Let me take a moment to talk a little about faith. Understanding faith is critical to becoming a Christian and living the Christian life. Faith is not a complicated concept but there is much to learn. I will hit on this topic several times on this blog, including a post dedicated to understanding faith. Since faith applies to every area of the Christian life, I will be discussing it all along the way.
When you boil all the doctrine about faith down to its core, faith is simply believing God and trusting Him. Faith isn’t just believing, but a trust based on that belief. An illustration of this that comes to mind was the daredevil Charles Blondin. In 1859 he became the first person to cross the
The same is true when it comes to trusting Christ. Many say that they believe, but faith without works (or action) is dead according to the scriptures[1]. To say, “I believe that Jesus died for my sins” is not faith. Putting your trust in His completed work is faith and the evidence for that faith is laying down your life in surrender as you trust in God to create a new life that has eternal significance and value. Letting go of your life in this world is an act of faith. Some have claimed that this is works, but this is not so. Let me illustrate this by a real life example from my own children.
When my oldest daughter was about four years old, we spent an afternoon at a river. In the area where we were picnicking the river was very wide but fairly shallow. In the middle of the river there was an island that I waded to with my father. My daughter called from the shore saying she wanted to come to the island with us. I waded back to shore and took her by the hand, but when I did, she reached back and grabbed a branch on the shore and held on tight. I said, “If you want to come, you have to let go of the branch”. She replied, “If I do, I will sink.” I explained to her that there were safe rocks for her to step on and even though she could not see them, I would guide her feet to them. I also explained that if she did miss one, I had her by the hand and would not let her sink. She could not hold on to the shore and go with me to the island. She was afraid, but she also wanted to go – so she let go. Very timidly she stepped where I directed her and as we went, her confidence grew and soon she was reaching out for each step. This is exactly what God has promised us in Psalm 37:23-24
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
This is how faith works. God reveals to us His gift of salvation and our new life in Christ as He stirs in our hearts to surrender to Him. We often resist because we want to be in control of our own lives and do not understand how much God delights in guiding our way to His amazing promises. When we surrender by faith, we put our trust in our Savior and let go of our old life. We have not earned our salvation nor have we merited anything. In fact, the only human effort in the whole process is when we are trying to hold on to our old life. There is no work involved in letting go. When we believe God’s promise of eternal life, we stop resisting, and we put our trust in the Lord. Romans 5 states the following:
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
We believe God and by faith we receive the gift of salvation. The scriptures teach that faith comes by hearing the word of God[2] and the message preached from the word calls us to salvation[3]. When we hear the gospel, we are drawn by the Spirit of God and if we believe and put our trust in Jesus Christ, we receive our new eternal life and inherit the promises of God. Consider the words of Jesus in this passage from John 5:
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Notice that Jesus is not saying that He will enrich your old life, but there is a transformation that occurs – you are passing from death to life. We are not divorcing the world; we are dying to the world and our old sins. Romans chapter seven has a wonderful explanation of this. This passage explains that the law has dominion over us as long as we live. Since we have violated the law through sin, we are under inescapable condemnation as long as our life is in the flesh. This scripture uses the illustration of marriage by explaining that a woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. If she runs off with another man she would be an adulteress; however, if her husband dies, the law that bound her is released and she is free to marry another.
The same is true for each person. Through sin, we are bound by the law to the condemnation of our old life (which is united to sin) and we will be judged for our sins unless we die and become a new creation. Look at the rest of this explanation in Romans 7:4-6
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Hopefully it is becoming clear why works alone cannot save anyone. The oldness of the letter is referring to the law of condemnation and the sins that are written against us. When we turn to Christ, all of the offenses written against us are taken out of the way and applied to the cross of Jesus’ crucifixion[4]. It does no good to add trophies to our life of condemnation; we must die to this world and be raised as a new creation. This is why the Bible says that we are buried with Christ through baptism and raised as a new creation[5]. Baptism is the burial of our old sinful life and a resurrection of a spiritual new man. It is through the death of the old man through the cross that our sins are removed. This is explained further in Colossians 2:11-15
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
This passage communicates a lot of information. Consider the concept of circumcision. The Old Testament mandate of circumcision was to cut away the flesh so that the new child could be a partaker of the promise. Any who were not circumcised were cut off from God’s people and His promises. This was a symbolic ordinance that pointed to a New Testament principle that would one day be fulfilled through Christ. Just as each male had to have this flesh removed to join the covenant of the Law, each person born again must have the flesh removed from their heart so they can inherit the New Covenant of salvation through Christ. In both the Old and New Testaments God stated that true circumcision is that of the heart[6]. This is what the death of the old man is all about. Our sinful heart of flesh is removed and a spiritual man is born. Then our sins are taken out of the way because our old man was crucified with Christ. Jesus states that He calls us out of the world and we no longer belong to the world[7]. We leave the world and its fleshly desires behind as we pass from death to life. When we lay down our life in faith, the Spirit of God regenerates us into a new creation. Look at Titus 3:4-7
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Also look at this passage from 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
We can see that the Bible is very detailed on the subject of redemption. We enter into new life as our old life of sin passes away. We put to death the old nature and become a new creation through faith in Christ. If you do not have a new life in Christ, the Bible promises that any who receive Him and call upon His name will be given the right to become a child of God[8]. The scriptures instruct us to believe on Jesus Christ, recognize our need for redemption from sin[9], confess Him as Lord[10], let Him put to death our old life of sin[11], and call on the name of the Lord through baptism[12] to fulfill all righteousness[13].
The Lord alone must draw us to Christ[14] and He does this through the preaching of the word of God[15]. When we proclaim the word, God will draw those He is calling to salvation. When anyone feels the calling of God, it is important for them to understand that they cannot choose when to be saved. We must respond to the calling or risk falling under the condemnation of those who suppressed the truth God revealed to them[16].
The Lord has redeemed us by His own sacrifice for He has taken upon Himself the judgment of our sins and gives new life in Christ to all who respond to His call. No sin can keep us from God for all things have passed away and all things have become new when we receive His amazing grace.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment