FAITH
Adam’s fall into sin brought on the
need for Salvation for the
entire human race. To obtain Salvation
mankind is required to have faith in Christ Jesus and the work He finished by
way of the Cross. Faith must be
used throughout this earthly walk.42 Peter,
one of Christ Jesus disciples was educated in Judaism. Being legalistic, he participated as did
all Jews, in Temple worship,
believing the Covenant promises
for the Nation of Israel. After Paul
the Apostle’s arrival, Peter’s belief system gradually changed.43 Peter
began to publicly admit to the people that God was no longer dealing with the Nation of Israel on Covenant
promises. Instead, He was bringing Salvation
to the whole human race.44 God was
doing a new thing under a new dispensation – the dispensation
of Grace - with Gentiles being its recipients.
Because Peter taught the Kingdom Gospel for so long, he had a hard time understanding Paul’s Gospel of Grace.45 This was an
historic conflict because Peter initially felt that Salvation was meant only
for Jewish people. Their conflict was resolved by the convening of early
Christians in Jerusalem, and Paul's approach prevailed. The Gospel message of Christianity
was to be spread to the entire world, including all people; both Jews and
Gentile.46 Knowing what the Bible
says for our self makes the task of examining fruit easy. Knowing the Word of
God in its accuracy gives us something to compare what we are hearing to. To
know Scripture, is to know Truth. Spiritual consequences arise when the words
coming across the pulpit are not aligned with Scripture.47
Using all the right terminology can sometimes be deceiving and we must be well
able to discern Truth from error to avoid sins result. It’s all about hearing
and receiving the truth and living the Word.
To please God, we must know what His
Word says and live it by faith. People tend to twist Scriptures to make them
say what they want them to say, often taking them out of context.48 This is why; new converts coming into
the Body of Christ must trust only God’s
Word. The Holy Spirit is our guide and He is the one to lead believers
into Truth, not the words of men. Our Lord Christ Jesus will increase your
knowledge and faith as you get into the Word of God for yourself. It is our duty as Christians to read the
Bible and find out what God’s Word
has to say to us as individual believers. Scripture says, “Without faith, it is
impossible to please God.”49 God’s
Word does not present requirements to Salvation for Gentiles under Grace. The Gospel of the Kingdom, which was
preached by John the Baptist and the Disciples, had requirements.50 Salvation under the Gospel of the Kingdom was for
everyone:
Ø
Who
did well,
Ø
Kept
the Commandments, and
Ø
Was
baptized in water
When one operates in faith, faith
shows our belief in God and causes Him to move on our behalf. It takes faith
alone to believe the Word of God. Faith is not just a part of the Gospel
message - it encompasses everything the Gospel stands for. The Gospel message
is nothing to a man without faith. Faith is taking God at His Word and we must
first believe His Word to know and accept it as our own. Building faith and
trust in the Word of God comes from reading our Bible. Faith helps believers
gain the knowledge needed to recognize error in Biblical teachings that we hear
coming across pulpits as Truth from around the world. When one is able to
recognize error, Satan is exposed for the liar that he is, and Truth renders
him powerless to deceive you again in that particular area.
When we have not studied the Word of
God for ourselves, we are inclined to believe whatever comes out of people’s
mouths as Truth. Scripture teaches believers never to place our trust in the
words of man - doing this makes servants that will be ashamed on the day of
reckoning before God.51 Our
faith is to be placed in God and in His Holy Word.52 When we communicate with God in
prayer, He looks for faith, first; and when He doesn’t see faith, He can do
nothing because we are acting like a faithless child of a stranger. Our behaviors
are more like Cain and Esau, neither of these men had faith.53 Faith is necessary for spiritual
growth and God can’t use you or me without it.54
The Nation of Israel wouldn’t believe;
even after God displayed visible manifestations of His power.55 The children of Israel could not enter
into the Lord’s rest because of their unbelief. The matter of believing God was
a difficult task for them, just like utilizing faith is impossible for many
people today. America and the world have the same problem as the people back in
Old Testament times:
Ø
The
people of the world are consumed with doubt and unbelief, and
Ø
They
lack faith choosing to only trust what they can see
As a people,
we use faith on a daily basis, in almost everything we do. We have faith that when
we stand, we won’t fall down. We believe that when we turn on an electrical
light switch, light will come, if the bill is paid. Our faith is placed in
