not on what He can do for us. God owes none of us anything. Whatever he chooses to give to us we accept with a heart of gratitude, but we cannot continue to approach God as if we are entitled to everything we ask for. Let us trust God unconditionally.

(3) THEIR FAITH WAS UNSHAKABLE    

The power of king Nebuchadnezzar did not shake their faith; the threat of a burning fiery furnace did not shake their faith. They did not change their minds when death stared them in the face. Their faith was unshakable.

Today we also need to have unshakable faith. Our position and conviction cannot change when we have to speak to the boss at our workplace, or if we have to face national leaders or even the Prime Minister. We cannot give up on our principles and standards when threatened with the loss of a job or being passed over for a promotion or if we are threatened with imprisonment or even death.

Our faith must be able to stand the test of time, the arguments of philosophers, gainsayers and atheists.

Our faith must stand when things don’t work out as expected. Persons have had to deal with the unexpected death of a child, or husband, or wife. Yes, you might have prayed and begged God to change the situation, but even if the worse happens, God is still God.

Remember that God may not keep you out of the fire – but he will walk with you in the fire. When Nebuchadnezzar looked in the fire expecting to see the three Hebrew boys being burnt to death, instead he saw four men, alive, loose and walking around in the fire. God will stand with you in your most severe test. He will give you grace that you may be able to bear it. Isaiah 43:2 says it well:  

“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.”

You can have unshakable faith. God will walk with you.

CONCLUSION

In closing I would like us to look the closing verses Hebrews 11, which presents a realist view on the life of faith:

³²  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: ³³  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
³⁶  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁷  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ³⁸  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ³⁹  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ⁴⁰  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

This passage tells us that some people of faith received great deliverance and achieved great feats, but others were tortured and killed for their faith.

Today most of us will not have to face death as we choose to walk in faith, but we still have to make some serious choices. We may have to choose between being ordinary versus wealth and popularity, between standards of holiness or conformity to worldliness or we may have to choose whether to continue trusting God or giving up when life does not seem to be working out.

Today we have a great example as to the stance to take. We must trust God. We must remain resolute in our faith. We must have unconditional faith and our faith must be unshakable. When we demonstrate such faith the devil will not be able to overcome us and we too will become heroes of the faith. Such faith will definitely empower the next generation.

Let us therefore resolve to have resolute, unconditional and unshakable faith!!