Random thoughts from a Wednesday

Compassion & Trust
Personal disasters may be small in the grand scheme, but they are no less devastating for that. Even the smallest wounds should be tended by loving hands. If you care in the small things, people will trust you with their tragedies.

Love & Joy
Love is sharing of an intimate, unpredictable kind. Its beauty cannot be fully seen. Its worth cannot be fully expressed. It is ultimately selfless and abundantly joyful. Joy is more predictable, though less known. Joy is a constant, unending delight in God - even in sorrow, even in the darkness to be felt. It is there, delight battling despair, coming out victorious, though perhaps bruised and bloodied, but all the purer for its wounds. Joy is marked by maturity, by a "settledness" that comes from love - we have joy because Christ loves us with love incorruptible.

Hope & Light
If Christians share Christ only in the good times, and fall into despair and hopelessness in the bad times, then what are they doing? We are not only lamps in light, but in darkness as well - especially darkness. That is where the world will see us shining, and wonder at the sight. They may look at the world and see nothing but shadowed tragedy, but there is light. Christ is the great Challenger of darkness. He has overcome it. Through Him, we have also overcome it. God is not only God in our joy, but in our sorrow too. He keeps His flame burning in us, and we need not fear the pitch.

What if

What if I began to be mesmerized by beauty? 

What if I adored the adorable? 

What if I loved the lovable? 

In this way what if my love grew more and more, until finally 

it overflowed and I could love the unlovable too?

What would happen if I started with the most lovable and spilled down from there? 

If I watered others with grace and love, flowing down from the Source, from the Spring, from the Fountain -

God? 

God is love. 

What if I start with loving God? 

From there I would have a strong foundation on which to stand. 

From that strong foundation of love to God I would be able to reach out and 

to love even those who do not love me in return; 

because the source of my love is not found in their love for me, 

which can be fickle or nonexistent, 

but in God's love for me, which is infinite and neverending. 

We rely so much on equal parts in a relationship. 

We give only as much as we get, and no more. 

What if I gave more? 

What if I ventured into the unknown?

What if I exhausted myself in loving others, 

poured myself out in showing others the beauty and mercy of 

the Beautiful Merciful One? 

What if I cared nothing for what I received in return, 

only what I could give?

Why am I so afraid? 

I want to grip the hands of my Father in heaven and let him twirl me around, 

lift me into the air and set me down in a different place - 

a place that might even be precarious, were it not for 

his steady hands holding me tight. 

If I stand on the brink. 

If I take a deep breath. 

If I plunge in. 

What then?

Driving down the highway, I had a conversation with myself. This happens a lot, but this particular self-conversing was more noteworthy. It was an "Oh!" moment, one of those times where something so simple becomes understandable. Sometimes the simplest things give me the most trouble. These are the things about which I need the most reminding.

The conversation went something like this (I've cut out the random asides):

I haven't written a blog post in a while. I should do that.

I don't have anything to write about! Anyway, I've been busy.

Everybody's busy. I should just write about something easy - something basic.

So what is the most basic, the most fundamental part of me, for instance? What is most important to me?

My faith. Wait, no, that's not really true, is it? It's not my faith that's most important, but the object of my faith. Faith is nothing without its object. Christ is everything.

After having this "Oh, yea" thought, I got home, went on Twitter, and found these two tweets waiting for me:

C. H. Spurgeon ‏@spurgeonfix

It is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.

Tim Keller Wisdom ‏@DailyKeller

It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you.


Funny how that worked out.

Believers: according to Philippians: part two

Partakers

The word for partakers is sygkoinōnós, which means a close companion or joint-sharer. It is amazing to think that we are not merely an audience, not passively watching grace, but that we are active accomplices, having fellowship with all believers through the Spirit. We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving one another out of reverence for Jesus. When Paul uses this word in Philippians, he is referencing the Philippians' willingness to share Paul's suffering and shame. You know a close companion when they stand by you in the worst of times, not just the best of times.

Brothers, Beloved, Children of God

These profound familial terms ignite our theology, bringing the truths of God's Word to light through relationship. Through His death, Christ has caused us to be born again, born into adoption. We are the children of God. To be adopted in Christ is an eternal and glorious relational aspect of our salvation. We are more than believers; we are beloved, loved by God as a father loves his children. We are co-heirs with Christ. Think about these mercies! I can barely understand them.

Not only does salvation affect our relationship with God, but it also changes how we fellowship with one another. Believers are brothers, united as the family of God, given new life and new purpose in Christ Jesus. We grow together in sanctification, love, joy, suffering, and everything else.

Lights in the world

As lights in the world, we shine brightly. We are not under baskets. We don't hide away, but rather declare the glories of Christ Jesus through the way we live and through what we say. How can we distinguish between what we say and how we live? It shouldn't be possible. If our "yes" really means "no", then there is something wrong. We are to live as lights in the world, shining the gospel of Christ into even the darkest corners. 

Citizens of heaven
We belong to the God of heaven, not the prince of the power of the air, nor this present darkness. We are sojourners here, living for Christ in the midst of our journey home. Our citizenry is with Christ, for we are seated with Him in the heavenly places, kept for, by, and through Jesus as we await the final day, the day when the "worst vacation ever" has come to an end.

