Understanding Faith

We don*t get saved because we are better than the next guy or have a greater ability to believe than he does. Even the faith is a part of the gift of salvation.

Hebrews 12:1b-2: . . . let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 12:3b: . . . God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

He authors it, deals it (gives it to us) and finishes it. It is all of Him and from Him.

A very wise man has said, Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone. When God gave you faith, the first evidence of that faith was that you received Jesus as Saviour. We can rightly call that saving faith. We can also call it living faith because hereafter it will produce differences in us, our thoughts and our actions. He wants us to live our lives trusting Him and if we trust Him we will obey Him.

Most of my life, I knew with my mind that Jesus had died for me, but it made no difference to me or in me or in my life. So what is different now? God puts saving faith first in the heart.

Romans 10:10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

So the first thing the faith affected was probably your mouth when you received Jesus.

When you received Jesus, a person spoke to you about it, speaking mostly to your ears. But at the same time, God was dealing with your heart, the real you, the inner you.

The first few weeks after I gave my heart to the Lord, there was an argument between my heart and my brain. My heart would say I*ve been forgiven and I*m going to heaven. My brain would say No you*re not! Thankfully, my heart is right and wins the argument all the time now, as my faith grows. Someone has said the distance between saving faith and false faith is about 10 inches. (The distance from our brain to our heart.) How true.

The words heart and spirit are often used interchangeably in the Bible. It is important to know there is a conflict within all Christians. We must decide as we live our lives for the true and the right -- for God.

Galatians 5:17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Galatians 6:8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Often you will hear of these differences within us as the old nature and the new nature.

Sometimes when my faith seems small compared to that of other Christians, I must remember that the important thing is that my little faith is in my heart. And even more important is the object of my faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

That same faith you exercised when you received Jesus as Saviour will also impact the rest of your life if you let it. And you will be far better off if you do.

Paul speaking in Galatians 2:20: 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.

Care to discuss Understanding Faith with Ron?

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