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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.)
Pt II
The Christian Walk is a Fight of Faith--Pt II
by Cameron Paine
Introduction
An important, necessary preliminary point. In this meditation which sets
forth some of the many ways in which the essentiality of faith shows up, the
statements in the Bible about faith do not refer to just any faith but to
the particular faith that the Christian or believer has. They do not refer to
faith in any object. They do not refer to such things as faith or belief in an
elevator or airplane--the belief that it will stay up. No. Those objects
of faith are not worthy of complete trust; they are subject to failure, decay,
disintegration--the effects of time. Only the God of the Bible is not subject to
failure or to the effects of time. Only the triune God of Christianity (God the
Father; God the Son; God the Holy Spirit) is a totally dependable and therefore
a totally worthy object of faith. It is this faith ('The Faith') that is meant
whenever Bible verses speaking of 'faith' are quoted in this meditation.
Everywhere faith is required. The Christian Walk is not a matter of ethics or
conforming one's behavior to an ethical code--even one set forth in the Bible.
Faith is more fundamental. Faith is, as it were, the only soil out of which
godly behavior sprouts. Sometimes the Bible sets forth this truth in analogies
such as the tree and its fruit; or, as what flows out of the heart. (Matthew
15:18-19; Galatians 5:5)
Salvation itself is indissolubly connected with faith-- "But
now he 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."
(Colossians 1:22-23)
While the meaning of 'faith' is the subject of this meditation, that is not
the only term that the Bible uses when speaking of that attitude towards God
which God looks at to determine whether an action is Christian or godly. What
determines whether an action is Christian or godly is what exists in the mind
and heart of believers. Many of the biblical references to this pre-existing
attitude in the mind and heart do not mention 'faith' but speak of matters such
as motivation, love, hope, fear (of God), reverence for God. The elements or
ingredients of what is in the mind and heart are inseparable like the
ingredients in a cake that has been baked. In
the case of the genuine believer one of those essential and inseparable
'elements' is always 'faith' (belief) in the words of the Triune God of
the Bible.
Therefore, in this meditation sometimes verses which do not explicitly
mention 'faith' or 'belief' but which speak of hope, of the fear of God, of
reverence for God are set forth as illustrations of the foundational nature of
what is in the mind and heart (which in the case of believers always includes The
Faith)
prior to the appearance of behavior of any kind.
Behavior that appears godly (because it appears to conform to standards set
forth in God's law) may or may not actually be godly behavior.
It is the purpose of this meditation to show some of the many places and the many ways in which this truth ('that having faith is an essential element in the Christian Walk') is set forth. These will be set forth in these categories:
Faith And What Is In The Mind And Heart
What is in the heart and mind is what is important, yea, crucial. The Bible
sets forth this truth over and over again. What is in the mind and heart is, as
it were, the soil out of which all behavior springs or grows. What is in the
mind and heart always 'precedes' behavior whether that behavior is really godly,
just godly in appearance, or what is commonly considered to be ungodly).
"The good man brings good things out of the good
stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil
stored up in his heart." (Luke
6:45)
What is in the heart and mind is what is makes all the difference. It is what
is in the mind and heart that is or is not godly. And it is what is present
there that determines whether or not the behavior that arises out of the mind
and heart is really godly or not. If the character of what is in the mind and
heart is not acceptable to God the behavior that is the expression of what is in
the mind and heart (like the water which flows out of a polluted fountain) will
not be acceptable to God whether or not the resulting behavior seems
to conform to biblical commands. It is what is in the mind
and heart that is important to God. That is what God looks at to see whether an
individual is godly or not. "The LORD does not look
at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD
looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7; see
also 1
Corinthians 4:5; Romans
2:16)
"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 Deuteronomy 8:2; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Hebrews
4:13) It is what is
in the mind and heart that reveals whether an individual is one who has been
redeemed and purified by God. (1 Peter 2:9;
Colossians 1:13)
As already mentioned in the case of genuine believers, faith is always an essential and inseparable part of what is in the mind and heart. Faith must not be confused with sincerity. Sincerity by itself is no indicator of godliness or godly motives in the mind and heart. Far from it. Sincerity and a belief in the truth is not the same thing. Belief in who (what) God's word reveals Jesus to be, and belief in what Jesus' death accomplished and his resurrection signified is not the same thing as sincerity. It is not sincerity that counts. Sincerity is not God's standard. An individual can be sincerely wrong.
Atheists may be very sincere. A spy may be very sincere in carrying out his
purpose which necessarily includes deceiving people. People who think they are
very godly may be very sincere as were the rabbis, the Pharisees, and the
religious leaders of the Jews when Jesus walked the earth. But that is not the
same as having the faith which saves. (Romans 10:9--see next quote) Sincerity
does not make what is evil good. Sincerity does not make what is wrong right or
make what is untrue true. Sincerity
is no indicator of genuine faith or substitute for faith (or belief).
What counts is faith, faith in the mind and heart. In his letter to the congregation of believers at Rome the apostle Paul spoke very clearly about the necessity of believing the truth. He wrote, "'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 10:7b-10)
What counts is faith in mind and heart.
