The Christian Walk is a Fight of Faith

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(Blue entries in the meditation are links; clicking on them will take you to the verse(s) in the New International Version; clicking on the other versions on that page will show the same verses in the version you selected. Occasionally links on my page are to another file of mine. On this page entries in light brown are the words of Scripture (NIV). If you wish to pursue your own study on issues raised or on the Scripture verses used try these links: The Online Study Library. The CBC Biblical Studies Library. An additional translation with many notes can be found at Net Bible.)

(The Christian Walk is a Fight of Faith--Pt I)

by Cameron Paine

INTRODUCTION

What is the fight about? It is about whether the plan, the actions, the words of God are true. The believer says, 'Yes', and acts accordingly. The 'truth-rejecter'--which is the definition of an unbeliever-- says, 'No', and acts accordingly. Behavior is based on or flows out of belief, not the other way around. Behavior that is pleasing to God flows out of belief in the God of the Bible (Hebrews 11:6)

A good way to focusing on the meaning of the Christian Walk being a 'fight of faith' is to point out what The Christian Walk is not. In essence it is not individuals getting their behavior to conform visibly to some ethical code or standard (even one made up of commandments found in the Bible). Doing so may even be an ungodly activity because such visible conformity to God's 'principles' if done for the wrong reason, that is, for any reason other than the desire, the motivation, to please God is no conformity to God's standard at all. This is clearly illustrated in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:1-2,5; 7:21-23)

God's standard is not external or 'mechanical' conformity to a standard of visible behavior but is what is in the heart, or on the 'inside'. (Matthew 15:8-9,19-20) "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10; see also 1 Samuel 16:7; Hebrews 4:12-13;
1 Corinthians 4:5) "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10)

God's standard is being and doing what is pleasing to God. The Bible is very blunt: Unless a person has faith, that is, believes that the eternal God is, that his words recorded in his written revelation to the human race are true, he or she cannot please God regardless of his or her behavior. The Bible says so. (Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 5:4-5) Belief in God and in his word is fundamental. Holding onto the truths of The Faith and living accordingly is a totally different calling or vocation from living in accordance with some ethical code or standard (even one found in the Bible). (1 Peter 3:15; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 4:7-8)

What are the truths of the Faith without which there would be no gospel or Christianity? That the eternal God exists, that his actions in Christ are meaningful--that Christ's sacrifice earned the inheritance of eternal life and eternal blessings which God promised to the people he redeemed. Accepting these realities is what the message is all about. There is more to life, more to reality, than 'meets the eye'. That is what God's written word (the Bible) tells me. It also makes the point that it is what happens beyond the life and death of the physical body (that is, at the time of the second coming of Christ and throughout 'eternity') that really matters. Whatever conditions exist then last forever.

All God's statements rest on the reality of the eternal dimension the way every part of a building rests on its foundation. The foundational nature of this truth (that there is an eternal God and an eternal dimension) becomes clearer as it is seen shining through statement after statement in the Bible. It is the purpose of Pt. 1 of this meditation to demonstrate the foundational nature of this perspective by setting forth a few of the statements in the Bible where this acceptance of the eternal stage of life is prominent and highly visible. Sometimes the existence of the eternal God and the eternal dimension is explicitly referred to and sometimes these essential or foundational truths are set forth by implication--because without this foundation God's many exhortations would be lies, deliberate duplicity or trickery.

[Pt. II of this meditation looks at another reason why the Christian walk is a fight of faith--what faith is. Pt. II will be available around January 1, 2002]

The Eternal Stage Of Life Is The Focus Of The Faith

What is the theme or truth that is at the core of The Faith? The eternal dimension. The scope of God's drama is beyond comparison, beyond the limits of time. History and time is but a miniscule part of the eternal God's drama. The total picture is big. It is the seeing of the 'Big Picture' and looking forward to entering the eternal dimension that is an ever-present characteristic of the believer since that is what the Christian message (The Faith) is all about. It is looking forward to that eternally significant act of God when he again enters into time (Christ's second coming) that sets the believer apart. The Christian outlook includes the looking forward to that moment in God's eternal drama when physical death will disappear. (Hebrews 9:28) The message of the gospel concerns life in this world and the 'part' of eternity which 'begins' afterwards. "It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:12-13; see also Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4)

