What’s the Difference Between True and False Faith?
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What’s the Difference Between True and False Faith?

Christian Courage in the Face of Injustice

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,“When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.Exodus 1:15-17

As children, we are told that the right thing to do is often the hard thing to do. It’s timelessly true, even for adults. In difficult moments, with our backs against the wall, we are tempted to compromise our beliefs and the true mettle of our character is tested. However, by the Lord’s grace, when we make the right decisions in difficult places, we see a powerful display of God’s protection and providence. God’s Word is filled with wonderful testimonies like these, but perhaps one of the great acts of this kind of courage is shown to us by two less-recognized characters: Shiphrah and Puah.

These two Hebrew midwives were caught in an impossible situation. If belonging to a people being ruthlessly oppressed wasn’t enough, the king of Egypt now reveals his intentions to rope them into his plan of genocide against their own kindred. They are instructed to kill all the male children born to Hebrew families. In reading of such a wicked scheme, we are repulsed. Thankfully, Shiphrah and Puah were too. Despite facing a direct order from Pharaoh, the two women, in their fear of the Lord, protect the lives of these vulnerable baby boys by disobeying the king’s wicked orders. The priorities of these two women are seen with great clarity, and their trust in God’s promises rather than their circumstances guides their actions. God blessed their bravery and the Israelite families continued to grow, “And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families” (Ex. 1:21). Note that the midwives’ precious reward from God for risking their lives and protecting these families is families of their own––truly, children are a treasure.

This is not just a nice story, not a fairytale with a moral lesson, nor one of Aesop’s fables. This is God’s Word. The events and experiences of these women were historical, they happened in real-time. And they are not unlike the situations of many around the world who are in difficult places––persecuted for their faith or overwhelmed by their circumstances, lonely, vulnerable, afraid. In these times, just like Shiphrah and Puah, we need to trust in God’s promises––he is a good God, a faithful God, a God with eternal purposes for our lives, who has bought the redemption of our souls through the death of his own son.

Like these faithful women, we need to take courage, especially when it means defending and loving our neighbors, even when the cost is painful. As these women were merciful to the unborn in their community, so should our hearts be marked by tenderness towards both the mothers and children who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Our hearts yearn for the day when the very presence of evil will be banished from our midst. On that day, the Lord, who has seen and heard us as we cry out to him in difficult places, will personally wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4).


Dig deeper with these free resources from Core Christianity:

  • For more resources on care for the vulnerable and protection of life, read Core Christianity devotional: Fearfully Made

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Mary Van Weelden

Mary Van Weelden is a writer and a journalist, and has a double M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Westminster Seminary California. She and her husband are actively searching for the best taco place in Denver, CO. Come talk to her about practical theology and comma placements on Twitter at @agirlnamedmary.

Photo of Arie Van Weelden
Arie Van Weelden

Arie Van Weelden is an Assistant Pastor at Skyview Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Centennial, Colorado. He is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California. He is married to his wife Mary and has a daughter. When he's not working, he enjoys reading a good book, watching a good film and bird watching with his wife.