"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) And again, "...for
everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome
the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
(1 John 5:4-5) And again, "Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace
in which we now stand." (Romans
5:1-2a)
Everywhere faith is the crucial element. Not only at the point of conversion but throughout life on earth faith continues to be the crucial ingredient the same way a baby needs oxygen until the day of his death (unless Christ enters history again before his or her physical death occurs). "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7-10; cf.Galatians 2:20;3:11)
Living by faith instead of by sight or by the beliefs popular among men takes effort. "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure." (Hebrews 6:11) 'The hope' is another term the Bible uses to refer to The Faith in the heart and mind.
This truth will be set forth more fully later on.
Faith And Behavior
How important is having faith? The Bible is quite blunt on that point: "The
only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
(Galatians 5:5) What was the essence of the assignment or mission
that God gave the apostle Paul--"to
call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith."
(Romans 1:5). It was for that purpose that the apostle
"received
grace and apostleship." The book of Romans ends with
these words-- "Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the
proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and
made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so
that all nations might believe and obey him." (Romans
16:25-26) What did the apostle give thanks to God for? "We
continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your
labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ." (1 Thessalonians
1:3)
Everywhere faith is the crucial issue. The Christian Faith is more
fundamental than behavior. It precedes behavior in the same way that a good soil
precedes, must be present, before any good fruit can grow out of it. A biblical
image that illustrates this truth is that of a tree and the fruit it bears: "A
good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit."
(Matthew 7:17)
The godly attitude must be present--in the heart--before real obedience or godly behavior can spurt out of it. Motivation, a reality that is not physical, comes before action. Only believers have the motivation that leads to godly actions. Only individuals who have the faith (believers) are motivated to actions which God knows are genuinely godly.
Why is that a fact? Because God knows that the only actions which please him
are those done with that motivation or objective in mind. And only believers can
please God. The Bible says so. "Without
faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must
believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
(Hebrews 11:6) Only
the actions of believers can be the product of faith. "With
this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of
his calling, and that by his power he may fulfil every good purpose of yours and
every act prompted by your faith."
(2 Thessalonians 1:11) Behavior that is godly only arises out of
faith. The bible is blunt. After the apostle Paul had given instructions about
the godly way of behaving in a specific situation, the Bible goes on to state
the truth about the relationship of behavior to faith in general:
"...everything that does not come from faith is
sin."
(Romans 14:23)
Everywhere the matter of faith or belief is the basic issue. Jesus put it
this way--"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'
Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe
in the one he has sent.'" (John 6:28) When speaking to
Jewish religious leaders who opposed him Jesus' words were even more blunt:
"I told you that you would die in
your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will
indeed die in your sins."
(John 8:24)
With 'conversion' comes a change of the basic outlook, the 'soil', the 'bedrock' (the belief, faith, motivation) from which behavior springs. "And he [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:15) Behavior flows out doctrine, not the other way around. Behavior flows out of the doctrine that is believed. "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us." (2 Thessalonians 3:6)
To please God is one such motivation. The effect of knowing who/what the God of the Bible is is to fear him with a filial and reverential fear. What instructions did Jesus give 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)
Over and over again the Bible tells believers that what makes behavior godly is its being a response to God, an expression of the proper recognition of who God is.
"Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Corinthians 7:1)
"Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear." (1 Peter 1:17)
It is God's world everyone is living in whether he or she acknowledges that fact or not. But it is the acknowledgment of this fact that sets the believer apart. It is this acknowledgment of the God of the Bible that 'colors' every action that flows out of the believer. What is the Christian hope if it is not the belief of believers that they are living in God's 'time' now and will after their physical death continue in God's eternity? In both the Matthew and Luke portions of the Bible where Jesus tells his disciples that they should fear God who can do more than men who can only kill the body they are reminded of God's care for them: "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, 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, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!....Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:27-28,32) And in Matthew--"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of our head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31; 6:29-33; see also Luke 12:32-33; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; 4-5)
"...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. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him....Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:11-12,13-14,17-18)
"Therefore, my dear friends,"
says the apostle Paul, "as
you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and
trembling." (Philippians
2:12; see also Matthew
10:28; Luke 12:4-5)
"Therefore, since we are receiving
a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God
acceptably with
reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"
(Hebrews 12:28-29)
The response that God wants is recognition of the fact that he is 'God' and recognition of what he has done for those who believe. "I urge you, brothers," says the apostle Paul to the believers at Rome, "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; see also Ephesians 2:3-5, 8-10)
Acceptable behavior (God's 'ethics' if you will) is the product or outgrowth
of the acceptable attitude towards God which necessarily includes acknowledging
who and what he is. "By faith Noah,
when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his
family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness
that comes by faith." (Hebrews 11:7;
See also the rest of Hebrews ch.11; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians
3:22)
There it is again--faith. Everywhere faith. It is the faith which perceives
the realities of God and then responds accordingly.
