Victory through the Word - Faith

These Three Abide: Faith, Hope and Love

Habakkuk 2: 4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith (cf. Genesis 15: 6).

1 John 5: 4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that has  overcome the world, even our faith. [Because Christ has overcome the world, if we are in Christ i.e. united with him through faith, so have we cf. John 16: 33; Revelation 12: 11; Ephesians 4: 5].

Hebrews 11: 1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [Faith is the substance or essence (in some translations "assurance") of "things hoped for" - is faith derived from hope cf. Colossians 1: 4-5)? It is also evidence of unseen truths and realities (2 Corinthians 4:18; Ephesians 6: 12; 1 Peter 1: 7-8; 2 Corinthians 5: 7) e.g. an afterlife that so many believe in. The fact that you have faith is the evidence that these things, though unseen, are real!  True faith, the kind that endures testing and persecution, must therefore be something supernatural, outside of ourselves, that we cannot conjure up or produce on our own (Ephesians 2: 8; Romans 5: 7; Mark 13: 11; Matthew 13: 11-16)].

Hebrews 11: 6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that He Is [that he exists cf. Exodus 3: 14], and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1 Peter 1: 8-9 - Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  [Buddhism teaches that Nirvana, a state of liberation from samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth) involves renunciation of the world and self or ego, leading to a state of “emptiness” (sunyata) or freedom from attachments and suffering, and is achieved by one’s own efforts.  This reminded me of a time I heard a young man of SE Asian origin say in the supermarket that you control your own stress, which many people try to do through yoga, meditation etc. In Hinduism, it is characterized by renunciation of the world (sannyasa) and unity or oneness between the self or soul (Atman) and the Hindu godhead (Brahman) whereas, in Christianity, “liberation” or salvation of the soul is from bondage to sin (not samsara) and is achieved by faith in Christ (Galatians 3: 26), through which we have overcome the world (1 John 5: 4) and the worldy or “fleshly” passions/lusts that war against the soul (1 Peter 2: 11).

I am amazed at some of the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity e.g. the doctrine of renunciation, “dying to self”, asceticism, self-control and mindfulness or constantly being aware of one's thoughts and reactions, in order to ward off unwholesome qualities (thoughts, emotions, desires) and to develop positive qualities by meditating on the good, see Philippians 4: 8. How can this be when Buddha lived 500 years before Jesus and even earlier than Paul, an apostle of Jesus who wrote Philippians and many of the New Testament books of the Bible? Did Paul even know about Buddha, given that this was way before the industrial era, radio, newspapers, television and the internet, or could it be the same eternal Spirit guiding them into knowledge of truth, albeit in part (1 Corinthians 13: 12; John 16: 13; 2 Peter 1: 20-21)? Was Buddha himself led by the Holy Spirit without recognizing it (Galatians 5: 22-23)?]

Romans 10: 8-10 - But what does it say? [i.e. faith-based righteousness, see v.6] The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation [it is worth noting the above-mentioned belief is in the resurrection of Jesus, without which our faith in the atonement made by his death is not justified see 1 Corinthians 15: 17.]

1 Corinthians 15: 17 - And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. [This implies that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to our faith; without it our faith is meaningless cf. Ephesians 4: 5].

Galatians 3: 2 - Only this I want to learn from you, Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith? [I think the key to understanding this verse is to determine what “works of the law” the writer Paul is referring to, whether it be ceremonial performance and rituals or obedience resulting from belief in the gospel see Luke 11: 13. Bear in mind that faith in Jesus is in fact faith in the one who alone perfectly fulfilled both the letter and the spirit of the law!]

2 Timothy 2: 13 - If we are faithless, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.  [Perhaps another way of reading this is to substitute “himself” with “his word”. It is a sobering thought that if we are unfaithful, we will suffer the consequences of our unfaithfulness (i.e. judgment), in this life or the next.]

1 Peter 1: 5 - [You] who are being kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Ephesians 2: 8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

Romans 4: 1-2 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand [we can appropriate or lay hold of God’s grace (his unmerited favour, forgiveness, redemption) through faith], and rejoice in hope of the glory [partaking of the divine nature cf. 1 John 3: 2] of God.

James 2: 17 - Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone [in contrast to faith that is put into action].

Matthew 17: 20-21 - And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move from here to there; and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting [an example of faith in action i.e. prayer and fasting].

