Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The writer of Hebrews gives us
a worthy definition of faith when he says, Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is that substance that is a real entity, which is itself
the very evidence, or that is the incontrovertible proof, that
those things promised to the saints of God in Christ are sure
and steadfast, because he who cannot lie has established them.
The common treatment of faith in the present day by the great
scholars, prophets, and preachers of our time is primarily concerned
with the result of faith's activity. Yet the scripture set forth faith
is primarily concerned with its object, which is Jesus Christ.
He is the faith of his elect, and apart from him faith has
no basis, nor can true faith be exercised on any other foundation.
All that the sons of God expect or hope for is found in Christ
alone. As Paul said, Christ is all. So when the Apostle John speaks
of our faith, the modern seers consider him to be speaking of
a function which they can implement according to their free will,
to obtain peace as they exercise it and to forfeit that peace
when they fail to do so. Yet what John is saying is absolutely
objective in its nature, because those who have been given the
privilege to flee to Christ for refuge are only comforted by
and in the finished work of Christ, for he is our peace. Paul emphatically
says that there is one faith, All aspects of this faith rest
squarely on its object, which is Christ. For by grace, or you
say, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. If a man
does not see this basic truth, then all else he might speak
of concerning the faith of men will of necessity be perverted,
and all applications he may make of faith are going to be distorted.
It is by this gift that God is pleased to manifest those who
are His elect children in contrast to those who are merely of this
world. Even as our Lord testified, he that believeth on him is not
condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Why do some believe while others do not? The answer is found in
Paul's declaration. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou
hadst not received it? The gospel is the foundation
upon which the gift of faith squarely rests. Jude says, Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort
you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was
once delivered unto the saints. As long as there are true believers,
there will always be counterfeit believers who, while claiming
to be the followers of Christ, distort the gospel and rest it
to their own destruction and carry many with them in their
deception. Those who are called of God must earnestly and fervently
be set for the defense of the gospel against the gainsayers.
This gospel is the faith which we declare, from which many have
departed, having loved this present world, who were ever learning
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, because
they received not the love of the truth that they might be
saved, even though they professed that they believed it. When God
is pleased to do something, He always brings forth the result
He intends to produce. Paul says, For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them. That man who claims
to have faith, yet manifests no fruit of faith, is deceived.
James clearly says, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone. Where the Spirit of God dwells,
he will produce a conformity to Christ. Though they are often
found mourning the very lack of that conformity, it is in
their weakness that Christ is magnified, as they confess that
apart from his righteousness given to them, they would be
without hope. Luke records the activity of
the apostles as confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting
them to continue in the faith and that we must, through much
tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. Therefore, we ought to
consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
It is through these exhortations and admonitions that the Spirit
of God is often pleased to work in his people, both the will
and to do of his good pleasure. Even though they find no ability
in themselves to perform that which they are exhorted to, they
rejoice ever in their faithful performer. But that no man is
justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident. For the
just shall live by faith, and the law is not of faith, but
the man that doeth them shall live in them. Our hope and expectation
rests completely on Jesus Christ and his righteousness, which
is the only basis of our faith upon which we shall hope to inherit
eternal life. For we through the Spirit wait
for the hope of righteousness by faith. Upon what does your
faith rest? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.