"Then Peter [the apostle] began to speak: 'I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.'" (Acts 10:34-35; see also Romans 11:20)
What do we hear in the last book of the New Testament which describes the apostle John's visions of the end of history as we know it: "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.'" (Revelation 14:7) And again, "The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great--and for destroying those who destroy the earth." (Revelation 11:18)
How could an individual who does not have The Faith, who does not believe God
exists fear him? He can't. If an individual does not believe God exists, does
not believe that he is living in a world of time and space that the God of the
Bible created, does not believe that there is existence after physical death
(which is as much God's 'creation' and under God's complete control as the world
we can see and touch is) he can't fear God. Such a person's behavior cannot
be pleasing to God because it cannot be the expression or outworking of a godly
attitude toward God. (Hebrews
11:6)
If the acknowledgment of God and his ways in his world of time and eternity
were not of primary importance why would God command believers to set their
hearts and minds on the 'things above' instead of things on earth? (Colossians
3:1-4; see also Philippians 3:9; 19-20;
Romans 8:18; the meditation of April, 2001)
Faith and Reality
Another connection in which the importance of faith shows up is the perception of reality--what is accepted as being reality. Faith is the recognition of the truth. Faith is consciousness of being a creature in the world God made. Faith is the pre-existing 'soil' out of which the hearing and heeding of God's words (obedience) flows. A pre-existing perception of the eternal God, a pre-existing attitude towards him whose being and plan is eternal in scope necessarily precedes the behavioral response that flows out of it. (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 11:6)
Why would anyone heed the words, the commands, that don't come from God
because he doesn't exist? Faith is an element in the pre-existing consciousness.
What is faith? The Bible says, "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)
This perception of the 'world' as the Almighty God's creation is clearly
stated in the Old Testament portion of God's word. "For
the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.... By the
word of the LORD were the heavens made, Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he
commanded, and it stood firm...But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the
purposes of his heart through all generations." (Psalm
33:4,6,8-9,11) This is the truth that is perceived with the 'eye of
faith.' In the fight of faith the issue is knowing with the vision of
faith that God is true to his word. (Numbers 23:19;
Hebrews 6:12,17)
It is knowing that the Creator's words are necessarily true descriptions of the
reality he created. What did Jesus say to his disciples? "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?" (Matthew
6:28-30) It is knowing (as the
apostle Paul stated the fact to the believers in Rome) "that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son." (Romans
8:28-29) It is knowing that "in
him [in Christ] we were also chosen,
having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything
in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Ephesians
1:11; see also Philippians
1:6)
What is The Faith all about? Knowing who God is, knowing that whatever occurs
before death and after death is equally his 'creation', his 'show'. (Romans 8:35-39; 1 Peter
1:4-5) What is The Faith all about? Knowing that the
only way to heaven instead of to hell is to depend upon the efficacy of the
sacrifice that God himself provided (on the Cross). The sacrifice that God
provided-his own eternal Son-has a value which defies description or comparison.
How great was that sacrifice! How does the Bible describe Jesus the Christ, the
sinless Son of God, our Lord, who was the sacrifice? "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 1:16-20)
Faith, everywhere the issue faith. Without knowing what the 'eye of faith'
perceives there would be no Christianity or salvation.
Faith And The Way We Look At Life In This World
Faith has a decisive influence on the way believers look at 'life' with its
bumps, its hardships, its trials, its tribulations--the painful experiences that
everyone goes through in life. How we look at bumps, hardships, trials,
tribulations, afflictions in this world is dependent upon being able to see the
rewards that God has purposed to bestow upon his people. Only those individuals
in this world with the 'eye of faith' can see those rewards and only believers
will receive them. "I consider that
our present sufferings," says the apostle
Paul,
"are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in
us."
(Romans 8:18)
Only believers? Why is that? Because only believers are individuals who in
their hearts do not 'think' the most treasonous and insulting thoughts about
God--'he does not exist', 'the words in the Bible can't be coming from God'.
Only believers are people God has called out of darkness (1 Peter
2:9)
Only believers are people God has delivered from the domain of darkness and
transferred to the kingdom of His dear Son (Colossians
1:12-13)
Only the children God has redeemed are being purified by the trials they face. (1 John 3:3; 2 Corinthians
3:18; Hebrews 12:7-11;1 Peter 1:7,8) All other individuals react against trials
and testing with increased resentment and anger (Revelation 9:20-21;
16:9-11; Exodus 9:12; Amos 4:6; Jeremiah 5:3; John 3:19; Isaiah 1:5-10)
Only individuals who have the faith, that is, believe in the triune God of the
Bible can persevere through these experiences for the right reason--to please
God, and in recognition that such trials are God's means of conforming his
children to the likeness of God's Son (Romans 8:28-29)
The purpose or function of trials and 'testings' in life has to do with
faith. The apostle Peter says so. "These
[trials] 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 honor when Jesus Christ is
revealed." (1 Peter
1:7)
It is with the 'eye of faith' that the believer knows that "Blessed
is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he
will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
(James 1:12)
But trials do more than test the faith of believers (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). To those people who believe what God says they provide evidence to bolster their faith. For the believer the successful passing through of trials, hardships, and 'testings' provides evidence of who we are, or maybe a more accurate statement would be, 'whose we are'. If we believe what the Bible says (an operation of faith) we know that trials show that we are part of God's family because he is treating us as such. The writer of the book of Hebrews sets forth this awesome truth in these words: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons." (Hebrews 12:5-8)
I believe the New English Bible translation of Romans 5:2b-4 brings out the
connection between the Christian's hope and the function of trials 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."
(Romans 5:2b-4) It is
because we have faith--the vision of faith that sees the realities of God that
we respond to 'life' as we do. The behavior of Moses who was raised in the
king's household of ancient Egypt illustrates this truth: "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 11:26)
We who believe God's word know that the God who sent his Son to die as a
sacrifice for our sins will bestow on us everything we need to become more
conformed to the likeness of his Son (Romans
8:32) and that he
will never put us through more than we can bear. The Bible says so. (1
Corinthians 10:13)
How believers should be looking at life and 'its' trials is a matter of
faith. "Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work
so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
(James 1:2-4) Of course the only people who can know or 'see' this truth
are believers.
