bible-truths.com/forums
=> General Discussions => Topic started by: dave on January 17, 2009, 01:22:05 AM
-
Who's faith; is it my faith or His faith that will bring me to that
high calling? Do or should I depend on how great my faith is or
how strong His faith is? Realizing that it is faith that completes our walk. Surley my faith, as I beleive, is true and strong; but it is but me;
and the scriptures tell us that it is by HIS FAITH. Gal.2:16, 20, 3:22
-
Hi Micah7:9,
This is from the article 'Exposing those Who Contradict,' plus a couple of emails should help with your question on faith.
http://bible-truths.com/fulltext/fulltext.htm --------------------------------
"For in grace, through faith [the faith of Jesus Christ, not our faith-it is not our faith until God gives it to us], are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's GIFT, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus ...
v
v
Heb. 11:1 is properly translated thus:
"Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed."
It requires no faith to observe something.
The reason proof and evidence are presented in a court of law is because no one believes that anyone in the court room will tell the truth. If everyone always told the truth, the court would have "faith" in their testimony and they wouldn't need to present proof and evidence. God always tells the truth.
Probably ten thousand times a day people are being told by the clergy that "faith is the substance ... and evidence." It is clearly no such thing. You're teaching people to "live by sight" if you think "faith" is substance, proof, tangible, weighable, visible, evidence.
I have not seen or handled the Resurrected Christ, yet I believe in Christ through faith. And it is certainly not my faith, but the faith of Christ, Who imparts it to me.
We "assume" that God is Who He says and will do what He says not because we have proof and evidence, but because He is GOD! Those who believe in Him have received that grace from God.
The reason Abraham is in this parable, is because Abraham is the "father" of the faithful. Both the plight and the flight (the bad and the good) of this parable have their origin in either belief or unbelief. "By unbelief are they [the Jews] broken out, yet you stand in faith" (Rom 11:20). Now listen to Paul's admonition very carefully: "Be not haughty, but fear" (Ver. 20). "God parts to each the measure of faith" (Rom. 12:4). Yet most Christians think faith is the one thing, for sure, that they must contribute on their own to be saved. To believe that is not only unscriptural, but vain.
"Now what have you which you did not obtain? Now if you obtained it also, why are you boasting as though not obtaining?" (I Cor. 4:7).
All of the arrogance of Christendom would vanish over night if they would just believe and comprehend this one beautiful and profound verse of Scripture!
We must be thankful, not haughty, that God is calling us (the Gentiles). You think we are special but the cast-off Jews are not? No. The Jews are very special to God. The Rich man asked for mercy, and he will yet receive mercy. " ... God is able to graft them in again." (Rom. 11:24).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1710.0.html ---------
Faith is the assurance that God's Word is Truth and that God will do all that He has promised. This assurance (faith) is a GIFT of God and cannot be obtained by any human endeavor (Eph. 2:8-9). Reading and hearing the Scriptures can increase your faith, BUT ONLY BECAUSE GOD SUPERNATURALLY GIVES YOU THAT FAITH AND ASSURANCE, as you read and hear. Through faith you will both know God's will and live God's will. You must go to God for faith--there is no other source of true spiritual faith and assurance of God's trustworthiness.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=3096.msg23129#msg23129 ---
ABSOLUTELY, there are things you "must do," Roy, but don't think for I second that it is YOU who are going to ORIGINATE all of that "doing." Yes, we MUST live by faith and not sight as Paul admonishes us, but how do we do that, where does that faith come from, etc., etc., etc?
It is ALL OF GOD. Faith to believe God, to believe in God, to believe His Word, must come FROM GOD (Eph. 2:08). It is a GIFT from God. We don't choose Christ, but rather He chooses us (John 15:16), and we do not come to Christ, but rather the Father drags us (John 6:44). And we do not produce spiritual fruit. Our spiritual fruit comes from another source than ourselves, it is the "fruit OF THE SPIRIT," that's the source.
So, is there something you can or must do now, or "next" as you say in order to ensure your calling and salvation, that you can or must do independent of God? No, of course not. It is all of God. All that you either do or don't do is based on the foreknowledge of God's sovereignty. God will make you sweat bullets before He is done with you, and you will think many times that if YOU don't come up with a solution, you will utterly fail, but in the final analysis, it will be God Who provided the solution THROUGH your bullet sweating.
Don't become discouraged in well-doing, for God will have the victory in you eventually.
God be with you,
Ray
-
thanks Kat that was refreshing. Reading that sound Bible truth again is good for the being peggy