Paul reminds the Philippians of many things in his short letter. I pray they've encouraged you as they did me. 

Believers: according to Philippians - part one

When reading through Scripture, you can find many different titles for believers. The term, "Christian" only shows up a few times, yet believers are referenced quite often, especially in the New Testament. Reading through Philippians I came across many different titles given among believers. Some are specific titles, such as "servants", used in Paul's introduction, as well as the titles of overseer and deacon. However, I think we can expand upon these titles in general. 

According to Philippians, we are

Servants

As I said, Paul uses this in his introduction: 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:1)

However, this is not exclusive to Paul. John, Peter, Jude and James all refer to themselves in the same way. In light of that, I think it is appropriate that we follow their example in proclaiming our servanthood to Christ. I am a servant of Christ. What does this mean? This means my life is not my own. I have been bought with the price of Christ's precious blood. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. My whole life is lived in devotion to Christ, or that at least is what I strive to do. I want to live my life according to Christ's will and by His word. I want to grow in love for God as well as for those whom He has created, glorifying God through selfless ministry. I want Christ to live through me. In light of that, I am His servant. 

Saints

Again from verse one:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

Believers are often referred to as saints in the New Testament. This is a declaration of our state in Christ: by His sacrifice, by His substitution, by His atonement and redemption, we have been pronounced pure and blameless, without blemish. We have been clothed in Christ's righteousness. We have been given new life in Christ Jesus. We are saints - set apart, holy unto the Lord. This one is difficult to understand, because it is wrapped up in the mystery of salvation. Yet we can know that this is how God sees us. He sees us through Christ, perfect, blameless, holy, redeemed. To be declared a saint is a glorious concept, and it is the reality for believers. 

Overseers and Deacons

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

This does not refer to all believers, but to a specific group of men who are set apart within the believing community. These are elders, those who "supervise" the flock of God, who check the gospel pulse of the church. They keep watch, guarding against apostasy, guarding against the onslaught of the devil. They provide personal protection and care for believers. Deacons "kick up the dust" in ministry, serving the church in more practical, day-to-day-serving ways. Overseers have a great responsibility, and I think it is important for believers to pray for elders and deacons in their church. However, I think every believer can watch and guard against false teaching. We can all protect and care for one another through fellowship and prayer, and we can all certainly serve one another - in fact, we are called to do that very thing in Hebrews, stirring one another up to good works (Hebrews 10:24). 

Partners

All believers share things in common. Though we can disagree, though we can have many denominations and many different interpretations of any given Bible passage, we are bound together and unified in Christ Jesus. We share a fellowship through Christ. He is the unifier. He breaks down the walls of hostility and unites all peoples.

John 21:17

Saints together

This is the power of Jesus Christ. 

Getting over my apathetic view of 1 Corinthians yesterday, I read chapter one and was subsequently blown away by something I had never caught before. I used to skim over the introductions of letters, thinking it was simply a greeting and the good stuff came later. However, that view died when my pastor preached from the book of James, and spent two sermons on the first two verses of the book. In reading 1 Corinthians 1, then, I paid close attention to the introduction of Paul. Look carefully:

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

The question that popped into my head was, "Where have I heard the name Sosthenes before?" Sure enough, he is mentioned in Acts 18: 

And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. (Acts 18:17a)

The context for this verse is essential in explaining the first sentence of this blog. Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, was beaten in front of the tribunal because a case against Paul had swiftly been dismissed by Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia. In his study Bible, John MacArthur states, "Since [Sosthenes] was the ruler of the synagogue, he would have presented the case to Gallio." Imagine that. Sosthenes was basically the lead prosecutor against Paul. When the case was dismissed, Sosthenes received the blame. He was beaten. He was shamed. He probably considered Paul his enemy - especially in light of Paul's "betrayal" of the Jews. Formerly Paul had been their knight in shining armour, ridding the world of the blight of "The Way". Then he converted to Christianity. Paul was no favourite among the Jewish leaders. 

This leaves us with the fairly valid assumption that Sosthenes hated Paul's guts. 

But then, Christ steps in. The power of the gospel in Christ Jesus flies in the face of that enmity. Sosthenes is saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. The Bible does not go into the particulars of Sosthenes' conversion, but we are given the epilogue of the vanished enmity between Paul and Sosthenes in 1 Corinthians 1. 

Paul calls Sosthenes "our brother". This term of endearment flows through Christ Jesus, Who is the Redeemer and Mediator. Through Christ we are adopted as children of God. Through Christ the walls of hostility are broken down. Through Christ believers, even former enemies, are united in love and peace. 

I find it quite interesting how Paul continues in his introduction, after mentioning Sosthenes. Paul may have had Sosthenes in mind as he wrote "called to be saints together". These two men knew the power of Jesus Christ. They knew His saving grace. They knew His mercy and His atonement. 

Paul, the former murderer and persecutor of Christ, and Sosthenes, the former adversary, full of bitterness, enmity and resentment, found themselves sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together. It is the same for believers today. Across the globe, in spite of multiple differences, diverse backgrounds, varying cultures and preconceived notions, Christ unites us, and by His power and mercy we stand united as the Bride. 

"Grace to you and peace" indeed. 

Paul, the man who relied on Christ

It can be easy for me to forget about the weakness of Paul, because he was such a brilliant theologian, a masterful evangelist, a bold minister, a gospel-centered teacher, and a devoted leader of the church. 

Paul, though, was never hesitant about listing his own failures and weaknesses. He relied on Christ in all things. 

What brought this to mind was reading Philippians. In my personal Bible reading, I prefer to read whole books or letters of Scripture in one sitting in order to get the full message and context of what was written, as far as I am able. In Philippians, Paul wrote something that struck me as being the reality, not only of Paul, but of all believers. 

Look at the following two verses:

I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. (Philippians 2:28)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Did you notice the word, "anxious"? Here is the striking reality: Paul did not teach, preach or write as though he were speaking from a lofty position toward lesser believers, though he could have. He did not write condescendingly as though he had a depth of insight unavailable to the Philippians - though he did. He did not instruct them from a position of closeness to Christ, giving them the sense that they were far off while he was near to the Saviour. No, he spoke as one on their level. He spoke as a believer needing the grace found in Christ, just as much as they did. 

In the first verse, Paul admits to being anxious. He was anxious for the Philippians, for they were worried. Epaphroditus, Paul's fellow minister for the gospel, had been sick, and he was distressed because the Philippians had heard it, and Paul was anxious for all parties. Epaphroditus had been ill near to death, so one can imagine that it was all-around a sorrowful, worrisome experience. 

Paul includes himself in those who are worried, yet in the second verse, he instructs them not to be anxious about anything! Do you see the mercy in this? Paul, who very likely did take his requests to God, who spent much of his life on his knees in prayer and supplication, who gave thanks to God on a regular basis, reached out to the Philippians with the comfort of knowing that he was just like them - weak, anxious, and in need of Christ. Paul doesn't say, "Do this, do not do that, and get things right, will you?" No, he says, "I fail in my weakness just as you. I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate (Romans 7:15). Let us therefore go together to the foot of the cross. Let us go together and sit at the feet of our Lord." Paul reminds them by way of his own weakness, by way of his own frailty, of the beauty of the Saviour - the Saviour that shows no partiality, the Saviour Who accepts the weak with the strong, the ignorant with the wise, the lowly with the lifted up, the poor with the rich, etc. 

Paul shows that for all his brilliance and faithfulness, just like the Philippians, he needs God. With that in mind, I'm sure Paul was also thinking of himself when he instructed them to take all their requests to God with prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. Paul reminds the Philippians, as well as us that no matter how wise, how learned, how faithful, or how bold for the gospel, the reality of our need of Jesus remains a constant. 

Though you have not seen Him

I have such a great hope. It is the very hope that helps me to endure trouble, to battle against stress, and to live with joy instead of depression.

My hope is in Christ, Whom I have not seen.

I have not seen Him, but I love Him.

When I think of all He has done for me, all He has transferred to me, all He has died for in my name and for my sake, I cannot help but love Him.

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 ESV)

Blessed are those. Blessed are those. We walk by faith, not by sight. We hope in the promises of Christ Jesus. We believe in Him and rejoice in His name. We live and rest and delight in abiding in Christ, echoing John in his utterance: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

He is the Master and King of creation,
Gathering people from every nation
Redeeming them by His own shed blood
Overpowering sin with a gracious flood
Of forgiveness and peace, of mercy and love
Coming down from the Father of Lights up above.
There is no other being remotely above Him
And though I have not yet seen Him, I love Him.

More precious than gold

Faith is a curious thing.

It is supposed to be the word that explains the believer's utter confidence in God, believing in His Word and promises despite tribulations sweeping in from all sides.

Funny then, that sometimes I have faith in my faith instead of having faith in God. Faith becomes the focus. God is out of the picture. If I just believe enough, things will turn out okay. If I am simply sufficiently confident, God will hear me. I focus on what I must do, rather than what God has done. I see my present instead of His past.

Faith doesn't look at itself. It looks at Jesus. I am weak. I doubt. I am often not at all confident. Faith means saying, "Jesus has promised me eternal salvation. He has promised that no one will snatch me out of His or the Father's hand. He has redeemed me." Faith isn't about merely being confident; it's about being confident that Jesus is mighty to save. That's why I believe faith is a gift of God. I can't muster up faith. It is given and grown in me because God keeps His promises. He has never failed me, even in all my distress. My doubts and weaknesses are not a result of His failure to accomplish His purposes, but my failure to remind myself of His consistent grace.

"'At first sight,' says Goldingay, 'the belief that God is behind the trouble that comes to us is a frightening doctrine: what kind of a God is this, whose purpose includes so much distress? But the alternative-a God whose purpose is continually being frustrated by evil-is even more frightening. Better a God whose mystery we cannot understand (but who has given us grounds for trusting when we cannot understand) than one whose adequacy we cannot rely on, or whose interest we cannot be sure of.'' (Quoted by Sam Storms in More Precious Than Gold: 50 Daily Meditations on the Psalms)

Have been grieved

Grief.