Do you "consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith" serves a goal that God has for
you?
Everywhere faith is the indispensable element.
Faith and the Godly Response
The objective of the Christian life is all about faith (The Faith)
Why is that? Because it is in that 'dimension' which is only perceived with the
"eye of faith' that the fulfillment of God's purposes for believers and
for unbelievers (truth-rejectors) takes place. Without the eternal dimension
God's objective would have no meaning.
That it is the perception of the eternal dimension and the eternal God with the 'eye of faith' that gives meaning to the Christian Life is a truth that can be seen very clearly in the way people view the death of Christ on the cross.
In the sight of the people of the world (unbelievers) the planned sacrifice of Christ accomplished nothing; To people who can't see the eternal dimension Christ's mission was a failure because it ended in death. (Even Jesus' disciples until after Jesus' resurrection looked upon Jesus' death this way. (Luke 24:9-12, 19-25) For truth-rejectors the idea that Christ's death was anything more than a momentary example of moral courage is so much foolishness. The Bible says so. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?....Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we [believers] preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." (1 Corinthians 1:18, 20, 22) "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
What the physical eye saw and 'secular' history records is
that Christ died on the cross in the same manner that common criminals were
handled according to Roman law. This is correct. It happened. For
unbelievers, that is, the spiritually blind, the death of Christ was the end of
his mission.
But believers with the 'eye of faith' know otherwise. They know that physical
death is not the conclusion of existence--for anyone. For them death is not the
end of life but is the entrance into the stage of life that lasts forever. For
believers this event is recognized as part of the victory of God. About Jesus
the Bible says, "But God raised him
from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible
for death to keep its hold on him."
(Acts 2:24) What happened at the Cross was no failure, no defeat
but was part of God's plan (Acts 2:23), the very victory of God
that had been predicted for centuries beginning in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis
3:15; Isaiah 53:4-6; Luke 1:68-72)
Believers know that what happened at the Cross was the act by which God
established peace between himself and sinful man. What happened at the Cross was
the Son of God fulfilling the mission he was sent into this world to
accomplish--to sacrifice his perfect life in fulfillment of God's standards
which demand perfection. God did this so that believers would be qualified to
stand, to be in the presence of Holy God. (1 Peter 3:18;
Romans 3:21-22, 25-26; 2
Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 1:8;Ephesians
1:4;5:27;Philippians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:13;Colossians 1:12; Jude 24)
"Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in
which we now stand." (Romans
5:1-2)
The apostle Paul's words sum up the significance of the victory and the necessity of faith, that is, believing what happened at the Cross was a victory, that Christ did rise from the dead. "For what I received I passed onto you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Without the heart-felt acknowledgment of Jesus' resurrection according to
God's plan there is no Christian life. Faith is the foundation that underlies
all Christian life. The
apostle Paul indicates the crucial importance of believing in these words: "If
Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have
testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise
him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then
Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your
faith is futile; you are still in your sins....If only for this life we have
hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1
Corinthians 15:14-17, 19; see also Romans
10:8-11)
Why is the gospel called the gospel? Because it is a message of victory--that
the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was not the end but the cornerstone of
God's plan of deliverance. The Greek term that is translated by 'gospel' means
'good news'. Apart from the 'radar screen of faith' God's promises and
'fulfillments' would not be recognized or responded to for what they were. There
would be no Christian Life.
What a difference having the 'eye of faith' that can see the realities of God
that go beyond physical death makes! Everywhere it is faith that makes the
difference.
The Faith is what gives meaning to the Christian's sense of values, sense of
what is important. The desire of the Christian is not to amass various goods of
this world. (Luke 12:15,21) The desire of the believer is to
please God. Look at the disciples in the early church. What they considered an
honor was because of what they believed--they had The Faith; what they
considered an honor was that God had considered them worthy to be the eternal
God's witnesses, to suffer in upholding his name. "The
apostles left the Sanhedrin [the religious 'supreme court' of the Jews],
rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the
Name." (Acts 5:41;
see also Philippians 1:29; 1 Peter 4.13, 16; Romans
8:17)
It is faith that shapes the behavior of the believer. "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)
The words of the apostle Paul to the congregation at Thessalonica supply a
detailed description of the believer's sense of values. "For
we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, ....You became
imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the
message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to
all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from
you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known
everywhere....They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the
dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." (1
Thessalonians 1:4, 6-10).
I believe the New English Bible translation of Romans 5:2b-4 brings out the
connection between the Christian's hope and the function of trials beautifully.
This was quoted in a previous section having to do with how believers look at
life in this world. "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 5:2b-4; see also James 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 1:13)
What is the Christian Life all about if it is not a growth in holiness,
behaving in ways that are worthy of the Lord, ways that please the Lord and do
not grieve him. Being conformed to the likeness of God's sinless Son, is that not
the goal that God sent his sinless Son to bring about? (1 Peter 3:18; Romans 8:29)
How sin is viewed is a big part of the Christian life. If we are to be conformed to the likeness of the sinless Son of God distancing ourselves from sin is crucial matter. But is a readjustment of behavior patterns the same thing as becoming more holy and distancing oneself from sin? A main theme of this meditation is show why a readjustment of behavior patterns is not the same thing as becoming more holy. Becoming more holy has to do with what is the mind and heart as the first two sections of the meditation set forth.
