Faith in God's Promise
In previous blogs, I have discussed the glory of the New Covenant life and how this is an inheritance of each believer if they desire it earnestly. However, for some, the failures of their past life and the current difficulties of their Christian life has caused them to see these promises as more of an abstraction than a present reality. The strong pull from the world has caused some to see this life as an impossibility and in other cases, the standard of fellow Christian brothers has caused some to accept a watered-down and defeated Christian life. I know this to be the case because this is something that I lived with for most of my Christian life. I realized that although I believed in my mind that God would complete His final purpose with me, I did not truthfully believe in my heart that the type of life preached about in the scripture is obtainable. In addressing this, the Holy Spirit spoke two different passages of scripture to me. James states:
What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?... Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works... But are you willing to recognize you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless. James 2:14,17,18,20
As James states, what is the usefulness of having faith if it doesn't produce action in a believer? What is the purpose of having the testimonies of Paul, Peter, and John if it doesn't challenge me daily to pursue God's heart? More importantly, what is the purpose of the living testimony of Christ and the promises to those who believe in Him if it doesn't fundamentally change my life? When I came to Christ, I did not come to him hesitantly; I came to Him in the full assurance that Christ died for my sins and by His blood, completely cleansed me from them. I was so convinced of this that it caused me to repent of my sins and former life and turn to Him. If this is the condition by which I came to Him- in full assurance of His salvation- then why do I not have full assurance that He is able to send me into this New Covenant life that is also promised in scripture?
Moreover, James makes a strong statement: Can that sort of faith save him? If a partial belief in the promise of God for justification is not genuine enough to save a person, how much less can a half-hearted belief in the promise of God for sanctification cause him to walk in newness of life? James 1:5-7 states this as follows:
But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The context of this scripture is referring to asking for Godly wisdom, but it still speaks of the spirit of faith. The truth of the matter is that a half-hearted, half-convinced, partial belief in God's promise comes down to doubt in God's word. A person with this sort of faith can fully expect to live an unstable Christian life: a Christian life that is beset with many weaknesses and enslaved with a number of sins. However, to the one that asks in genuine faith, God will give us His wisdom generously and liberally (James 1:5) so that we can live this life that the New Covenant speaks of. The reason that God generously gives His wisdom to all those who has genuine faith is because it is absolutely necessary in order for us to live this victorious life in Christ. Consider the testimony of our example Christ:
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devotion. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey the source of eternal salvation. Hebrews 5:7-9
In order for Jesus to live a victorious life over all matter of temptation (Hebrews 4:15), He was fully confident in His Father that He would deliver Him. This caused Him to pray night and day to Him, knowing that through faith and patience that He would obtain the promise. Jesus is our example and if we desire to live the life He lived, then we must have faith of the same nature as His.
The second passage that the Holy Spirit pointed me to was the story of Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13. In this passage, Moses sends spies to Canaan, which is a symbol of the fullness of God, to assess the general condition of the land. When the spies returned, Moses heard report after report claiming how fortified the cities were and how strong the inhabitants were. As the children of Israel murmured before Moses, Caleb quieted the people and with the spirit of genuine faith said:
We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome. Numbers 13:30
The other spies continued to spread the bad report to all of Israel to the point that all of Israel desired to return back to the bondage of Egypt. However, in agreement with Caleb, Joshua pleaded with Israel, saying:
The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us- a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them. Numbers 14:7-9
Much like Moses, all believers are faced with two different opinions: the voice of the overwhelming majority or the voice of God. How is that 2 young men can fully believe in the promise of God, over the voice of over a million dissenters? It is because both Joshua and Caleb had genuine faith. Their faith was not based on the difficulty of the obstacle, but was based on the power and promise of God's word fully. The other spies who sent bad reports only saw sure defeat as they crossed into Canaan because they only believed God's promise partially- they were not fully convinced that God was able to deliver them from this trial, despite the numerous victories that God gave to Israel previously. Much like the history of Israel, every trial revealed the fragile and unstable nature of their faith in God and it is only a matter of time before God gave them over to the dictates of their unbelieving heart, causing destruction of an entire generation. However, Caleb and Joshua had a different spirit that saw with eyes of faith, believing that there is nothing that can stop God's promise from coming to fruition apart from our unbelief.