It's not your average sadness. It is deep, emotional pain. It is intense, severe sorrow, usually associated with the loss of something or someone you were bonded to in one way or another. Grief is a heaviness, and it uses all its weight to the best advantage, pressing down, trying to crush, trying to break. ...grieved by various trials...


Grief is mentioned many times in the Bible. Interestingly, it often speaks of God being grieved. God is grieved by us when we break His commandments, His covenant. When we seek to destroy the bond that He has with us, He is grieved.

Jesus is well acquainted with grief.

He bears our sorrows above and beyond His own. He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He has compassion, even while we spit in His face, mock Him, and defy Him.

Jesus, when He calls us to suffer, never asks us to endure what He has not. He is not like us in that regard. I could very willingly allow people to do hard things, while I myself sit back and let them take the brunt of the work, the brunt of the pain.

Jesus does not do that.

God is well-acquainted with various trials.

For all I suffer in my life, for all the times I am grieved, I know that God bears it, and pours out His grace on me. God Himself is the Ultimate Sufferer. This is why He is the Ultimate Saviour.

He understands. He loves. He gives.

God's power

I do not like deep water.

I can swim, but I prefer solid ground beneath me.

If I am forced to swim, I like seeing the bottom. As soon as it gets a little bit shadowed or dark, I begin to imagine that some deep-sea (or deep-lake) monster is going to rush up and grab me, dragging me down into the pressurized darkness, cracking all my bones. Deep water makes me nervous.

The monstrous, roiling waves, capable of overpowering the greatest of ships constructed by man, capable of destroying cities, of overturning houses, of pummeling rock to sand to be lapped up against the shore...this grand, terrifying body is subjected to the God I call Father.

Wow.

Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
(Psalm 42:7, emphasis mine)

I am not comforted by the sea. Yet I am comforted by the fact that the sea is God's sea. The waterfalls are God's waterfalls. The deep that calls to deep, the deep that thunders nervousness in my chest, is the deep that answers to the Creator's call.

When life sends wave after wave of trial and trouble at me, I know that these waves are not battering me in spite of God's attempts to protect me.

God is sending the waves.

And God is protecting me.

God will bring me through what He has in store for me, even if my journey consists of travelling down to the pressurized darkness of the deep. Even if I cannot see the bottom, even if I cannot see the end in sight, I will praise God, because He holds me, and the waves answer to Him.

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No Regrets?

Recently I read a quote from a grand ol' theologian who lived quite a number of years ago. In general, I love to read what he wrote. His words are a blessing and an exhortation. 
However, this particular quote gave me some pause. It said something to this effect:
"Let us strive to have no regrets on our deathbed." 
I know I will have regrets on my deathbed. I just will. I will regret not being braver, of saying nothing when I ought to have said something - or saying something when I ought to have said nothing at all. I will regret that I let opportunities pass by. I will regret that I have not loved as deeply or truthfully as I could have. I will regret every time I was unjustifiably angry. I will perhaps regret, as Andrew Fuller did on his own deathbed, that I will not have enough strength left to worship God. 
But it's not about my regrets. 
Life is not about being able to lay down your head for the last time and say, "I'm happy with what I've done and been." 
Life - and death - are about Christ Jesus. It is about what He has done for me. 
I will have regrets. Yet all my regrets will be demolished by this one thought: 
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57)
All my regrets are washed and overcome by my Saviour. As I lay dying, if I am not taken swiftly, I hope that my mind will not dwell on what I have accomplished (or failed to accomplish). I hope my mind will be dwelling on my Jesus, praising Him for His gift of salvation, and smiling upon the last few moments of life that are all that remains between me and seeing His face. 

Just Believing in Myself? No Thanks

Some people say that to succeed in anything, you just have to believe in yourself.

I don't think that has ever worked for me, even once.

The reason such "positive thinking" fails is because I know myself. I know most of my failures and weaknesses, and no matter how much I tell myself "you can do this!", another part of me is saying "you probably can't".

Even if I believe in myself, to some degree I also believe in my failure. So it just doesn't work for me. Self-esteem fails strictly because it starts with "self".

Enter the people I love and respect. If I am heading toward something big, something nerve-wracking, and someone I admire tells me, "you can do this!", I believe them, because I believe they believe in me. It makes a world of difference to know they are rooting for me, more confident than I am that I will succeed. I am strengthened by their encouragement, support and presence.

That's also (in part) why God often encourages us with the words, "I am with you", or "My presence will go with you". When I remember and dwell upon the fact of God's presence with me, I am more confident to do anything than if I thought, "I am capable". Because the truth is, by myself I am incapable. Yet I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

It gives me more confidence to know that God is with me, and that He is for me. What can be against me? He is by my side. What can man do to me? He loves me. What can the hatred of the world accomplish against me?

I don't believe in myself. I believe in God. The knowledge of His close presence and immanent relationship is my confidence and hope.

"Nevertheless, I am continually with You;

You hold my right hand."

The Rhythm is Changed

In Genesis 5 there is a rhythm. It sways back and forth through life and death. Look carefully:

"This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died." (Genesis 5:1-20 ESV)

Do you see the swaying rhythm of the text? This chapter records the lives and deaths of all of these men from Adam to Jared. There is a clear, continuing theme running through them all.

