The Faith of Martha!

John 11:21-27 (KJV)

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Verse 21-22, Martha verbalizes her faith in Christ. She believed that if Jesus had been present, her brother would not have died. Even though her brother ended up dying she had faith that whatever Jesus asked the Father it would be granted to him. Martha's faith is an example for us as believers. She didn't doubt Christ even though her brother, whom she loved, died.

Verse 23-24, Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus will rise again. Martha knew that the resurrection of the faithful dead was at the last day and stated her confidence in that. A secret return (rapture) of Jesus prior to the end of all things was a foreign concept to Martha and the Jewish people. Martha shows her faith here by verbalizing her confidence of her brother's eventual resurrection even if it wasn't gonna happen at that specific time. This is an example to us that even if our requests aren't given to us when we desire, we are still to have faith in Christ without wavering.

Verse 25-27, Jesus speaks of his coming resurrection and declares that those who believe in him will live even though they are dead. Jesus is eternal life and those who confess that He is the Son of God have God dwelling in them (1 John 4:15). If we die in Christ, even though we fall asleep we will live again at the first resurrection. We truly won't die but only fall asleep temporarily.  Only those who believe in the resurrection of Christ and that eternal life can only be found in him will live, hence Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Jesus asks Martha "Believest thou this?"

Look at Martha's response here, if only Christians could have the same faith as Martha. Martha responds "Yea Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."

This is the same confession that Peter gave in Matthew 16:13-20. This is the same confession that Paul preached in the synagogues in Acts chapter 9 after his Damascus road experience.

Many Christians today lack the faith of Martha. How is this? Because their confession of Christ is not that He is the Son of God, but rather the second member of a trinity god denoting a metaphorical Sonship. Martha made it clear,  her belief in Christ was that he was the Son of God in identity not the eternal Almighty God or "God the Son". Martha and the Jews must have known that the coming Messiah was going to be God's Son as she stated "thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."

The whole new testament affirms the literal Sonship of Christ and it is this knowledge of who Jesus is that is the foundation of the Christian Church. Will Martha, Peter, Paul and others be a witness against those who deny the literal Sonship of Christ? Don't risk it, but rather confess that Jesus is the Son of God!