Outcome-based Faith II

There are numerous places in Scripture where people are praised for practicing what could be characterized as outcome-based faith. The woman with the issue of blood envisioned or dreamed that God wanted to heal her, and she had a specific picture on how that was going to happen ("If I touch even His garment, I will be made well." Mk 5:28). She had to act on this outcome as if it was going to happen, and engage in behavior that was socially risky. She was not supposed to be in crowds or touch anyone, let alone a holy man of God. If she had been mistaken about the anticipated outcome, it could have been an extremely embarrassing and shameful experience for her. She may have even feared that shame when Jesus stops and asks "Who touched my garments?" But Jesus praises her faith, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease." Jesus healed her disease, but the story implies that it would not have happened if she had not acted on her belief in a specific outcome.

Another example is the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. The widow keeps coming before the judge to plead her case, even though it was very unlikely that she would experience a just outcome from this judge. It was the pursuit of the outcome that kept her coming back. And Jesus presents her as a model of the faith that He wants to find when He returns. This is not a story about trusting in God rather than trusting for an outcome. It is a story where the outcome is the sole focus of the woman's pursuit.

Lastly, there is the example of Rahab. She believed in a certain outcome, that the Lord would overthrow Jericho for Israel, and she strategically planned for that outcome. She hides the spies and lies to the King's men to allow the spies to escape. Had she maintained a faith that Israel would overthrow Jericho, but not acted on that faith as she did, she would not have secured the salvation of her family. It is this combination of faith and action that James cites as a prime example that "a person is justified by works and not by faith alone" James 2:24-25.

Experiences of disappointment and disillusionment cause me to want to dismiss outcome-based faith as unsound and dangerous. However, these Biblical examples (and there are others) prevent me from embracing that perspective. There is something to outcome-based faith that is pleasing to God and a part of walking by faith. But disappointment and disillusionment are very real results from trying to practice this faith, especially when applied to something like pursuing business success. How are we supposed to walk this out? Still wrestling with that, so more next week…