Then it changes. The rhythm is broken.

"When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." (Genesis 5:21-24 ESV)

What a fascinating departure! Enoch did not merely live; he walked with God in his life, and was taken up to be with God instead of dying, for he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). For Enoch, living was walking with God. Enoch was almost obsessive. He was consumed by his relationship with God.

How I desire to be like that. To walk with God through every day. To really, really believe that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. To get lost in Christ instead of in the mundane. To take every moment as a gift from His hand. To breathe every breath in light of His mercy. To spend every second in the hope of His presence.

I don't merely want to live and die. I want to live for Christ, and die for Christ, standing firm on His promises and being a colander of His love, outpouring to others. I want to be a part of the genealogy from Enoch, to Noah...those who walked with God.

Free Will

The concept of free will is not a new one in Christendom. It is an issue that has been argued for ages and ages. I’m adding my meager voice to the argument, in an attempt to thrash it out for myself.

Free will is…

What does it even mean? What are we talking about here?

I think when most Christians speak of “free will” they mean something like

“Having the capacity and the inclination at any given point in existence to choose to believe in God, and having the power within oneself of attaining salvation based solely on the general offer of salvation to all.”

At least, that would seem to be the idea, from what I’ve read and heard. The problem I have with that is, I don't think it's Scriptural.

People who claim that their salvation is entirely theirs are wrong from a Biblical standpoint. They seek to claim some measure of success where they deserve none. They take glory from God and put it on themselves.

There are a few points to make concerning this concept of free will.

What Does it Mean to Be Dead in Trespasses and Sins?

Ephesians 2:1-3

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

There is nothing you can do to help yourself be saved.

Being dead is a formidable problem. Death means separation. You, in your trespasses and sins, are separated from God by a chasm that you cannot overcome.

Not only are you dead, but you are under the power of Satan, walking in darkness.

Satan doesn’t give up his slaves easily.

Not only that, be you’re enslaved to abase passions!

Finally, you are a child of wrath.

These are four big problems. Just one of these would be enough to keep you from choosing God. Paul says that this is the natural man. Dead, enslaved to Satan and sins, being a child of wrath…it is a hopeless, helpless condition.

The most one can be in this state is a free agent within the boundaries of enslavement. Your choices may be voluntary, but they are not free.

You have certain freedoms, but you are in bondage. Free agency does not equal free will. We can do many things of our own choosing, but not when it comes to salvation.

As I’ve heard it said before, all you can do is roll around in the coffin whenever it goes over a bump on its downward slide into the dark depths of hell. You cannot escape your prison. More than that, you don’t even want to. You can’t go against your nature.

“Man, in his depraved state, is under an utter inability to do any thing truly good, as was proved before at large: how then can he obey the Gospel? His nature is the very reverse of the Gospel: how can he, of himself, fall in with that plan of salvation, and accept the offered remedy? The corruption of man’s nature infallibly includes his utter inability to recover himself in any way, and whoso is convinced of the one, must needs admit the other; for they stand and fall together. Were all the purchase of Christ offered to the unregenerate man for one good thought, he cannot command it (2 Cor. 3:5), ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves! Were it offered on condition of a good word, yet ‘how can ye, being evil, speak good things?’ (Matthew 12:35). Nay, were it left to yourselves to choose what is easiest, Christ Himself tells you (John 15:5), ‘Without me, ye can do nothing’!” ~ Thomas Boston

So, Christ has to rescue you. You can’t do it yourself. You’re dead. He brings you to life.

We need something outside ourselves in order that we might be saved.

By our own nature, we’re toast.

“But God, who is rich in mercy…” (Eph.2:4)

We didn’t save ourselves. We were dead.

“It may be you think that you cannot do all by yourself alone, yet Jesus Christ offering you help, you can of yourself embrace it, and use it for your recovery. But, O sinner, be convinced of your absolute need of the grace of Christ: for truly, there is help offered, but you cannot accept it: there is a rope cast out to draw shipwrecked sinners to land, but, alas they have no hands to lay hold of it. They are like infants exposed in the open field, who must starve, though their food be lying by them, unless some one put it in their mouths.”~ Thomas Boston

God saved us, by His sovereign grace. He doesn’t have to do it, but He does.

Can’t We Choose God Ourselves?

The problem with the idea of choosing God by our own free will is that humanity is not neutral. God is not morally neutral, so man cannot be by virtue of being created in His image. We are one side or the other. Since Adam, we’ve chosen the wrong side.

All men have sinned (Rom.3:23), and we are called enemies of God (Rom.5:10). That’s not neutrality.

Man by nature suppresses the truth, and is a sworn enemy of God.

He’s being bombarded with the truth of God, and instead of admitting the truth, he perverts it into something else. Being created for worship, he must worship something, and, refusing to give God the glory that is His due, man instead worships various versions of himself.

The heart of sin is rebellion, and we’ve rebelled against God since Eden.

Man is at enmity with God because he desires to keep his crown of autonomy. This is why people refuse to fall down in worship of God – and this is also why they cannot, by their very nature and debased desires, choose God of their own will.