Now let's look at how this focus on the eternal stage of life is constantly appearing and reappearing like a thread of a particular color in a tapestry or a theme in a book. (Almost every verse quoted in this meditation would fit under many of the arbitrary headings or categories I have created in which to display the verses which reveal the common theme. This is so because this focus on the eternal stage of life--in which God's purposes and values are fulfilled--is everywhere either explicitly stated or is the truth, the foundation, that underlies the statements made.)

(1) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension In God's statements
That Speak Of His Purposes, Plans, And Acts

The overwhelming importance of the eternal stage of life shines forth in the statements or declarations of the purpose and plans of God. If the eternal stage of life were not the important stage of life many of God's acts and words would be deliberate deceptions like those of a con man. If God is believed to be true and holy his statements or declarations of his purpose and plans must be genuine pointers to a reality which is 'bigger' and of greater consequence than the life which we mortals see and experience on earth. (Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 4:7-8; 2 Peter 3:13)

The whole idea of the eternal God taking on human flesh, sinful flesh, and doing something to change the destiny of many human beings is what is not found in any other so-called religion. It is the penetration of time by him who is beyond time. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.... The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-4, 9-10, 14; see also Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:8-11)

We are reminded that our experience in time prior to our physical death is not so important when we are told that the gift of salvation was given to us before the creation of the world. What has happened since our birth is not the 'whole story' of our existence. We are reminded that our experience in time (the present) is not what the world revolves around when we are told of the cosmic dimensions of God's purpose. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves....And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:3-6,9-10)

The way the believer's savior is described sends a clear message regarding the cosmic dimension of God's plan. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20; see also Romans 8:19-22; Isaiah 11:6-9)

In the apostle Paul's 2nd letter to Timothy we are told about God's plan. It was God "who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

Christ's Death and Death

What could point to the surpassing 'beauty' of the eternal stage of life more than the fact of the overcoming of physical death?

That God intended to overcome 'the power of the grave' is stated repeatedly in the Bible.

"He will swallow up death for ever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 25:8)
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?" (Hosea 13:14)
What is more at the core of the Gospel message than the overcoming of the power of death? "Since the children have flesh and blood, he [Jesus the Christ] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15)
The apostle Paul repeats this truth--"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)
In what is probably the most well known verse in the New Testament this truth is put this way: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) And again. Jesus is speaking--"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25-26)

This enormous accomplishment of God and Christ is referred to in many ways.

"By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also." (1 Corinthians 6:14)
"It has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Timothy 1:10)
In the last book of the New Testament the superiority of Jesus' power over death is set forth in different ways. Jesus said, "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18) In the last book of the Bible which records the vision of the apostle John, we are told, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" (Revelation 21:1-4)

Could any verses reveal any more clearly how eternally meaningful and surpassingly important the eternal stage of life is for the believer?

But the reality and importance of the eternal stage of existence does not apply only to believers. The existence of the plan of God and the eternal dimension is a truth that everyone must face. Physical death (or the 2nd coming of Christ ) is the beginning of the eternal stage of 'life' for everyone. For believers it is the entrance to a life of bliss. For unbelievers it is the entrance to a 'life' of misery.