everything, except the only True God,
and when there is no evident faith, it is impossible to please God.56 When Paul began his ministry, he went
first to the Jews, visiting the synagogues, which was the most logical place
for him to start his ministry being a Jew himself, and brought up in Judaism.57 The Jews was proficient in the Law and
because of their strong belief in it, they rejected Paul’s teachings.58 Even though Paul went to them first to
share the good news, their continual rejection of his Gospel of Grace caused him to go to the Gentiles with its saving
message.59 It was from that time
until now that the Gospel of Grace has been going primarily to the Gentiles. It
was:
Ø
The
Jews’ lack of faith
Ø
Their
doubt, and
Ø
Unbelief
That allowed the Gospel message for
Salvation to come to Gentiles.60 Salvation
by faith in Christ Jesus is opened to all men especially the Jews.61 All people must receive Redemption and
Salvation the same way as the Gentiles receives it; and that is by faith. In
the eyes of God, there are no differences in man. We were all made in His very
own image and likeness. 62 When God began
dealing with the Nation of Israel, He called a man named Abraham. God let him
know that He was going to set apart a Nation of people for Himself.63 This Nation was to be a sanctified,
set apart people. The Book of Exodus teaches that during the time the Nation of
Israel was preparing to come out of Egyptian bondage under Pharaoh, the first
three plagues that God sent upon Egypt also came upon Israel.64 These plagues were described in
Scripture as:
Ø
Rivers
and other water sources turned into blood; killing all fish and other water
life (Exodus 7: 14-25)
Ø
Amphibians
believed to be frogs (Exodus 8: 1-15)
Ø
Lice
or gnats (Exodus 8: 16-19)
Ø
Flies (Exodus 8: 20-30)
Ø
Disease
on livestock (Exodus 9: 1-7)
Ø
Un-healable
boils (Exodus 9: 8-12)
Ø
Hail
mixed with Fire (Exodus 9: 13-35)
Ø
Locust (Exodus 10: 1-20)
Ø
Darkness
and (Exodus 10:21-29)
Ø
Death
of the first-born of all Egyptian families (Exodus 11: 1-12: 36)
God then put a division between Israel
and Egypt not allowing any of the other plagues to touch Israel.65 Pharaoh remained stubborn and God hardened his
heart the more.66 This division that He
placed between the people proved His power and was the beginning of the great
separation that God put between men. There were one people, now there are two
physical races of people and one spiritual people:
Ø
The
Jews
Ø
The
Gentiles, and
Ø
Born-Again
Christians (Ephesians 2: 15b)
All other races are man-made. Throughout the Old
Testament, God chose to focus on the Nation of Israel; but because they would
not listen to Him and continued in their doubt and unbelief, God allowed their
Temple to be destroyed in 70 A.D., and the Nation of Israel was dispersed among
the nations of the world and their land was emptied.67 God uprooted them because of their
unbelief; but when God uprooted them, He made them a promise. He promised that
He would bring them back together again to their homeland at a future time.68
This promise is the determining factor
as to whose home Israel really is. The Bible lets us know that the Jews are not
unlawful residents who are squatting in Palestine. Palestine is their home and
always has been. God is going to pick up His dealings with His national people
in His future timing. Their disobedience triggered God’s plan to go a different
way to redeem man under Grace. He deals with believers according to faith, a
spiritual concept.69 He has
chosen faith as the avenue of acceptance for all peoples to be reconciled back to Him:
Ø
Not
works
Ø
Not
religion
Ø
Ritual,
or
Ø
Tradition
as was with the Jews, but faith alone brings a man into His presence
(Romans 1: 17)
Martin Luther’s great theme of the Reformation is found in Scripture. It
says, “For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both
springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith
that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, the man who through faith is
just and upright shall live, and shall live by faith”. Man measures a person’s
worth by:
Ø
Materialism,
or
Ø
Worldly
possessions which are trivial and meaningless
God, on the other hand measures a
man’s worth by faith.70 Man
pleasing is fine for those seeking entrance in their pastor’s inner circle, but
it will not gain entry into God’s Heaven.71
God is not willing to share His Glory with any of His creations; one can look
at the destiny of Lucifer to conclude that.72
The whole idea of the just living by faith is to get lost people to place more
faith in the one true God, and less of it in man. To have faith, is to believe
God’s Word; in order to believe God; we must know and take Him at His Word.73 Faith is dealing with the invisible,
and the only way to comprehend the invisible is by faith. The word propitiation involves everything that
was done by Christ Jesus on mans behalf.74
Christ Jesus became our propitiation, by faith.