Doing our own will, in our sinful, unregenerate nature, is called only one thing: sin.

What Can We Choose, Then?

There’s a specific problem one can run into when discussing free will. Most people think that people such as myself – Calvinists, Reformed Baptists, etc. – believe that God does everything and you don’t have a say. Basically, the stereotype for people like me is that we believe people don’t have a will at all. That’s not the case. On the flip side, I have personal stereotypes for the “other side”; they believe to strongly in their own abilities, and not enough in God’s sovereignty; the list goes on. Therefore, I must digress for a moment and say that this is not an attack on any specific denomination or what have you. I am merely outlining the truth of this issue as I see it presented in Scripture.

I’m not questioning one’s ability to choose what they want.

I’m questioning their ability to want anything but sin, Satan, and death.

Romans 8:7

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot."

This verse does not say “it will not”, meaning it is a specific voluntary choice at the time. It says “it cannot”. The natural man, the mind that is set on the flesh, is incapable of submitting to God’s law and turning to God.

I’ve heard it argued before that the sovereignty of God automatically means that we have to serve Him, whether we want to or not, rather than truly wanting to serve Him. This is not the case.

However, I have a question for people who say this. Why do they seem to need the choice to say no to God? Why do they even want that option? It seems like they’re holding on to idolatry, worshiping self, thinking they have enough power and authority to contribute to the entirely free and gracious gift of God.

"Whilst a man is persuaded that he has it in his power to contribute anything, be it ever so little, to his salvation, he remains in carnal self-confidence; he is not a self-despairer, and therefore is not duly humbled before God, he believes he may lend a helping hand in his salvation, but on the contrary, whoever is truly convinced that the whole work depends singly on the will of God, such a person renounces his own will and strength; he waits and prays for the operation of God, nor waits and prays in vain . . ."

- Martin Luther

Where Does The Holy Spirit Come In?

The Holy Spirit is the Person of God who regenerates us (John 3:8), convicts us of sin (John 16:8), indwells us (Eph. 1:13), gifts us (1Co.12:4), beautifies us (Gal.5:22-26), leads us and directs us (John 16:13).

Without conviction of sin, we don’t see the need to turn to Christ. Without conviction of sin, we would still choose sin and self over God.

The Holy Spirit goes where Jesus commands; into the hearts of believers. He is here with Christians to help us while we are yet on earth. He is here to sanctify us, to lead us to the truth and help us understand.

How Then Are We Responsible For Our Own Actions? Isn't the Holy Spirit a Puppet-Master? Doesn’t a Completely Sovereign God Mean That My Choices Are Not My Own?

Scripture is not crystal clear on how God’s sovereignty co-exists with man’s responsibility; but both truths are in the Bible very clearly. It is a mystery that God has not chosen to reveal. Man is responsible for his actions, his choices, and his words; but God is sovereign over it all. These two truths can neither be denied nor understood by someone such as myself. But I will defend them both.

We still choose what we want, and so the decision is still our responsibility. Whether we choose life or death, sin or righteousness, Satan or Christ – that is our decision to make, and we are accountable for it.

Proverbs 16:33

"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."

Even random decisions are directed by God in His sovereignty. But be assured you are responsible for every choice you make.

What Does This Mean?

This means that the grace of God is inexplicable, wonderful, and mysterious, and the glory and praise goes entirely to Him. What a wondrous God He is, to help us in this way! What mercy is it to be able to turn to the cross, to throw off the weight of sin, and take on the easy load of Christ’s righteousness! To be able to stand before God, pronounced perfect, instead of receiving the punishment we so justly deserve. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised! His grace is astounding, in that He died for us when we did not choose Him; He loved us when we despised Him; He obeyed and lived righteously where we disobeyed and chose to sin. He died for us.

“In conclusion then, let the saints admire the freedom and power of grace, which came to them in their helpless condition, made their chains fall off, the iron gate to open to them, raised the fallen creatures, and brought them out of the state of sin and wrath., wherein they would have lain and perished, had not they been mercifully visited. Let the natural man be sensible of his utter inability to recover himself. Know, that you are without strength: and cannot come to Christ, till you be drawn. You are lost, and cannot help yourself. This may shake the foundation of your hopes, if you never saw your absolute need of Christ and his grace, but think to contrive for yourself by your civility, morality, drowsy wishes, and duties, and by a faith and repentance which have sprung out of your natural powers, without the power and efficacy of the grace of Christ. O be convinced of your absolute need of Christ, and His overcoming grace, believe your utter inability to recover yourself, that so you may be humbled, shaken out of your self-confidence, and lie down in dust and ashes, groaning out your miserable case before the Lord. A proper sense of your natural impotence, the impotence of depraved human nature, would be a step towards a delivery.” ~ Thomas Boston

A Comment on 1Timothy 4:12

1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

The first thing that must be considered here is that people can despise someone for their youth; generally they will only despise them if that youthful person is acting immaturely. Youthfulness has its place; yet there comes a time when we must "put away childish things". (1Cor.13:11)

However, youthfulness in and of itself ought not to be looked down upon. 

