"An Empty Faith"

“An Empty Faith”

A physics principle attributed to Aristotle says, “Nature abhors a vacuum”. This tells us that any empty space will be filled with something. Think for a moment as to how we practice this in daily life. When the fuel gauge on our car’s dashboard points to “E” we head for a gas station to replenish the tank. When our refrigerator or cupboards are getting bare we make our way to our local supermarket to stock up on what we need (or maybe don’t). If we have some vacant area in our attic or garage it cries out for something to fill it leading to our saving things we don’t really need but have trouble parting with. So without realizing it we often show how right Aristotle was.

During this time of year when the sufferings, death and resurrection of Christ are especially remembered I thought of their significance to our faith. In a lengthy analysis Paul shows the importance of these events. He writes, “…If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, NKJV, emphasis added). (The Greek word means futile or without profit; other versions render it “useless”, “vain” or “smoke and mirrors” in this verse.) The Apostle then goes on to say, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead….” (Verse 20, emphasis added). So our faith is certainly not empty—rather it fills us with hope of our future with Christ.

At the risk of being labeled a heretic let me show how our faith is empty, but in a good and biblical sense. First is an empty Christ. In the kenosis passage (the Greek word for empty using English characters), Philippians 2:5-11, Paul states that Jesus “…emptied Himself….” (Verse 7, NASB), or voluntarily laid aside some of His rights as God when He took human form (but in no way compromised His Deity). Then there was an empty cross (“…Joseph…took {Jesus’ body} down {from the cross}….”—Luke 23:53), leaving it without His body. Finally and most importantly is the empty tomb. When the women went there on the morning of the third day after His crucifixion they found it empty and were told by angels, “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6, emphasis added). (One of the highlights of our Israel trip was seeing where Jesus’ body had been but no longer is.)

So let’s thank God for our “empty faith”—not futile but victorious (“…Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan