"Shall He Find Faith On The Earth?"
Our Lord taught the need of persistence in prayer in the parable of the widow and the unrighteous judge. His closing remark on this subject was in the form of a question — "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). This question appears in the immediate context of his teaching on prayer, showing that the absence of persistent prayer is evidence of lack of faith. It should be noted that not all praying can be taken as evidence of true faith, for some prayers are not in faith. James wrote, "But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." (James 1:6, 7.) It is very evident that a prayer that is not in faith cannot be evidence of the presence of faith! Persistence in prayer is a normal and necessary fruit of faith. Real living faith produces prayer on every proper occasion. But it needs to be kept in mind that faith will never attempt to substitute prayer for any other action of righteousness which God has required of man. Praying is doing righteousness. This is seen from the teaching of Christ in the sermon on the mount. He said, "Take heed that you do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them — " (Matt. 6:1). Among the actions of righteousness which men can perform, praying is listed and discussed. "And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites — (Verse 5). When men perform the actions authorized by God in the manner approved by God, they are working righteousness which is acceptable to God. Saving faith is present whenever men are "subject (ing) themselves to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3). The answer to the question, "Shall the Son of Man find faith on earth" will be answered affirmatively if men are found doing the righteousness of God; among these acts of righteousness is prayer.
It is both interesting and profitable to study some of the things which the Lord will find on earth when he comes. Christ said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage — so shall be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:36-39). He also said that "as it came to pass in the days of Lot, they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded — after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of Man is revealed" (Luke 17:28-30). These two passages teach that concern and activity in providing for physical needs will be found when the Son of Man cometh. Activities in these areas have been present in every generation from Noah. In Noah's generation faith was found only in the few. "By faith, Noah warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7). Even so in our day, faith is to be found only among the minority.
Jesus warned against undue concern and effort for the pleasures of this life. "But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all the things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21: 34-36). That day will come suddenly as a snare to the worldly minded, those whose minds are overcharged with concern for this present world. Watchfulness and supplications for the things that pertain to the soul will enable one to escape and "stand before the Son of Man."
On this point the apostle Paul wrote: "If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye died and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall he manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory" (Col. 3:1-4). The faith that is "unto the saving of the soul" is not in the worldly minded. The Son of Man will not find faith in those who have their mind set "upon the things that are upon the earth". No one has any ground for hope of being manifested in glory with Christ, who is not seeking the things above.
If the Son of Man were to come in our day, would he find faith on earth? In considering this question, care must be exercised to avoid taking things as evidence of faith which are not properly evidence to this point. The ringing sound of hammer and saws constantly filling the air is not evidence that proves the presence of the faith unto the saving of the soul. Such is evidence that "they builded"! Jesus said that such would be characteristic of the earth when the Son of Man comes, but such is not evidence in proof of the presence of the faith which Jesus desires to find. It is only proof of faith in a human plan.
If the Son of Man were to come in our day, He would find people "marrying and giving in marriage; just as he said he would find. Along with marrying he would find unbelief. The unbelief or lack of faith manifests itself in the appalling number of unscriptural divorces and remarriage. The Son of Man said, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (Matt. 9:9). Too many church members and even preachers have chosen to "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" rather than to deny self and bear the cross of Christ. Faith was found in Moses for the writer of Hebrews wrote, "By faith Moses when he was grown up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hell. 11:24, 25). Faith will not be found where lust has been allowed to control the actions of the person. It is by faith that a person is able to choose the right course, even when the right course brings suffering and sacrifice.
If the Son of Man were to come in our day, he would find an increasing number of people going about from door to door proclaiming that wars and rumors of wars, the earthquakes and tidal waves, etc. are signs of the coming of the Son of Man. He would find these people teaching that he is to set up his kingdom and reign a thousand years. He would find these people, full of all guile, using every device conceivable to deceive people into thinking they are other than what they are, in order to gain an audience. The Son of Man would find much zeal in these people, but would he find faith? To get the answer to the question, it is only necessary to contrast some of the things which the Son of Man taught with the teaching and practice of these people. These people claim that they can detect the near approach of the coming of the Son of Man, whereas, the Son of Man said, "if any man shall say unto you, lo, here is the Christ, or here; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you before hand. If therefore, they shall say unto you, behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: behold, he is in the inner chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:23-27). The Son of Man also said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only" (Matt. 24:35, 36). A denial of the things which the Son of Man taught cannot be classified as faith in the Son of Man, hence, if the Son of Man came in our day, he would not find faith among those who are positively proclaiming the near approach of the second coming. These people's doctrine denies present reign of Christ, whereas, Christ taught that the kingdom would come in the life time of those who were present with him while he was here on earth (Mark 9:1). The teaching of our Lord through his apostles is that his people are to put away "all guile" (1 Pet. 2:1). The faith which the Son of Man desires to find will not be found associated with guile; neither does zeal alone establish the presence of faith which is unto the saving of the soul. There were people of Paul's day who had a "zeal for God but not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2). This lead to these people failing to "subject themselves to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3).
When the Son of Man cometh he will find faith in those who have renounced "sight" as their guide in things which pertain to the soul, "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Those in whom the Son of Man will find faith will be those who require a thus saith the Lord for faith and practice for "Belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly "that you may "be found in him, not having a righteousness of (your) own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith — " (Phil. 3:9).