Children are capable of reasonable discussion, of wise action, of pure thoughts, and of maturity. Look to Jesus, who was a child; "all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2:47) We can say that Jesus was perhaps an exception, but this would be a limited view.

Youth is not an excuse for acting foolishly. We cannot say or do bad things and then shrug and say "I'm young, I can get away with it." That's not an answer. That's not good. We are held to the same standard that everyone else is. 

Not only are we to strive to not be despised, but we are to set examples for believers! Youth are given an extraordinary command here. Set an example for all - the elderly, those younger than you, those your age - all believers. 

In speech. 1 Samuel 16:18 "One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”"

One of the good qualities of David was that he was "prudent in speech". 

pru·dent adj.

1. Wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense.

2. Careful in regard to one's own interests; provident.

3. Careful about one's conduct; circumspect.

Prudent speech will set an example for other believers. 

Proverbs 4:24 "Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you."

Proverbs 16:21 "The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness."

Even the young can remember this advice. This is speaking of sweetness that is pure and prudent, not false sweetness that is really bitter and harmful. 

Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

In Conduct. Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright."

up·right adj.

1. Adhering strictly to moral principles; righteous.

Romans 13:3 "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval..."

Good conduct is a witness to other believers as well. One thing that all youth fall under is the negative stereotype of bad conduct; immaturity, selfishness, acting stupid. People - whether believers or not - will see your good conduct, and know that you are different. Acting righteously is itself a witness without any words. 

James 3:13 "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom."

1 Peter 1:15 "...but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct..."

1 Peter 2:12 "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

In Love. John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Believers, no matter what age, have a commandment from their Lord and Saviour: Love, as I have loved. Christ loved us in such a way as to not be mistaken: He died for us. He gave Himself up for us. We are to do the same. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with our all, and to love our neighbour as we love our own self. 

Romans 12:9 "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."

1 Corinthians 16:14 "Let all that you do be done in love."

Ephesians 4:15-16 "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Ephesians 5:1-2 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

In Faith. Romans 1:17 "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”"

Faith is an important part of the Christian life. Faith is not just saying "I believe in such and such". Faith spreads itself into our conduct, our speech, our love-! It affects everything we do. Whether we, youthful or not, believe in God, whether we trust His promises, whether we seek to grow our faith by reading His Word or praying or worshiping, all this is seen by other believers, and all of this is a mark of whether or not we are faithful to God and HAVE faith in Him. Youth has nothing to do with it. Youth is not an excuse for an absence of faith. Rather, younger people should have more faith in God, for  they have more things to "worry" about, more experiences to go through yet, etc. 

Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

The youthful years are the years to spend in studying the word of Christ. These are the days, not to be spent in idleness, but to be spent in strengthening your relationship with your Lord and Saviour. Don't waste these years!

In Purity. Proverbs 22:11 "He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend."

Psalm 119:9 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."

The answer is in God's word. Purity comes from studying the truth! Do not think that you can do it on your own - look to God! He will help you. Youth brings passions that are not easily controlled. Yet they can be controlled, with the help of God's word. Study it! 

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

1 Peter 1:22 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart..."

Love, faith, conduct, speech, and purity are all wrapped up together. They all affect one another. How can we practice what Paul commands in 1 Timothy 4:12? 

1) Studying the Word of God - the answers are found there, and the Holy Spirit works through the Scripture to sanctify us. 

2) Prayer - Fellowship with God is necessary for a change in heart, which leads to change in conduct, speech, etc. 

3) Fellowship with believers - there is no better way to practice loving your neighbour than to put yourself in a position to do so. 

Psalm 24:3-5 "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from the Lord

and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

Hebrews 10:19-12:2

The Full Assurance of Faith

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,

"Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him."

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

By Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Faith

Lamentations 3:21-24 - "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him."

I've been thinking about something for a while now. That something is this: Faith, Hope, Love; what do they mean? I mean, what do they REALLY mean? How does God define these things for us? How do we apply them to our own lives? It's not easy sometimes, that's for sure. But I believe God has given us the tools to study.

You might be wondering, why do we have to study faith, hope, and love? Don't they come naturally?

Well...yes. Sort of. But we're on a journey - a journey of faith. A journey with God. He is leading us. He is teaching us. And elsewhere in the Bible there are blueprints for the Christian life laid out for us. I think that studying these three things is actually quite important. Why? Because these three things are so...with us. All the time.

We have faith that something will come about. We hope for things. We love so often and so deeply. These three things are there from birth to death, ever-present in our lives.

Sometimes, hope fails. Sometimes, faith stumbles. Sometimes, love falters. But they never truly leave us alone. Not completely. Not indefinitely.

I think I'll ramble on too long about this for it to be one post alone. I'll tackle each one separately.

I'm beginning with Faith.

~
1 Corinthians 13:13 - "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

There are two kinds of Faith.

One, our faith in God.
Second, God's faith. God's faithfulness, specifically toward us. Let's start with God's faithfulness, because it's so much better. :)

God's Faith

Psalm 117 - "Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!"
Psalm 146:5-7 - "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry."

a) God's faith endures forever.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

b) God gives us our faith.

Psalm 57:10 - "For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds." (see also Psalm 108:4)

c) God's faithfulness is far reaching, immeasurable.