This section is titled "Faith and the Godly Response".
Is there such a thing as a godly response that does not acknowledge God? Is there any such thing as becoming more holy and becoming less sinful if
there is no awareness of the relationship between God and sin and no awareness
of how God feels about sin? Is there any such thing as becoming more holy and
distancing oneself from sin if there is no concern about pleasing and not
grieving God? No one without the faith can understand what sin is. Why? Because
apart from God--the holy God of the Bible sin has no biblical meaning. Outside of the
'environment of the Christian Faith' sin is an empty term. No one
without the faith can look upon sin as God does. No one without the faith can
deal with sin in a godly way--as God would have us do.
Speaking (or thinking) of sin as if there were no connection between sin and
the holy creator of this universe and all that exists is not just an error in
judgment; it is a grievous sin against God that needs to be repented of. (Psalm
51:4) To ignore or
set aside as unimportant how God feels about sin is to show disrespect for God,
is to, as it were, spit in his face. An illustration: Think of a doctor who
disregarded a patient's statement that he was allergic to a particular medicine
but the doctor--for his own reasons--gave the patient that medicine anyway. What greater disrespect could the doctor display towards that person than
to disregard the patient's statement? And here the 'person' being
disregarded is God himself. God has told us (in writing--the Bible) what sin
means to him, or, perhaps we should say, how he looks upon it.
He hates sin. He abhors sin. His word tells us his "eyes
are too pure to look on evil" (Habbakuk 1:13)
Sin is a contradiction to God's holy nature. Sin is incompatible with the purity
of God the same way poison and pure water don't coexist together. Where
contamination is, there purity isn't. Picture a dirty pig walking on a clean
white table cloth. The character of total whiteness and total cleanness of the
table cloth would cease to exist.
Not only has God told us how he feels about sin, he has demonstrated
how he 'feels' about it by sending his Son to die to remove the
pollution that sin represents. Sin is so offensive and repulsive to him that he
was willing to send his sinless Son die in the place of believing sinners to pay
the cost for sinning (death-Romans 6:23) that their sinful actions
had incurred.
Is it godly to act as the doctor acted? Is it godly to ignore what God says
about sin? Is it godly to bring sin (like a corpse that stinks) into God's royal chamber where impurity and the
very stench of death have no
place? (Matthew 13:41; Revelation
21:27) Doing what is grievous and offensive to
God should be of greater concern to individuals who know with 'eye of faith'
that they have been redeemed and that that redemption cost God the life of His
Son. How can we for whom God sent his Son to die as a sacrifice act in such a
contemptible and offensive way? What kind of a message does that broadcast to
the world about our concern for the God who redeemed us? (1 Corinthians
6:19-20; Romans 6:12-13)
To refrain from behavior that is sinful because of the consequences
in life on earth and in eternity that so often come in its wake is a
legitimate motivation but it is a self-serving motivation. It
is designed to please oneself. But the reason a believer acts the way he/she
does is different. His or her objective is different--to please, and not grieve
God. (Genesis
39:9) "Since
we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything
that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
(2 Corinthians 7:1; see also 2 Timothy 2:19; John 3:3; 1
Peter 1:13-17;
Titus 2:11-14)
What a difference having The Faith makes!
What means everything to the Christian is the 'smile' of the eternal God. The
objective, the focus, of the believer is to please the living God. That
objective is very different from focusing on our behavior and attempting to
pattern it after an inanimate and fixed code of ethics. (Luke 12:15, 18-21)
What was the motive that guided the behavior of
the apostles? "We are not trying to please
men but God, who tests our hearts." (1
Thessalonians
2:4) "Am
I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please
men?" says the apostle
Paul. "If
I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."
(Galatians 1:10)
What was the mission of the apostles? --"encouraging,
comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his
kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians
2:12)
Repeatedly believers are exhorted to 'live lives worthy of God.' "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." (Colossians 1:10; see also Ephesians
4:1; Philippians 1:27)
As always faith plays a decisive role. In the same way that only individuals
who believe in the triune God of Christianity can engage in behavior that
pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) only believers can refrain from
behavior that the Bible says is sinful with the motivation to not grieve God.
Without faith (belief in the God of the Bible) sin is not looked upon as what it
is and is not hated because of what it is. Without faith sin is not turned away
from because of what its presence means to holy God. As the Bible says, "everything
that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans
14:23) "Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and
so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming
fire.'" (Hebrews 12:28; see
also Romans 12:1)
More
Truths About Faith
In the preceding section of this meditation we looked at Faith and what is in
the mind and heart, Faith and Behavior, Faith and Reality, Faith and the way we
look at life in this world, Faith and the Christian Life. Now let's look at some
more truths about faith, or more accurately, about The Faith.
Faith Is Not Faith -- Unless It Is Alive
Genuine faith, that is, belief in the realities of God, must be present in
the individual if the behavior which the individual displays is godly. Godly
fruit never grows out of the 'soil' of unbelief. Behavior that does not spring
from a foundation of genuine faith cannot be godly anymore than water that comes
from a muddy, contaminated fountain can be pure and uncontaminated.
Genuine faith will produce godly behavior. Genuine faith will manifest
itself--in godly behavior, in good deeds.
What are we told about faith in the book of James? "As
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
(James 2:26) And again, "In
the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
(James 2:17). And again, "You
foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
(James 2:20)
"What good is it, my brothers, if a
man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?"
