The Popular Error Of Faith

At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you. The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” [2 Chronicles 16.7-9] 

What was Hanani talking about?

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa’s territory in Judah. Asa responded by removing the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace. He sent it to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message: “Let there be a treaty between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.” [2 Chronicles 16.1-3]

Asa resorted to idolatry - trusting something other than God. Hanani's message from God made crystal clear the fact that God desires and demands undiluted, unadulterated faith:

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” [2 Chronicles 16.9] 

We should conclude then that God withholds His strength from those who, like Asa, trust something in addition to or in lieu of God ALONE. 

If we employ the popular error of modern faith, it might be argued that Ben-hadad's help was "God's way" of helping Judah. However, the Scriptures make no such assertion, but in fact, contradict this modern deception entirely.

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” [2 Chronicles 16.9] 

How does this relate to modern "believers in God" who say God uses debt, insurance, medicine and technology to meet the needs of His people? 

Debt, insurance, medicine and technology are no more "God's way" than Asa's alliance with Ben-hadad was "God's way." Indeed, these industries are the flagship categories of a plethora of named idols in our day.

Asa's dilution of faith in God ALONE ultimately led to his painful demise:

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the LORD’s help but turned only to his physicians. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign. [2 Chronicles 16.12-13]

And, in gross and conveniently willful ignorance of God's Word, the Church today is essentially void of God's distinct miraculous power. Oh sure, debt, insurance, medicine and technology yield "relief" to God's people like Ben-hadad brought relief to Asa and Judah, but that "relief" was and is temporary (not to mention costly). No matter how vehemently one might argue that God uses debt, insurance, medicine and technology (solutions of man), God's Word screams in stark disagreement:

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” [2 Chronicles 16.9] 

Speaking of "fully committed," Jesus Christ, Who taught, demonstrated, and demanded distinct miraculous power in the obedience of faith, only confirmed 2 Chronicles 16.9:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

And still, "Christian" people, in gross and conveniently willful ignorance of the Bible, will argue for their idols - the way of man - their own way... taking God's name in vain with every defense of man's named idols as being "God's way" to meet man's needs. It is indeed the popular error of faith.

Father, may error of faith so popular today be exposed. May the scales be removed from "believers'" eyes as they forsake popular opinion and instead abide by the truth of Your Word. So be it.