Jesus spoke about the eternal stage of 'life': "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." (John 5:28-29)
"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. " (Matthew 16:27)
"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man [Jesus' name for himself] will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)
"He [God] will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10)
In the Gospel According to Matthew a scene at the final judgment is described: "Then he [the Lord on the throne] will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels....Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Matthew 25:41, 46 and preceding verses)
The apostle Paul speaking as a prisoner said in his own defense , "I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked." (Acts 24:15)
"So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28; see also Matthew 25:41, 46 quoted above)

The eternal God's repeated penetration of time and history is the basis of the Christian's outlook. James says to believers, "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." (James 5:8)

After reciting examples of God's actions recorded in the Old Testament the apostle Peter goes on to say, "If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority." (2 Peter 2:9-10)

"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life." (Romans 2:7) God's truth seems to stand out more clearly if stated--'because they are seeking glory, honor and immortality they persist in doing good.' (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:3)

Over and over again the eternal dimension of life is spoken of in God's statements that speak of his purposes, plans, and acts when the eternal God penetrates existence in this world, the dimension of time and history. Are you (am I) ready? (Hebrews 10:38-39; Revelation 12:11; Matthew 24:42, 44; Luke 12:35,38,47;18:8)

(2) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension In God's Statements That Contrast
Focusing On The Present Versus Focusing On The Eternal Stage Of Life

The exhortations and declarations of the eternal God are constantly telling (or reminding) us that the eternal dimension exists and that the value of the eternal stage of life is worth every sacrifice in the present (Romans 8:18; Luke 12:21). That the eternal stage of life is vitally important is the assumption which underlies all the exhortations and declarations below in which God contrasts focusing on the present versus focusing on God's rewards in the eternal stage of life. If the eternal stage of life were not a reality, a vital reality, God's exhortations and declarations would be deliberate attempts to misguide and deceive. (Genesis 3:1,4) But that is impossible if God is what the Bible says. God's character is holy. It is Satan who is not holy, who is the deceiver. (John 8:44) It is the surpassing value of the eternal blessings in the eternal stage of life that makes God's exhortations and declarations meaningful. Listen to the reminders below...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-20)
"And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:19-21)
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:28-33)
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Corinthians 15:19)
"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:25)

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (Timothy 4:8)
"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30)
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
"You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:34-36)
"Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

In a way this was exactly what Jesus did while here in this dark, sin-dominated world. Knowing what was ahead for him in glory (where he had been before) he kept on behaving in accordance with the will of his Father in heaven --"Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3)

(3) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension Is What God Looks Upon As Valuable

What God looks upon as valuable is so different. Different from what? Different from what unbelievers look upon as valuable. Different from the goals that in their hearts unbelievers seek.

"The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, 'You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.'" (Luke 16:14-15)
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17)
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matthew 6:24) God is eternal. Money symbolizes what is desired in this world. Necessarily. Because money can buy only the things in this world (and not even all of them).
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
"The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." (Acts 5:41-42)
"But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:20-21)
"...And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:2-4) The New English Bible translation of these same verses brings out (I believe) the connections between the truths in God's word beautifully: "Let us exult in the hope of the divine splendour that is to be ours. More than this: let us exult in our present sufferings, because we know that suffering trains us to endure, and endurance brings proof that we have stood the test, and this proof is the ground of hope."
"Resist him [Satan], standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:9) It is a denial of what God says about sin and the dark world to entertain the thought that standing up for Christ will be painless or without 'cost' in this life. (John 15:18-21; 3:19; Acts 14:22)
The apostle Paul put it this way: "If we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. " (Romans 8:17-18)
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught this truth, saying, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)
Jesus explained to his disciples about how the world of unbelievers would look upon them. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you:`No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. they will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me." (John 15:18-21)
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:37-38)
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)

The entire 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews is God's record of some of his saints in Old Testament times whose faith saw the value of what God had promised as greater than anything on earth.

The contrast between what the people of the world value and what God's word indicates is really valuable is beautifully illustrated by the lives of Job and of the apostle Paul. In each case the saint came to 'see', came to realize and appreciate the truth that the value of God's ways exceeds what 'appeals to the flesh'. This learning experience did not come from reading books.