Our faith in His shed Blood and His
finished work at Calvary caused God to de-
clare
His righteousness on all humanity that operates in faith.75 Believer’s faith in Christ Jesus is
based on God’s love for us. The work Christ finished on the Cross was because
of the Father’s love for mankind. The result of God’s love is seen at Calvary.
God sacrificed His only Son, allowing Him to die in our place. When God sent Christ Jesus into the world, He
sent the very best that Heaven had to the Cross as a pardon for mankind, to
atone for sins.76 As Christ hung on the
Cross, God’s wrath for the whole world was placed on his shoulders. During
those very moments when God’s wrath was being poured out on Christ Jesus,
something amazing was taking place in the realm of the spirit! The love of God
was being shed abroad in the hearts of the entire human race.77
Faith in God causes believers to want to
know what the Bible has to say
about their Creator. The Bible
is the most interesting book one will ever read. It contains prophecies of past
and future events that were written hundreds, even thousands of years in advance. Some of these prophecies
have been fulfilled, and others are still being fulfilled today. God’s plan for
Israel is a long-term prophetic plan and before it is over, a Jewish remnant
will be saved and have faith in Christ Jesus.78
The Jewish Nation is very dear to God and He has kept them alive as a Nation in
spite of the many desperate attempts of enemy nations to destroy them. These
prophesied Truths are what prove the Bible’s authenticity. Our faith in the
Holy Spirit’s ability to teach us
Biblical Truth helps us to understand how to rightly divide God’s Word.79 When we are new converts in Christ,
the Bible seems hard to understand, but during times of difficulty, we are
advised to ask the Holy Spirit for help. He is an excellent teacher.80
The believer’s Christian life and
spiritual growth depends on how much we depend on the Holy Spirit’s guidance.81 Christ Jesus sent Him to be our
teacher and comforter. If Christ Jesus did not mean for us to be led by the
Holy Spirit He would not have sent Him to us. He knows how to make His Word
come alive in us, and when the Word is alive in us - it is Truth that has
become a part of us. Faith in the Holy Spirit brings our dead spirit alive as
our bodies are made His dwelling place.81
It becomes our pleasure to house the Holy
Spirit in these earthly tabernacles. Our duty as believers is to present
our bodies to Him holy as living sacrifices - this is our reasonable service.82 Christ Jesus is the Head and we the
believers make up the Body of Christ. All believing Gentiles are no longer
considered aliens and foreigners without hope in the world. Because of Christ
Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we were grafted into the Body of Christ by our
faith.
Faith in God through the shed blood of
Christ Jesus has pardoned us, bringing to every believing man Salvation and making him or her a
part of the family of God, that is for every man who wants salvation.83 The body of Christ is God’s family and
as believers, we must always keep in mind God’s attitude toward sin, He hates
sin, but He loves us all.84 Unbelief is opposite of faith and unbelief is sin.
Sin will never bring man close to God – it serves only to push him farther and
farther away.85
42(I Corinthians 1: 21; Romans 9: 30)
43(Acts 8: 13)
44(Acts 13: 46; Galatians 2: 7-9)
45(II Peter 3: 15-16)
46(Galatians 2: 7-8)
47(I Thessalonians 4: 1)
48(II Corinthians 11: 14: II Peter 3:
15-16)
49(Hebrews 11: 6)
50(Matthew 3: 11; Luke 3: 3)
51(II Timothy 2: 15)
52(II Timothy 3: 15-17)
53(Genesis 4: 5-7)
54(Genesis 25: 30-33)
56(Hebrews 11: 6)
57(Romans 1: 16)
58(Acts 13: 45)
59(Acts 18: 6)
60(Romans 11: 11)
61(Ephesians 6: 18-20)
62(Genesis 5: 1; Romans 3: 22)
63(Genesis 18: 17)
64(Exodus 7: 21, 8: 2, 8: 16)
65(Exodus 8: 22, 9: 4, 11, 26, 10: 23)
66(Exodus 4: 21)
67(Ezekiel 36: 19-20)
68(Isaiah 43: 5-7)
69(Romans 3: 28)
70(Romans 12: 3)
71(Matthew 6: 1)
72(Revelation 20: 10)
73(Hebrews 11: 1-3)
74(Romans 3: 25)
75(Romans 3: 23-26)
76(John 3: 16)
77(I Corinthians 13: 5-8)
78(Zechariah 13: 8-9)
79(II Timothy 3: 16)
80(I John 2: 7)
81(Galatians 5: 16)
81(I Corinthians 6: 19)
82(Romans 12: 1)
83(Galatians 3: 26)
84(John 3: 16)
85(II Timothy 2: 21)
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