FAITH
Author: Jonathan Goley
"Faith", a word so often spoken, but so seldom understood. A word
repeated by the politicians to gain votes, but so rarely used in its
proper meaning for fear of being politically incorrect. A word haled by
the religious in hopes of satisfying the "itchy ears", but so rarely
preached according to scripture for fundamentalism doesn’t fill the
pews and offering plates. For those who seek the true meaning of
spiritual terms such as faith, fundamentalism however is essential.
Thus, we turn to the Holy Word of God in confidence of being instructed
for we know that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in
righteousness." (II Timothy 3:16)
"Faith", without it there is no pleasing God. (Hebrews 11:6) God in His
divine patience and wisdom has long made known His desire for faithful
saints. Since the dawn of time we humans have been quite persistent in
eluding God’s instructions for being faithful. From Cain’s futile
effort of providing a sacrifice by his own design to those among the
Corinthians who taught against the resurrection of the dead.
Thankfully, there are many men and women of the scriptures that are
appropriate examples of true faithfulness. Such examples would include
Noah who was obedient of God’s command to construct the ark. Abraham’s
obedience of God’s command to sacrifice his son Isaac serves well as a
pattern of faith. (Hebrews 11) These are called faithful because of
their belief of what God told them. The Apostle Paul was faithful in
his ministry for he wrote by inspiration of God "we having the same
spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore
have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;". (II Corinthians
4:13) True faith is a belief so strong and confident that a response
will be produced in accordance to the will of God.
True faith will be fully persuaded that God’s Word is truth. "Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) In
order to have faith we must first hear the Word of God. In other words,
we can’t believe something unless we know what to believe and what we
believe is God’s Word. God hasn’t left us to aimlessly believe in
something that we do not know to be true by the scriptures. Faith
cannot exist without the existence of God’s Word. We cannot have faith
in anything else. Why? Romans 3:4 reads "let God be true, but every man
a liar;" The only object that is worthy of our faith is God, because
God is faithful in all He does. True faith is simply placing deep
belief in the Word of God, relying totally upon what the scriptures say
as being infallible.
We cannot look to dreams, visions, feelings or circumstances to direct
our faith. In Colossians 1:25 the Apostle Paul writes "Where of I am
made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to
me for you, to fulfil the Word of God. Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His
saints:" The complete revelation of the mystery program to the Apostle
Paul fulfilled God’s Word. God will not speak to you today in any way
other than through the scriptures. In times past, before this current
dispensation God did reveal Himself to men through visions, dreams and
audible voices because He hadn’t completed His written Word. However,
God tells us that His Word is now fulfilled. We have the COMPLETE Word
of God!
In Romans four the Apostle Paul writes regarding the faith of Abraham.
Verse 18 reads, "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might
become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken,
so shall thy seed be." Genesis records the promise that God made to
Abraham, which was that God would give Abraham and Sara a child. At
that time Abraham and Sara had no children and where beyond the age at
which they could produce children. Romans four recounts the
faithfulness of Abraham and Sara to believe that God would fulfill His
promise of a seed to the elderly couple. Romans 4:19 reads, "And being
not weak in faith, he (Abraham) considered not his own body now dead,
when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of
Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief,
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded
that, what He had promised, he was able also to perform."
God spoke a promise to Abraham and he believed it. That’s true faith.
Abraham "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was
strong in faith". He believed that God would fulfill His spoken
promise. We too have God’s Word as Abraham did. Even though we do not
hear the audible voice of God we do have access to the written Word of
God. Rightly dividing the scriptures we too know a message that
deserves our total faith. We have the message of grace in which God
reveals His purpose for the body of Christ. The message in which we
place our faith is that we are sinners and that Christ died on the
Cross for our sins, was buried and resurrected on the third day. We
have a message that says we can be saved by God’s grace apart from
works (Ephesians 2:8,9). True faith will believe that message and rely
totally upon the sacrifice that was made at the Cross for our sins. To
place your faith upon any "works" for your salvation is a show of faith
lacking. Romans 4:5 reads, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth
on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness." Many feel their evil deeds will prevent them from being
saved. Perhaps one has a history of drugs, alcohol or adultery and
feels their actions cannot be forgiven. Some even feel that smoking a
cigarette will lock the doors of heaven to them. Thankfully, God’s
forgiveness is blind to human works. Thankfully, His righteousness can
be received by anyone that chooses to believe the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
I Corinthians 15:3 and 4 read, "For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the
third day according to the scriptures:"
Romans 3:22 and 23 read, "Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for
there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God;"
This is the message of grace, which we can believe. We can have full
assurance that the gospel is true. Do you believe the message? Your
faith will be shown by your desire to rely totally on God’s saving
grace. Works will not show your faith, no matter how good. Are good
works important? Most certainly, but don’t confuse the matter. Good
works has nothing to do with salvation. Your good works will be a
product of understanding and appreciating all that God has done for you
by His grace. If you’ve been told that you have to show your faith by
submitting yourself to a ritual ceremony whatever the ceremony may,
you’ve been told an error. If you’ve been told you’ll lose your
salvation if you do something bad, you’ve been told an error. Why would
God give you a gift that has nothing to do with your good works and
then take it away because of your bad works? He wouldn’t. He offers us
salvation as a free gift. Just believe it and rely on nothing else.
That’s faith! Rely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ. As the song
says…
JESUS PAID IT ALL; ALL TO HIM I OWE.
SIN HAD LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN;
HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW.
What a wonderful message of God’s grace! What a God we serve!
Author: Jonathan Goley
From Web-Site: Saved By Grace Ministry
http://www.sbgministry.com/
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