Job. An excellent illustration of a believer having endured the trials and coming out better for it is the experience of Job. The Bible says this about Job's condition or circumstances at the very beginning of the book--that he was a wealthy man with many sons and daughters; that his character was godly: "This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." (Job 1:1) Then God allowed Satan to strip him of all his sons, daughters, friends, wealth and health. But after going through the roughest of times (described vividly in the book) this is how Job described the result that the long period of trial had produced. "My ears had heard of you [God] but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:5-6) Job came out of the trials with a greater understanding of God and his ways that he had before he endured them. It was after he had come to appreciate the surpassing value of God and his ways that Job was again given this-worldly treasures--more wealth and family than he had before his great trial began. (Job 42:12-16; compare Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:29-30)

The apostle Paul. God gave the apostle Paul a 'thorn' in the flesh. "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me." But God didn't remove this thorn, this affliction. God did not remove this ever-present rough spot in the apostle's life.

The apostle describes God's response to his own pleadings for the 'thorn' removal--"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" Then Paul declares how that truth changed his perception of what is really important in life. He learned God's lesson. "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

Is this not a rarely revealed example of where we can see that God's not removing a problem resulted in a greater appreciation of God? Paul would not have grown in the acceptance and understanding of God's grace and ways if God had removed the trial.

How different are God's ways and standards! (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Is not getting to think and feel as God does the very purpose or goal that God has for believers? "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have
sent." (John 17:3; see also Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 2:20-21)

(4) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension In God's Statements
That Show Why Believers Behave As They Do

Believers are reminded of the existence and the surpassing value of the eternal dimension in the teachings that show or presume the vital connection between the behavior of believers (in the God of the Bible) and their acknowledgement (acceptance) of the eternal dimension (John 11:25-26)

Believers are reminded of the eternal value of that stage of life every time the exhortations are mentioned or repeated--and the Bible is full of such statements. How do the exhortations do this? Because God's exhortations to holy behavior rest on the assumption that what transpires in the eternal stage of life is of much greater significance than what happens on earth in this age. (Psalm 73:13-17; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, 32; Ephesians 1:18)

If that assumption were not true and did not underlie the exhortations then the exhortations in the Bible would be duplicitous as if God were a big con man (as Satan suggested in the Garden of Eden--Genesis 3:1,4).

Therefore whenever believers hear God's exhortations and commands the assumption of the greater worth of what happens in the eternal stage of life is implicitly set forth. Whenever believers hear God's exhortations and commands that assumption comes through like a beautiful fragrance. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

How Christians are to behave or conduct themselves in this world is indissolubly connected to the destiny they are looking forward to.

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:5-8,10,11; see also Colossians 1:5)
A different way of stating this connection is the statement that the faith, the belief in God (the God of the Bible) and his words comes first; obedience to him follows. The apostle Peter addresses those believers he is writing to with these words: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way [by being burned up], what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming....But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the [eternal] home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." (2 Peter 3:11-14)

It is what happens in the eternal dimension that 'makes' the Bible's statements eternally meaningful. To put it in different words, only in the light of the eternal perspective do the events in this world reveal how they fit into the eternal God's purposes and plan. Knowing that the eternal God who knows all and creates all (Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 1:2) has this perspective is part of knowing who/what God is.

The apostle Paul behaved as he did because he was looking ahead to God's reward. "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14) And again, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." (Philippians 1:21-23)
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." (Titus 2:11-13; see also Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10)
The objective of the apostle Paul's ministry: "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his [eternal] kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
To a young minister in the early church, the apostle's protégé--Timothy, the apostle gave this exhortation: "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses....keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Timothy 6:12, 14)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, [the individuals mentioned in the preceding chapter who were looking forward to being in 'God's land'] let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God....In your struggle against sin, [the temptation to give up the fight or the doing of God's will in every situation] you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." (Hebrews 12:1-2,4)
In his letter to the congregations in Galatia the apostle writes: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:7-9)
"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure." (Hebrews 6:11; see also 2 Peter 1:10-11)
In the apostle Paul's letter to the congregation at Thessalonica he puts it this way: "Your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering....This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." (2 Thessalonians 1:3-5, 7-10)

Christian behavior is a response of gratitude to God for the eternal inheritance (Romans 12:1; Ephesians 2:3-6). What did the apostle Paul and his company of saints pray for? This is how they described it to the congregation at Colossae: "We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Colossians 1:9-13)