(James 2:14; see also v.19)
To teach believers the truth about God's realities many times the Bible
points to the example of living or past saints. "You
see," says James, "that his
[Abraham's] faith and his actions were
working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."
(James 2:22)
Jesus spoke to his disciples about the obedience that comes from the proper
attitude towards God, that is towards himself. "If
you love me, you will obey what I command." (John
14:15) While the term 'faith' was not mentioned it was there. If the
attitude towards Jesus (God) was what it should be--love--the godly response
will flow out of it. And who loves a person who we believe does not exist? Faith
(belief in God, belief in Jesus) had to be present if love is present.
(Hebrews
11:6)
"Produce fruit in keeping with
repentance." (Matthew 3:8) The Bible
does not mince words--"'Everyone who
confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.'"
(2 Timothy 2:19)
"Dear
friends," says the apostle John to those believers he is writing
to,
"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. Everyone
who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he
[Christ]
is pure."
(1 John 3:2-3)
But the fact that the behavior of an individual appears godly does not mean
that it is godly. Godly appearing behavior is not a certain
indicator of regeneration or proof of the existence of a godly heart.
'Everything that glitters is not gold.' The same is true of faith and what
appears to be godly behavior. Every thing that appears to be faith is not
genuine faith. Not every seeming good deed is a good deed in God's eyes. Jesus
made it very clear in the Sermon on the Mount and in the parable of the Sower
that not every seeming profession of faith is genuine, or deed that looks like a
deed 'of faith' is really such. "Many
will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell
them plainly,`I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
(Matthew 7:22-23) In Jesus' explanation of the parable of the
sower he told his disciples this: "Those
[seeds that fell] on the rock are the ones
who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They
believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
(Luke 8:13)
Only deeds which spring from a genuine faith are good or godly. But only God knows what kind of heart particular deeds spring from. Only God knows whether the individual who wrought the deeds is a citizen of heaven, is a member of God's eternal kingdom, is one of God's redeemed children, is a regenerated or 'born-again' creature who is anticipating the return of his or her savior and redeemer, who is an heir who is looking forward to his or her inheritance of eternal blessings. (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 4:8; 2 Peter 3:13) "The Lord knows those who are his." (2 Timothy 2:19; see also John 10:14, 27-28; 1 Corinthians 8:3; Psalm 1:6; 37:18, 28) The 'other side' of this truth is that God knows those who are not his people. (John 2:24-25)
Everywhere the necessity of a faith that is genuine shows itself. And without genuine faith there is no salvation.
'All that glitters is not gold.' Genuine faith will show itself. Genuine
faith is alive. "Examine yourselves,"
says the apostle Paul, "to see
whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ
Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?"
(2 Corinthians 13:5)
Faith is an ever-present (never Absent) requirement
Faith is a continuing requirement. Faith is not something that was required
only at the time of conversion or turning from unbelief. Faith continues to be
needed throughout the 'journey of life' (on earth) the same way staying awake
continues to be needed by a single driver until he arrives at his destination, or a cliff climber must continue to hang onto the rope until he reaches
the top.
The Christian walk on earth never ceases to be a fight of faith. "For
in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,
just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith."
(Romans 1:17) "We
live by faith, not by sight," the
apostle Paul tell us. (2 Corinthians 5:7; see also
2 Corinthians 4:18;
5:1; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12; Philippians
3:8-9; Galatians 2:20)
"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end,"
the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us. Why?
"In order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but
to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
(Hebrews 6:11-12)
It is the individual who perseveres to the end who reveals that he has been
made an immortal creature. The Bible states very clearly that it is the person
who perseveres to the end who is saved. (Matthew 10:22; see also
24:9-13; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 3:14; James 1:12;
Revelation 3:21)
What does this have to do with faith? Everything. Listen to the apostle Paul:
"I have been crucified
with Christ and
I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
(Galatians 2:20) And again near the end of his ministry, "I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
(2 Timothy 4:7)
Faith illustrated by Examples
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion [a Roman soldier] came to him,
asking for help. "'Lord,'
he said, 'my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.' Jesus said to him, 'I will go
and heal him.'" Then comes the
example of the what faith is: "The centurion replied, 'Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my
roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a
man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, "Go,"
and he goes; and that one, "Come," and he comes. I say to my servant,
"Do this," and he does it.' When Jesus heard this, he was
astonished and said to those following him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not
found anyone in Israel with such great faith.'" (Matthew
8:5-10)
The meaning of faith is equally illustrated by examples of its absence in
toto or in part. In the Gospel According Matthew in the same chapter that in
which the writer includes the above example of a deep faith in Jesus he also
includes examples of the absence of deep faith. Jesus' disciples
and Jesus were crossing the lake and a furious storm came up. The disciples
thought they were going to drown. They
"woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He
replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and
rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men
were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves
obey him!'" (Matthew
8:25-27)
Abraham, Joseph and Moses.
