Faith is God's access point to his truth. God has chosen faith - an undefinable means of 'knowing', to offer us 'life that is truly life.' (1 Tim :19) Faith is not 'blind hope'. Blind hope is blind hope. No, faith is when a soul 'acts on' belief. For example, when you know something is true deep down in your soul, you can 'act' on it, or not act on it. You know this is the case. Think of things you do that you know are not right to do. Like, when you are alone, and you believe, know, would even instruct others that to look at certain images - like pornography - is not right to do, not good to do. But if you choose to do it, you are deliberately acting against something you know deep down to be right and true. The same is true in the opposite direction. Like, for example, when you know somewhere deep down that Jesus Christ is true. You can't prove it, you can't see or point at him, but deep down in your soul, your spirit, you know that Jesus is true. You had this revelation, and you know it is true. Well, if you 'adopt' this truth. If you actually commit your soul, your spirit, your heart to this truth, well, that's 'faith'. If you know Christ is true, but do not commit your soul, your spirit, your heart to this 'belief', well, you are choosing to not put your 'faith' in him. So to know something is true - is not the same as 'claiming' it for your life, for your heart, for your actions. What you act on does not reveal what you believe, but it does reveal what you 'walk in', or what you have actually placed your faith in. ************************************** God works in and through faith. Faith is his access point to his truth, his Kingdom. If you want the 'truths' of God, you have to not only 'believe', but to have 'faith' - i.e. adopt, claim, walk in the 'belief'. I sometimes think of faith as 'belief in action.' Some key verses that distinguish between belief and faith are: John 8:31-32, James 2:19, Isaiah 29:13 (Look them up!) When Christ reveals his truth to you - i.e. that He is Lord, that He is life, that He is everything - this is the 'door of Christ' before you. (John 10:9) You need to walk through the door! Yesterday I was pondering this scripture, while looking at, and even running my hand over a door frame. I was struck by how definitive a doorway is. Jesus said, 'I am the door, and anyone who enters through me will be saved.' (John 10:9) This is an incredible image, an incredible truth. Jesus referred to people who were 'near' (but not 'in' - Mark 12:34). Jesus referred to people enjoying the 'light' of truth, but not entering into it. (John 5:35, 39-40) To know Jesus is as 'actual' as knowing another person. Have you ever acted on your belief? Have you ever closed your physical eyes, and turned the eyes of your heart towards Jesus, and actually said sorry for the sin in your life, and told him that you believe in him, that you will follow him? After going to and through the 'door' of Jesus Christ, you will embark on a life that builds on faith. Jesus - who you will know in spirit and truth - is the 'cornerstone' of God's building in your life. (Eph 2:19-20) And your truest self becomes a 'faith person'. Paul the apostle put it like this: 'I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God...' (Gal 2:20) So when we act on faith in Jesus, we step into our real life, which is a 'construct' standing on faith. This is not natural to our 'flesh', or our earthly bodies and our society. And this is why 'faith' is a challenge. And the rubber really hits the road when we start to 'build' on faith, putting our money where our mouth is - like taking earthly money and investing it in spiritual things (tithing, giving, sacrificing), like taking a private, spiritual experience of faith in Jesus Christ, and talking about it with real words, to real people... God has chosen to use faith as the access point to his Kingdom, and to use faith as the building blocks of that same Kingdom life. It is humbling. It is unseen. It is spiritual. But it as beautiful, limitless and comforting as the wind! I leave you with these 3 scriptures to ponder. 'The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ (John 3:8) 'We live by faith not by sight.' (2 Corinthians 5:7) 'Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.' (Hebrews 11:6)
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AuthorPeter Walker. I hope you enjoy these reflections. Please feel free to comment!:) Archives
February 2024
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