It is what happens in the eternal stage of the believer's life, not what happens in our life on earth, that is the focus of Christ's accomplishment for the believer. "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4; see also 1 Thessalonians 3:13)

The apostle Paul believed the truth regarding the eternal position or status of genuine believers. "If we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17) And again, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

(5) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension In The Behavior Of Saints And Of Jesus
That Shows Where They Were Looking

The importance of the eternal stage of life is set forth in the behavior of saints that is recorded in the Bible. How? Because their behavior or actions are guided and governed by acceptance of the truth of the eternal God's words concerning the present (for them) and the conditions which they will live in forever after their physical death or the 2nd coming of Christ.

Abraham. The behavior of Abraham shows very clearly that belief, belief in God and his words, is what the fight is all about. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-2) Abraham's behavior demonstrated to himself and to the world of anti-believers ('truth rejecters') where his heart was. Abraham acted the way he did because he revered God and he believed that God was able to fulfill his promise of many heirs through Isaac (Genesis 15:4-5; 21:12; Romans 9:8) even if it meant raising the dead. The Bible says so. (Genesis 22:12) "By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son....Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." (Hebrews 11:17,19) And again, "Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." (Romans 4:19-21)

Obedience is a matter of faith. (Genesis 22:12--see previous link)

Moses. By God's providence he was raised in the Egyptian kings' (Pharaoh's) household as the son of the Egyptian princess. Yet, after living in the 'lap of luxury' and privilege for many years "He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." (Hebrews 11:25-26)

All the saints previously and subsequently mentioned in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)

"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (Hebrews 6:12)

The apostle Paul. It was because God's messenger (which is what the word 'apostle' means) knew what lay ahead in the eternal dimension for him (an eternal inheritance) and for everybody who "longed" for the second coming of our Lord that the apostle behaved the way he did.

How did the apostle look upon the trials and troubles which he encountered in his Christian walk? "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17)

"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:8-11)

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." (Philippians 1:21-23)

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Jesus' example. "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:21-23)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

The ever reappearing theme appears again. Yes, the behavior of our Lord Jesus and that of his saints is shaped by the eternal stage of life that they are looking forward to.

This emphasis on the eternal dimension and the eternal stage of life (for believers) is summed up in the following group of quotes. They speak of the the unseen part of reality as being more basic and permanent than what is seen.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:1-3)
Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (Luke 12:4-5)
The apostle Peter addressed these words to the saints scattered for a time in this world: "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9)
The apostle Paul described the 'life style' of the believer. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18) And again, "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." (2 Corinthians 5:6-11)

(6) Glimpses Of The Eternal Dimension In The Emotion Saints Have About The Eternal Stage Of Life

It is not just that believers 'see' the eternal dimension and their position in it that distinguishes the Christian, the believer from all others. That is not enough. And a vital meaning of salvation--what it is to be called out of darkness into God's marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) has been left out when the eternal dimension is just seen. And what is the vital element that has been left out? It is the emotion that this knowledge produces-- eager anticipation. Believers are looking forward to the eternal stage of their life--the stage of their life that doesn't end with physical death. They look forward to it. They are eagerly waiting for it. That is why in the Bible it is spoken of as The Hope. (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:5; Titus 1:2; 3:7; Hebrews 3:6; 6:11, 18-19) The Hope is something very definite. The Hope has very specific content. Sometimes it is called glory or an inheritance or salvation or... It is the considering of this eternal stage of their life as far more important than the present that is the common theme that runs through all The Faith. (Romans 8:18)

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)
"In his great mercy he [God] has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.... But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." (2 Peter 3:11,12,13)
"Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. " (1 Corinthians 1:7-9; see also 2 Peter 1:3-4)
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:11-14)
"Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." (Jude 1:21)
"Let us exult in the hope of the divine splendour that is to be ours. More than this: let us exult in our present sufferings, because we know that suffering trains us to endure, and endurance brings proof that we have stood the test, and this proof is the ground of hope." (Romans 5:2-4, New English Bible)
"Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." (1 Corinthians 1:7)
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Romans 8:24-25)
"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8)
"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness--a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time." (Titus 1:1-2)
"He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7)
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
"if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant." (Colossians 1:23)
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
"God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain." (Hebrews 6:18-19)
"Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:3)
"For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:10)
"And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:26)
"When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8)
"These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:7)
"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