Deuteronomy 32:4 - "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he."

d) God's faithfulness is not stained by iniquity, by imperfection; God's faithfulness is a perfect faithfulness.

Romans 3:3-4 - "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

"That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged."

e) God is true though everyone else is a liar. God is faithful though everyone else is not.

1 Corinthians 1:9 - "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

f) God is faithful to call us to salvation through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

g) God is faithful to protect us from temptation beyond our power to endure.

God is faithful to us even when it seems that He is not. He is faithful even when our faith is failing. Think about this, and let it set your mind to spinning: He was faithful to us even before He created us! He was faithful to us even before we knew Him! Even before we knew ourselves. He has been, is, and always will be faithful. It is His way.

Our Faith

We know we're supposed to have faith. Sometimes, though, our weakness - worry - gets in the way. We worry that maybe God isn't so big and strong after all. We worry that maybe this time He forgot about His promises. Or maybe we even worry that God is in control - but He isn't going to do what we want Him to do.

What is faith, anyway?

Here's the definition from Merriam-Webster:

1 a: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1): fidelity to one's promises (2): sincerity of intentions2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction ; especially : a system of religious beliefs

So, it's allegiance, loyalty, belief, trust...

Here's the definition from the Bible:

Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

You know, in all of my musings about faith, I've come to a single conclusion: faith is almost, almost stubbornness. There's no proof that this thing will happen - no reason, really, to believe in it; but faith believes anyway. In spite of the lack of sufficient evidence.

If faith were a woman, it would be a fiery-eyed woman indeed, her head tossed upward in defiance, her arms thrown back, her shoulders squared...daring you to try and change her mind. Faith is an assurance, a conviction.

D. L. Moody once said, "Faith takes God without any ifs."

So, now let's go to the word of God to see how Faith applies to us.

Matthew 8:5-13 - The Faith of a Centurion
"When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
"Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."
And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."
But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment."

The Centurion had faith that Jesus could command even physical disease.

Matthew 15:21-28 - The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
"And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon."
But he did not answer her a word.
And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."
And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly."

The Canaanite woman had faith that Jesus was the Master, the Lord.

Mark 5:25-34 - "And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.
For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well."
And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?"
And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’"
And he looked around to see who had done it.
But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.
And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

This woman had faith that Jesus was powerful enough that she had only to touch His garment to be healed - not that she had faith in the garment itself, but that she had faith in Jesus' ultimate power.

These three stories show people in moments of faith - and God blessed them. They are eternal witnesses to the power of God for salvation.

The book of Romans is basically a book about faith (and the difference between grace and works). I would suggest that you read it, no matter how many times you've read it before. It's worth another look.

Especially consider these passages:

Romans 1:16-17 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith.""

The Bible is God's message to us - we read it and take faith from it. The accounts of other people - who suffered, who triumphed, who died, who lived - give us faith in God, for what He has promised will come to fruition - it always has. There is no reason to doubt.

a) We are called to live by faith. This means taking all things into account - our thoughts, our actions, our speech - and only thinking, doing, and saying things that are set upon faith in God. Faith is foundational for Christians. God often does not tell us the answers. More often than not He "waits to see what we'll do".

Romans 3:21-28 - "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

b) Our faith is not ours to claim. It is given us by God, as a gift. We receive God's gift by the faith that He also gave us as a gift. We therefore cannot boast.

Romans 4:13-25 - "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" - in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

c) The promise depends on faith. Look at the example set before us - Abraham, old and "as good as dead", was fully convinced that God would fulfill His promises. This is what faith is - being fully convinced.

Romans 5:1-2 - "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

d) Our faith brings peace with God through Jesus. Our faith brings rejoicing.

(Whew! Lots of reading. Good job making it this far. :) There's more, though, sorry. )

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 - "And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

e) We should remember that we are examples to others, saved and unsaved alike. We must not show ourselves capable outside of God. We must fully show others that the power of God is the only thing that can save them - not the wisdom of men, or their own strength - the power of God alone. To live by faith means to live in an example of faith as well. Show your faith, that God may be glorified.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - "So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

f) We walk by faith, not by sight. We follow the One Who is trustworthy, but we've never seen Him - yet we cling to the conviction of what is not seen.

Galatians 2:15-21 - "We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."

g) We live by faith in the Son of God, the one who justifies us by faith in Him. We are not justified through what we do, but only through Who we believe. "For I know whom I have believed..."

Read Galatians 3. The whole chapter, yes. I'm serious. Read it. Now.

Philippians 3:8-11 - "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

I will put Hebrews 10:19-12:2 in a different post. It needs full attention. Look for it right after this post.

1 John 5:4 - "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith."

This is what we cling to with hope and joy! h) Our faith has overcome the world! Through Jesus Christ we have the victory! Amen!

Here is a decree from our Lord and Saviour:

Revelation 13:10 - "If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints."

Run the race with endurance. Have faith. Augustine wrote, "Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe."

The finish line will come. We are not in an eternal race - but we will receive an eternal prize. Believe it. Stubbornly if you have to.

Don't forget:

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading." - Oswald Chambers