Thinkings about Faith..
(disclaimer: this all sounded alot better in my head)
What is faith?
Where does it come from?
how do we get it?
All these thoughts and questions starting pouring in and out on my 15 minute break at work today.
I turned to 'faith' in my concordance several times.
Mr. Voetberg had told me in discipleship class earlier this year that there was certain doctrines that you couldnt teach using, for example, an NIV Bible, but that you could teach using a KJV. And that was why he suggested using KJV.
But Bible versions isnt what i am here to talk about.
(maybe i am completely out in left field without a paddle here... so correct me if i am wrong.)
But one example that he used to demonstrate that point was that the KJV translates
Romans 3:22 as saying "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference"
The NIV says "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference"
Same verse, seemingly the same meaning, but they are actually presenting two different doctrines.
Ok so i promised this wouldnt be about arguing Bible versions.
But it got me thinking, i should look at what the rest of the Bible says about faith.
Is it in Christ or of Christ?
So my first point; How are we supposed to put our faith in Christ if we dont have any to begin with?
We dont just magically have a blob of faith to put wherever we want.
Where do we get it from?
We can't go to the faith store and buy the flavor that we like the best.
I think we have to be GIVEN faith. At salvation, we are given a measure of faith.
Some might argue with Romans 12:3(b)
"according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
But if you look at the context (Romans 12:1) Paul is addressing believers. God has given all believers a measure of faith.
Also, GOD is GIVING us a measure of faith, we are not giving our faith to God.
So what is this faith that He has given us?
This question became a little less blurry for me today.
Look in Hebrews 11, the good ol' faith chapter.
Verse 1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
Faith is proof of God. It is the substance of God.
substance: the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow; reality.
Because God has given us a measure of faith, we, the new creation, are evidence of that faith.
we ourselves are not faith, but the result of faith in our lives is tangible, visible evidence.
Faith is the the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow of it, it is irrefutable proof of Christ in us.
I see the difference between having faith of Christ and putting faith in Christ like the difference between God reaching out and rescuing us from sin and us trying to reach out far enough to take hold of God.
We can not save ourselves. we couldnt die to pay for our sins. It was Christ who did it. It was Christ who saved us.
If we are the ones putting OUR faith IN Christ the makes our salvation a product of works. Ephesian 2:8 proves that idea wrong.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"
"IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD"
IT says gift, not reward, not compensation, not payment, faith, grace and salvation are all a gift from God.
Another question that i thought on was 'if faith is a gift, how do we get more?'
Romans 10:17
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
Faith increase comes thru the most basic acts that a christian can do.
Read the Bible and spend time praying and talking with God.
simple.
but not always easy.
So hunger for the Bible as you hunger for food.
Battles have been won in history without and blood shed by one side trapping and then starving the other guys.
If we dont eat food we get weak and will eventually will die.
If we dont build up our faith, we get weak.
We have to keep repairing and restoring our "shield of faith"
Ephesian 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Satan wants to weaken our faith (shield). if we do not stay supplied with faith our shield will be less effective or even non-existent.
One of my favorite quotes is by John Piper.
"EAT BIBLE"
and that i my encouragement to you today.
Eat Bible as often as you eat physical food.
Praise God that He has given us each a measure of faith.
Our faith is of Him, and because He has given of this faith, we now can trust that He will give us what we need to grow.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
All this to say that our faith comes from the Lord, and is not just 'in' the Lord.
sorta like the comparison of how we are supposed to be in the world, not of the world...
except it is the other way around.
our faith is a part of Christ, not attached to Him.
a part of His body. not just connected to it.
An ear, not an earring.
That is all that my now mushy, tired, 1 am brain can remember from the thoughtversation i had with myself this afternoon.
(Please correct me if you feel i have not spoken the truth in this matter.
I have been wrong before... )
What is faith?
Where does it come from?
how do we get it?
All these thoughts and questions starting pouring in and out on my 15 minute break at work today.
I turned to 'faith' in my concordance several times.
Mr. Voetberg had told me in discipleship class earlier this year that there was certain doctrines that you couldnt teach using, for example, an NIV Bible, but that you could teach using a KJV. And that was why he suggested using KJV.
But Bible versions isnt what i am here to talk about.
(maybe i am completely out in left field without a paddle here... so correct me if i am wrong.)
But one example that he used to demonstrate that point was that the KJV translates
Romans 3:22 as saying "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference"
The NIV says "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference"
Same verse, seemingly the same meaning, but they are actually presenting two different doctrines.
Ok so i promised this wouldnt be about arguing Bible versions.
But it got me thinking, i should look at what the rest of the Bible says about faith.
Is it in Christ or of Christ?
So my first point; How are we supposed to put our faith in Christ if we dont have any to begin with?
We dont just magically have a blob of faith to put wherever we want.
Where do we get it from?
We can't go to the faith store and buy the flavor that we like the best.
I think we have to be GIVEN faith. At salvation, we are given a measure of faith.
Some might argue with Romans 12:3(b)
"according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
But if you look at the context (Romans 12:1) Paul is addressing believers. God has given all believers a measure of faith.
Also, GOD is GIVING us a measure of faith, we are not giving our faith to God.
So what is this faith that He has given us?
This question became a little less blurry for me today.
Look in Hebrews 11, the good ol' faith chapter.
Verse 1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
Faith is proof of God. It is the substance of God.
substance: the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow; reality.
Because God has given us a measure of faith, we, the new creation, are evidence of that faith.
we ourselves are not faith, but the result of faith in our lives is tangible, visible evidence.
Faith is the the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow of it, it is irrefutable proof of Christ in us.
I see the difference between having faith of Christ and putting faith in Christ like the difference between God reaching out and rescuing us from sin and us trying to reach out far enough to take hold of God.
We can not save ourselves. we couldnt die to pay for our sins. It was Christ who did it. It was Christ who saved us.
If we are the ones putting OUR faith IN Christ the makes our salvation a product of works. Ephesian 2:8 proves that idea wrong.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"
"IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD"
IT says gift, not reward, not compensation, not payment, faith, grace and salvation are all a gift from God.
Another question that i thought on was 'if faith is a gift, how do we get more?'
Romans 10:17
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
Faith increase comes thru the most basic acts that a christian can do.
Read the Bible and spend time praying and talking with God.
simple.
but not always easy.
So hunger for the Bible as you hunger for food.
Battles have been won in history without and blood shed by one side trapping and then starving the other guys.
If we dont eat food we get weak and will eventually will die.
If we dont build up our faith, we get weak.
We have to keep repairing and restoring our "shield of faith"
Ephesian 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Satan wants to weaken our faith (shield). if we do not stay supplied with faith our shield will be less effective or even non-existent.
One of my favorite quotes is by John Piper.
"EAT BIBLE"
and that i my encouragement to you today.
Eat Bible as often as you eat physical food.
Praise God that He has given us each a measure of faith.
Our faith is of Him, and because He has given of this faith, we now can trust that He will give us what we need to grow.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
All this to say that our faith comes from the Lord, and is not just 'in' the Lord.
sorta like the comparison of how we are supposed to be in the world, not of the world...
except it is the other way around.
our faith is a part of Christ, not attached to Him.
a part of His body. not just connected to it.
An ear, not an earring.
That is all that my now mushy, tired, 1 am brain can remember from the thoughtversation i had with myself this afternoon.
(Please correct me if you feel i have not spoken the truth in this matter.
I have been wrong before... )
posted by Rog. at
10:59 PM
0 Comments