Not only love but even faith is a gift. The Bible speaks of "the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel." (Colossians 1:5)

FINAL THOUGHTS

We have been looking at the common factor that underlies the Christian outlook on life, that common truth that underlies all the various biblical teachings the way a foundation supports every part of the building that rests on it. And what is that common foundation? The eternal God and the eternal dimension. Accepting, that is, believing in the reality of the eternal God, his 'personal' interest in the welfare of believers, and the eternal dimension in which God's promises are fulfilled completely is what The Christian Faith is all about..

Without the eternal dimension the Christian Faith would be a meaningless pack of deceptions and lies.

To show that the Christian Walk is a matter of faith, that it is the expression or outgrowth of an attitude toward the eternal God/Christ (Hebrews 11:6), we have been looking at the belief in the eternal dimension which everywhere underlies the Christian Walk

This foundation can be seen shining through or smelled like a beautiful fragrance everywhere in the Bible. We are reminded of this reality of God

--in the verses that speak of his purposes, plans, and acts;

--in the verses that contrast focusing on the present versus focusing on the eternal stage of life;

--in the verses that reveal what God looks upon as valuable;

--in the verses that show why believers behave as they do;

--in the verses that describe the behavior of saints and of Jesus and which show where they were looking.

--Perhaps the fragrance of eternity has been strongest when we looked at the verses that described or illustrated the emotion saints have about the eternal stage of life.

The Christian Walk is a matter of faith because only by faith (the Christian faith) can the eternal dimension be seen. The Christian Walk is a matter of believing in the reality and in the surpassing value of what happens in the eternal dimension.

What pleases or delights God is what matters. And that is not whether any individual gets his or her behavior to conform visibly to some ethical code or standard (even one made up of commandments found in the Bible). The degree to which an individual's behavior appears to conform to the precepts and commandments of God is not what God judges the acceptability of a person by. Why is that? Because behavior can have a godly shape when in the heart there is no acceptance of, or reverence for, God. (Isaiah 29:13 ; Matthew 6:1-2,5 ; 7:22-23; Acts 5.1-3)

What matters to God is what is on the 'inside' of a person. It is not behavior that can be seen by human beings but what is in the heart that pleases or distresses God. That is the reason the Christian Walk is not in essence individuals getting their behavior to conform visibly to some ethical code or standard. Behavior may suggest, but it is not the standard. God looks elsewhere to see if an individual is acceptable to him. "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10; see also 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 15:18-20; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 Corinthians 4:5)

[AN IMPORTANT NOTE: God looks at the heart, yes. But it is not what is in our hearts that has saved us. (Psalm 103:10-14; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-12) The Bible is very clear on that point: "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Galatians 3:10; see also James 2:10) And again, "The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." (Galatians 3:22) What we have in our hearts must be faith--a silent plea to God for mercy and a recognition that he has accepted us in Christ.

It is not what is in our hearts, it was Christ, what he did that saved us. (Galatians 3:13-14;Romans 8:3) Only his totally sinless behavior (obedience) which included dying on the cross for us as the purpose and plan of God the Father required (Acts 2:23) 'deserved' the benefits that come to God's people. END OF NOTE]

What God's redeemed children do is a grateful response. "I urge you, brothers," the apostle Paul said to believers, "in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1) But do it from the heart.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment in the Law (of God) was he replied, "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38; see also Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 11:1; 13:3; 26:16; 30:6; Joshua 22:5)

Unbelievers by definition cannot do this. Individuals without the faith cannot know or love the God of the Bible. How can they love or revere one whom they do not believe exists? Without believing that the God of the Bible exists no amount of 'high' ethical thoughts or deeds will please him. God's own word says so. (Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 5:4-5; Matthew 7:21-23) Behavior that genuinely conforms to God's precepts and commandments will never come from an unbeliever. It can't. (Romans 8:7,13-14)

The apostle Paul describes the contrast between what the world values and what God provides. "What is more," he says, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:8-9; see also Romans 10:2-4) "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:8-10)

The Christian Walk is the expression of what is in the heart of the redeemed individual.

