Skip to main content

Faith? Who's faith?



Romans 12:1-2 (AKJV):   “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
From Strong’s #3050 for “reasonable” and #2999 for “service”  are defined as follows.
     #3050:  rational, pertaining to the reason, mind, understanding.
     #2999:  worship (acknowledge God and believe and do what He has said.)
My worship to God is personal and inclusive in Him and Him alone.  We are to study and see why we are approved of Him in the life He has given us.  As we study He will, by His Holy Spirit reveal to one what they are ready to receive and put into play as the individual lives out his physical life in the spirit.
Example:  Recently I came to understand and see something I had never seen before.  A well known verse that is applied to ones salvation:  “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:5-10.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”  I had always been taught that it is His grace but our faith that has to be applied.  I ask which is more capable, my faith or His faith?  The next phrase reads “and that not of yourselves”.  To me that says I have no part in my salvation apart from believing what God has said and done for me.  “it is the gift of God” that gift was given, i.e. faith, given to me by God.  “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”  Romans 12:3.  Where did my faith that I have come from?  It came from God by Jesus Christ by believing what God has done in and through Christ for me.  “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19.  

Sidebar:  Concerning who’s faith, I can see its His faith and then to the faith that He has given me to believe, as written in Romans. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”  Romans 1:16-17.

I’m told in His Word: “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”  Galatians 2:20-21.  Just previously: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

“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:”  Romans 3:22. 

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” Ephesians 3:11-12

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”  Philippians 3:9-10

Finally:  “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” Philippians 3:15.  That faith given to me for salvation is the same faith that works in and through me by His foreknown knowledge to work out through me His good pleasure.  I am to be His workmanship in all things.  To believe, trust, hope in His finished word and to learn, study to see what is my place is in the body of Christ, forever Amen . . . . . .   Its all about Him and none of me.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Which Body?

  2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things  done  in  his  body, according to that he hath done, whether  it be  good or bad. Ephesians 4:4 There is  one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; The word “body” has many definitions.   In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Strong’s #4983 defines body as “used in a very wide application”. First look at 2 Corinthians 5:10, and remove the italics.   Italics are not scripture but an addition made by the King James translators to make the flow of or the reading of easier.   So, without the italics;   “ For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things in body, according to that he hath done, whether good or bad.   My question was how do I define this word “body”.   Is it the physical body or as per Ephesians 4:4a; “...
Post a Comment
Read more

Who Provides?

JEHOVAH-JIREH In Hebrew “JEHOVA-JIREH is defined as “The L ORD my Provider”.   The word “provider” as used here isn’t a given.   The item being provided must be believed to be authentic and is capable of doing what is promised. Until one believes God [ But without faith  it is  impossible to please  him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and  that  he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb 11:6] no spiritual and little physical profit is gained.   First then, what must one believe? That God is and what He says to an individual is important, is truth,   [Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word  is truth. John 17:17]. Next, that He is faithful to do as promised [ God  is  faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.   1 Cor 1:9          There hath no temptation taken you but such as is...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sin; what sin?

Romans 6:14a [Authorized King James Version]:   "For sin shall not have dominion over you:"   So then if sin "shall not" it has to be a conscious decision to do or not to do.   The more knowledge one has of God's Word the less apt one is to sin, exercise unbelief: " And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:   Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;   Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." John 16:8-11.   Verse 9 states that the sin, the worlds sin [from verse 8] is unbelief in Him and of His death, burial and resurrection (DBR) for the payment of ones sin.   That is the gospel that is presented for salvation now!   " If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:" Ephesians 3:2.   "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye...
Post a Comment
Read more