A good illustration that shows the relationship of faith to behavior is the
history of Abraham and Moses; The behavior of Abraham flows out of a belief
about God and his truths that is already in Abraham's heart and mind. 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 respected
God and he believed God was able to raise the dead. (Genesis 22:12;
Hebrews 11:19; Romans 4:20-21)
In the life of Moses the same belief in the eternal God's declarations and
promises is clearly set forth. By God's providence Moses was raised in the
Egyptian king's (Pharaoh's) household as the son of the Egyptian princess. Yet,
after living in the 'lap of luxury' and privilege for many years Moses "chose
to be mistreated along with the people of God [the oppressed Israelites]
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)
The entire 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews is devoted to enumerating and
describing acts of faith which named and unnamed saints who lived in Old
Testament times did. "By faith Noah,
when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his
family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness
that comes by faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would
later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know
where he was going." (Hebrews 11:7) The
chapter points out some of the mighty acts those saints accomplished 'by faith'.
They were individuals "who through
faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised;
who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped
the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became
powerful in battle and routed foreign armies." (Hebrews
11:33-34) They were individuals who "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." (Hebrews
11:13)
The phrase 'by faith' occurs 19 times in the 11th chapter of Hebrews.
The Bible says to believers: "my
righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased
with him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are
destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." (Hebrews
10:38-39; see also 1 Peter
2:11)
Believing in Christ and the gospel which speaks of what the Christ Jesus said and accomplished is a matter of faith. Relying on the Love of Jesus and that his sacrifice will remain an adequate payment for my sins so that I (along with all God's redeemed children) have become an heir, heir to the status of an immortal creature and heir to an inheritance of eternal blessings is an act of faith.
Faith is a matter of trust, a matter of relying on God's power and purpose to
bring about his purposes on behalf of the children he redeemed.
There is nothing in the Bible that is purely academic. Nothing could be a
more practical or a more personal matter than relying on the faithfulness and
mercy of God.
It is my (or your) counting on the promise of God to keep me (you) that is
the act of faith that keeps us standing; it is relying on the faithfulness of
God, his unchanging care and power to carry out his purposes for us, that is the
source of strength that causes us to persevere. It is the faithfulness, the
reliability of God, that is solid, that will never fail. The solid object that
will never fail is not our faith. The 'solid rock' is not our commitment or our determination
to endure. It is not our sincerity. Any apparent virtue or power in God's
creatures is totally inadequate. (Isaiah
64:6) And that includes our faith.
Never let our faith be dependent upon the character of our faith. The only fact
that is totally reliable is Jesus the Christ and what his death (and continuing
intercession based there on) accomplished.
This difference between having faith in the quality of our faith, having
faith in our determination or commitment, having faith in our sincerity etc. and
having faith in God is
illustrated very vividly in the Bible. God recorded for us a humbling
illustration of this truth. It is seen in the behavior of the apostle Peter
before Jesus' resurrection. Peter who had already been designated by Jesus as
one of his apostles expressed his utter confidence in his own power to persevere
in standing up for Jesus the Christ. On the very night that Jesus had declared
unequivocally that he was going to be betrayed into the hands of Gentiles the
apostle Peter said to Jesus, "Even if all
fall away on account of you, I never will." Within
hours of that bold assertion the apostle Peter had three opportunities to stand
up for Jesus and failed completely all three times. (This well known incident is
usually referred to as 'Peter's denial when the cock crowed 3 times'). At the
very moment in history when Jesus was being led away to die as a sacrifice for
Peter and for all other believers Peter even declared before the world that he
'did not know' Jesus. (Matthew 26:33ff) What an awful witness by a
Christian! Thank God God does not hold our iniquities against us--the sinners
who rely on Jesus' atonement--as it says so
clearly in Psalm 32:1-2 and Romans
4:7-8!
Thank God our salvation does not depend upon our ability to fathom, to
understand all God's ways. God does not demand of us that we understand how all
his statements and truths can all be true. What he does demand is an act of
faith--that we believe what his word says--"It
is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us."
(2 Corinthians 1:21; see also Ephesians
2:8-10)
While it is God "who is able to
keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without
fault and with great joy" (Jude 1:24; see also
Philippians 1:6; Romans 14:4; John 10:29-30) at the same time
the Bible is full of statements which point out that human beings
have a necessary part to play in their salvation--to keep on believing God's
declarations, to keep holding onto the truths about God's purposes and
'abilities', to be convinced that God is faithful and will see us through. How
our salvation can be the work of God and at the same time human beings have a
part to play in their own salvation is indeed a great mystery that shows how
beyond our neat categories of logic are God's ways. (Isaiah
55:8-9)
The Bible says to believers, "...continue
to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
(Philippians 2:12-13)
Working out our salvation with fear and trembling is a matter of faith, not behavior (though faith or the absence of the Christian Faith will manifest itself in behavior). Believing that God is faithful and will complete the good work he began is a matter of faith. Holding onto God's truths is a matter of faith and it takes strength and continuous effort. "We have come to share in Christ," the Bible says, "if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." (Hebrews 3:14) "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (Hebrews 6:11-12)
Because the continuous standing firm in the faith takes strength the
Bible is full of words of encouragement to believers. "No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he
will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you
can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians
10:13) "Everything
that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance
and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
(Romans 15:4; see also Acts 14:21-22;
Galatians 6:9)
Belief. That is what it is all about. Who did Jesus die for? For believers--real believers. Everybody else will have to pay for their past sins, their current sins, and any they will commit in the future days prior to their death. Belief, not the desire or non-desire to overcome problems and change society, is the criterion. As it says in John 3:16 "he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." And nothing--nothing in time or eternity--can change that destiny. (John 10:28; Romans 8:35-39; Hebrews 6:17-19; Jude 1:24; Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13) It was to bring about that destiny for his people that was God's purpose from before the foundation of the world. (2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:29-30)
But believing this and acting upon it is where faith comes in. Believing is the response of man. "Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:4-5; see also John 6:28-29)
"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. (1 Timothy 6:12)
Faith--Holding Onto The Christian Truths That The God Of The
Bible Reveals
Holding onto the truth, the truth of the gospel is repeated over and over
again. Why is the exhortation repeated so often? Because it is the fundamental
activity in the Christian Walk. "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to
the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so
that,....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." (Hebrews 6:17-19) And again, "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)
Holding onto the truths about God and about the 'world of history and
eternity' he created is perhaps the most vivid description of what the fight of
faith involves.