The Christian Walk or growing in The Faith is not a matter of increasing behavioral conformity to an ethical standard but is a matter of faith--the holding onto God's declarations concerning the eternal dimension in general and God's promises in particular with increasing confidence and zeal--and living in accordance with the growing knowledge of what it means to be in God's eternal favor and protection. (Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:17-20) The Christian Walk is a fight of faith, a holding onto the truths, the promises of God. "But now he [God] has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant." (Colossians 1:22-23; see also Romans 8:24-25; 15:4; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:5; Titus 1:2; 3:7; Hebrews 3:14; 6:11-12, 18-19; 10:23 Revelation 3:11; 14:12)

One of the reasons the Christian Walk is a 'fight of faith' is because the goal of the believer's walk is in the eternal dimension where the complete fulfilment of God's promises takes place. The reality of the goal in the eternal dimension can only be seen by faith, the Christian faith. (2 Peter 3:13) But that is not the only reason or even the primary reason why the Christian Walk is a fight of faith. The inheritance to God's redeemed and adopted children to which believers are eagerly looking forward is only available to certain individuals. The inheritance (eternal life) is reserved for only those individuals who have put their trust, their faith in Jesus Christ's accomplishment on the Cross. (John 3:16; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 4:8)

An indispensable ingredient in the faith of God's redeemed children is knowing by faith that they are under the permanent (eternal) care of God the Creator who has chosen to bestow on every believer a glorious inheritance that will never come to an end. (1 Peter 1:3-4; John 3:16; 10:27-30; Romans 8:35-39), that he is faithful to his promises and will 'reward' or give to his redeemed children an inheritance of eternal blessings. Consequently, believers are looking forward to the enjoyment of God's promises in the eternal stage of life and behave accordingly. "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he [Jesus Christ] is pure." (1 John 3:3) That is the biblical phrase that describes what is involved in the Christian Walk. "Everyone who has this hope in him [in his heart] purifies himself, just as he is pure." (See also 1 Peter 1:13-14, 17; Romans 12:1) The Hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15) comes first. Belief is the the seed-bed or 'soil' out of which behavior sprouts. That is the established order in which these phenomena appear. The behavior comes second. Then our behavior becomes the expression of our desire to please God--the one who gave us the inheritance or The Hope. [And what more authoritative guide to behavior that pleases God do believers have than God's own statements in the Bible?]

Holding onto the truths of The Faith and living accordingly is a totally different calling or vocation from living in accordance with some ethical code or standard (even one found in the Bible). (1 Peter 1:17; 2 Peter 3:11-14; Philippians 3:9)

What does more for believers to stimulate them in the Christian Walk than to be reminded of the eternal inheritance that they should be looking forward to? And how can this happen if their minds are not being set on it? The message of the gospel concerns behavior in this world and the marvelous inheritance that believers will enjoy in the infinitely longer 'part' of eternity which 'begins' afterwards. "It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:12-13; see also Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4; 2 Peter 3:11-14)

What is the desire, the prayer, of the apostle Paul for believers? That they would see their inheritance more clearly with the 'eye of faith': "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 1:17-20)

"We do not want you to become lazy," the bible says, "but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (Hebrews 6:12; see also Galatians 6:8-9; Romans 8:24-25)
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:13)
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-3)

Holding onto the truths of The Faith, the promises of God is a fight of faith. That is what the Christian Walk is all about.

(If you appreciate what you read here please tell your friends about this URL and sign my guestbook on the homepage. Also, if, as you read any of the meditations, you feel you know of a situation that beautifully illustrates any of the points made I would be delighted to learn of it. I might incorporate it. mailto:camppp21355@comcast.net

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