Romans 3: 31 - Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. [How is the law established through faith? Through Jesus' atonement for our sins (grace), the law is fulfilled and sin is rendered powerless or “condemned” (Ezekiel 18: 20; 1 Corinthians 15: 56-57; Romans 8: 3). God does for us and in us what we cannot do for and by ourselves. This does not abolish the law but rather fulfils it because the whole purpose of the law is to deter sin. Therefore grace is not a means of righteousness apart from law, which is a common misinterpretation of Romans 3:21. Grace becomes another way of fulfilling God's law (righteous requirements) by the enablement (sanctification) of the Holy Spirit through which sin and, therefore, Satan has no power (Hebrews 2: 14; Romans 6: 23; Galatians 3: 13-14; Isaiah 59: 20-21; Romans 8: 4 ).]

1 Thessalonians 5: 24 - Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it.

Ephesians 6: 16 - And besides all these, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [Faith together with love is also described as the breastplate of righteousness, another piece of our spiritual armour see 1 Thessalonians 5: 8, Ephesians 6: 14b & 23.]

Galatians 5: 22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering/patience, gentleness/kindness, goodness/generosity, faith/faithfulness, meekness, temperance/ self-control: against such there is no law. [Faith is both a gift (1 Corinthians 12: 9) and fruit of the Holy Spirit. According to some Bible scholars the gift and fruit of faith are different from saving faith (Ephesians 2: 8). The gift of faith has been described as having “God’s own faith” (Derek Prince Legacy Radio, Gifts of the Spirit) - the kind that performs miracles and moves mountains (1 Corinthians 13: 2b) - whereas the fruit of faith can be regarded as sustaining faith - faith in God that endures trials and tribulation, and abides (1 Corinthians 13: 13). Notwithstanding the real danger of losing our faith (like most things if you don't use it, you lose it) and, therefore, our salvation (see Matthew 7: 21-23; Hebrews 6: 4-6 & 10: 35-39; 1 Timothy 6: 10; 1 John 1: 19; Philippians 2: 12-13), it is likely that where there has been a genuine conversion, saving faith is the same as sustaining faith, which would support the view of Christian ministers, such as RT Kendall, that “once saved, always saved”.]

Romans 4: 17 - As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens [gives life to] the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were. [If we are to imitate God who, by his spoken word calls into being the things that do not yet exist, we too must start calling things that be not as though they were cf. Proverbs 18: 21.]

Matthew 9: 29 - Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. [This is an important, though often overlooked, spiritual principle cf. Matthew 8: 13 & 18: 19; Mark 11: 24; James 1: 6-7. What we believe is most commonly revealed by what we say (Luke 6: 45). Are the words you speak in agreement with God's words?]

Mark 9: 23-24 - Jesus said unto him, “If thou can? [see v.22] All things are possible to them that believe.” And immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief.” [We too can make this our prayer when we struggle with doubt cf. 2 Corinthians 12: 9.]

Romans 10: 17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [How can we get faith by hearing when it is God who gives us faith (Ephesians 2: 8)? The key to this apparent paradox lies in what is being heard: the word of God is spiritual (Hebrews 4:12; John 6: 63; 2 Timothy 3: 16) and the ability to "hear" i.e. perceive God's word as intended and heed it is also spiritual (Isaiah 6: 8-10; John 5: 38; 2 Peter 1: 20-21; 1 Corinthians 2: 10-14). In either case, the Word comes first which, like a seed, germinates and blossoms into the fruit of faith in those who are grounded in it (Matthew 13: 1-23).]

1 Corinthians 2: 4-5 - And my speech and preaching was not with persuasive words of “wisdom”, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 1: 22-24; Romans 1: 16).

Luke 16: 10 - He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. [God values faithfulness in the small things and often tests us in this regard before we are “promoted” to bigger and better things cf. Zechariah 4: 10].

James 5: 15 - And the prayer of faith shall restore the sick one, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. [Whose faith is James referring to - the faith of the sick person or the faith of those aiding and praying for the sick? It would seem that God honours not only personal faith see Luke 8: 48 & 17: 12-14,v.19; Mark 10: 46-52 but also intercessory faith i.e. the faith of those praying or interceding for others see Matthew 8: 13 &  9: 2 & 15: 28. And faith in who or what? See Acts 3: 2-8,v.16 & 14: 7-10; Philippians 2: 9-11]

Luke 18: 7-8 - And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily [alternatively, suddenly]. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? (cf. 2 Peter 3: 8-9; Exodus 34: 6; 2 Corinthians 13: 5.)