"But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Hebrews 3:6)
"We have come to share in Christ if
we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."
(Hebrews 3:14)
"Therefore, since we have a great
high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
firmly to the faith we profess." (Hebrews
4:14)
"Let us hold unswervingly to the
hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews
10:23)
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
But when Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of the Jews who didn't believe Jesus' claim to be the Son of God he said these words: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)
"I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I [the apostle Paul] passed them onto you." (1 Corinthians 11:2)
When Jesus was explaining the meaning of the parable of the Sower he said, "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8:15) (The word 'retain' is the translation of the same Greek word that in the preceding quote is translated 'holding'; NIV translation)
"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
The apostle Paul in his advice to church leaders was this: "He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." (Titus 1:9) What is the standard he says church leaders should live by? "They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience." (1 Timothy 3:9; see also 1 Timothy 1:18-19)
Perhaps the clearest statement of the importance of holding onto the truths of God are the apostle's words to the congregation of believers at Corinth. "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:2; see also 15:13,16,17)
Hanging onto the truths that the God of the Bible reveals is more important than for a cliff climber to continue to hang onto the rope until he reaches the top. More important? Yes, because the consequences will last forever.
THOUGHTS REVIEWED
Faith. Everywhere faith.
--We have seen how faith (in the triune God of the Bible) must be part of what is in the mind and heart at all times.
--We have seen how faith is, by analogy, the only 'soil' that godly behavior can emerge from.
--We have seen how it is only with the 'eye of faith' that reality can be perceived properly.
--We have seen how it is only with the 'eye of faith' that the adverse circumstances everyone encounters in 'life' can be recognized to be trials, 'testings' which contribute to a growth in holiness of God's people.
--We have seen how the realities of the Christian Faith can only be known
and experienced by individuals whom God
has already delivered from the bondage to darkness and sin
(1 Peter
2:9; John 1:12-13; 3:3; Colossians
1:12-13)
and made citizens of heaven (Philippians
3:20; John 3:5). People of faith
know our permanent home is not here on this earth where we are but pilgrims, sojourners. (Hebrews
11:9, 13-16; 13:14; 1 Peter 2:11-12) The
beneficiaries of God's eternal mercies are only the individuals of
faith. There can be no salvation in eternity where there is no faith. As it says in John 3:16 "he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Where there is
no faith there is no such thing as the Christian life.
Who can respond in gratitude to the triune God of the Bible
if the God of the Bible does not exist? (Romans12:1)
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)
"Whatever happens, the apostle Paul says to the Christian congregation at Philippi, "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27)
--We have seen how the fight of faith involves holding onto the truths of God, those truths which are perceived only with the 'eye of faith' Believing, having faith, holding onto God's promises through every situation that God allows us to be in is a totally different activity from behaving according to an ethical code (even one found in the Bible).
Whether we like it or not believers are in a fight. During the time that God has placed us on earth we are God's witnesses. Certainly nobody else is! This is our (my) only opportunity to be a witness to God in this dark world. It is a fight to hold onto "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." (Jude 1:3) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses [the Old Testament saints of Hebrews chapter 11], 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." (Hebrews 12:1) The objective of the fight Christians are in is not to overcome social or economic mal-adjustments (problems) but to remain blameless, unpolluted by the world (James 1:27) a fight to hold onto the truth that God reveals, to be a witnesses for the triune God of the Bible in a hostile and unbeliever-filled world. (Hebrews 11:17; 1 Peter 5:9;Matthew 24:9-13; John 15:19; 17:14)
Salvation is itself one of the eternal blessings that the Triune God of the Bible promised. Faith plays a vital role in salvation. What truth or promise of God is more at the core of the Christian Faith than believing in the faithfulness of God to his own purposes? What is more practical than my (or your) counting on the promise of God to keep me (you)? "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord..." (Jude 24-25) It is God's faithfulness to his own purposes that matters. "He [God] will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:8; see also 1 Peter 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Philippians 1:6) The apostle Paul's heart was set upon what--"...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) It is relying on the faithfulness of God, on his unchanging care and power to carry out his purposes--which were in his mind from the beginning of time--to make us holy and blameless that is the source of strength that causes us to persevere and reveals that we are God's 'immortal' jewels.
We have seen how there is no occasion when it is not the presence of genuine
faith that determines whether our behavior is or is not pleasing God. "...Everything
that does not come from [genuine] faith is
sin." (Romans 14:23).
Faith is an element that must be active and 'alive'; and strong enough to come
through testing for as long as God leaves the believer on earth. Is faith always
relevant? Always essential? Yes. Always. Everywhere. The Christian life is a
'fight of faith'.
(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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