Faith In God Alone

“Come out, my people, flee from Babylon. Save yourselves! Run from the Lord’s fierce anger. But do not panic; don’t be afraid when you hear the first rumor of approaching forces. For rumors will keep coming year by year. Violence will erupt in the land as the leaders fight against each other. [Jeremiah 51.45-46]

Babylon seems to represent everything that God's First Commandment warns against:

“You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.3]

Babylon represented military strength, arrogance, technology, riches, and idols. It is no wonder that God would instruct His people to flee from (save themselves from) these circumstances.

Babylon is the culture that develops when the First Commandment is blatantly ignored. Not surprisingly, "Babylon" is very much the culture that threatens God's people today.

In contrast, "Israel" is the culture that develops when the First Commandment is adhered to. Faith in God alone is the demonstrative quality of this "Israel" culture.

While "fleeing from Babylon" may have certain geographic implications, the prevailing action is one of the heart. To believe God alone is to necessarily break trust with anything (any god) other than God. Again,

“You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.3]

What then does it look like to "flee from Babylon"? What does it look like to "break trust" with false gods? Our best answer to this question should naturally come from the "posterchild" example of our faith, Abraham. After Abraham rescued Sodom and his nephew Lot from Kedorlaomer and all his allies (Genesis 14), the king of Sodom tried to reward Abraham:

The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ [Genesis 14.21-23]

Abraham's example in this story tells us what it looks like to have a heart fixed on trusting God alone and having an impeccable reputation of doing so. Abraham was determined that God alone would be, and would be seen, as his sole Provider. Now, that is faith in God alone.

I continue to repeat the phrase "faith in God alone" because just to say "faith" leaves an opening of idolatrous "Babylonian" proportion!

How committed are God's people today to trust, and be perceived as trusting, in God alone? I will just go ahead and answer this question, "Not so much."

Instead of "fleeing everything Babylon," God's people today are a hodgepodge of polytheistic faith. The canvas of our lives depicts a plethora of gods that we have painted "faith in God" into the picture of "faith in man." Our justification for so doing generally starts or ends with a statement like this: "God uses man."

If Abraham had said to the king of Sodom, "Since God uses man, I will accept all the goods you offered! At least I know God made me rich" it would have been open to speculation where Abraham's riches came from (regardless what he said or believed). Abraham was not only concerned about what he believed, but also what the king of Sodom and everyone else believed! Now, that is faith in God alone!

The base thought that "God uses man" is founded in Babylonian (idolatrous) ideology. Of course, God may use man, however, to qualify God's ability based on the availability of man is idolatry!

Idolatry does not mind sharing its position with God. But in stark contrast, God absolutely and categorically refuses to share His position with idols! That is why believers in God should constantly review their faith and "flee from Babylon" whenever mixed faith is found.

Just because God gave us faith does not force us to use that faith entirely on God! Our decision to trust in God alone (even though we have the capacity to trust in many gods), is what assures God we are indeed His because we choose to submit to Him alone...

“You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.3]

Father, may I constantly "flee from Babylon" and be aware of every "Babylonian" idol that comes my way. May I be found purely trusting You alone!