This is the reality of the New Covenant life. It is a magnificent and glorious life that is fully impossible by human standards to obtain. Only those who live in the assurance of faith of God's promise will enter into this life. Much like Israel, many will strive with their own strength and discipline to obtain a measure of godliness and they will see defeat after defeat in their lives. For them, the only thing that they can see in front of them is the enormity of their sin and how it will constantly defeat them. Just like the children of Israel, it is only a matter of time before they develop an evil, unbelieving heart towards God, leading to their spiritual downfall. This is the life of the frustrated Christian and it is the very purpose of God to frustrate the plans of man so that God's plan may stand. Unfortunately, many Christians will have obtain the same testimony of Israel:
Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have no listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it
And again in Psalm 95:10-11
For forty years I loathed that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways. Therefore I swore in my anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest.
When I read this, I determined within myself that I will not leave this earth without experiencing the life in Christ that is available to those with genuine faith. The encouragement of this passage is that God fulfilled His promise for Caleb and Joshua. While every other person in the wilderness died only to see the land, two young men who simply believed God's word entered into this land. There were many battles that they had to fight and many lessons that they had to learn, but the greatest testimony given to Joshua's generation was that God would not allow them to fall since they had put their trust in Him. In the book of Joshua, God cut off the Jordan River (Joshua 3), brought down the most fortified city in Canaan (Joshua 4), and even made the sun stand still during a battle (Joshua 10:13)! This is the awesomeness of our God; when any person puts their faith in Him completely, He will not cause him to fall; He will do whatever is necessary for the believer to triumph. This is why we know that He always leads us in triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14); this is how we know that all things work together for the good (Rom. 8:18); this is how we know that sin will not have dominion over us (Rom. 6:14); this is how we know that the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet (Rom. 16:20); and ultimately, we know that we will overcome the world by our faith (1 John 5:4). By His Spirit, all of these things are not only possible, but they are our birthright as children of God through faith. Even so, the New Covenant life of victory in the fullness of the Holy Spirit is obtainable; to those who have faith in His promise, He will do whatever is necessary to fulfill His word.
What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?... Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works... But are you willing to recognize you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless. James 2:14,17,18,20
As James states, what is the usefulness of having faith if it doesn't produce action in a believer? What is the purpose of having the testimonies of Paul, Peter, and John if it doesn't challenge me daily to pursue God's heart? More importantly, what is the purpose of the living testimony of Christ and the promises to those who believe in Him if it doesn't fundamentally change my life? When I came to Christ, I did not come to him hesitantly; I came to Him in the full assurance that Christ died for my sins and by His blood, completely cleansed me from them. I was so convinced of this that it caused me to repent of my sins and former life and turn to Him. If this is the condition by which I came to Him- in full assurance of His salvation- then why do I not have full assurance that He is able to send me into this New Covenant life that is also promised in scripture?
Moreover, James makes a strong statement: Can that sort of faith save him? If a partial belief in the promise of God for justification is not genuine enough to save a person, how much less can a half-hearted belief in the promise of God for sanctification cause him to walk in newness of life? James 1:5-7 states this as follows:
But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The context of this scripture is referring to asking for Godly wisdom, but it still speaks of the spirit of faith. The truth of the matter is that a half-hearted, half-convinced, partial belief in God's promise comes down to doubt in God's word. A person with this sort of faith can fully expect to live an unstable Christian life: a Christian life that is beset with many weaknesses and enslaved with a number of sins. However, to the one that asks in genuine faith, God will give us His wisdom generously and liberally (James 1:5) so that we can live this life that the New Covenant speaks of. The reason that God generously gives His wisdom to all those who has genuine faith is because it is absolutely necessary in order for us to live this victorious life in Christ. Consider the testimony of our example Christ:
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devotion. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey the source of eternal salvation. Hebrews 5:7-9
In order for Jesus to live a victorious life over all matter of temptation (Hebrews 4:15), He was fully confident in His Father that He would deliver Him. This caused Him to pray night and day to Him, knowing that through faith and patience that He would obtain the promise. Jesus is our example and if we desire to live the life He lived, then we must have faith of the same nature as His.
The second passage that the Holy Spirit pointed me to was the story of Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13. In this passage, Moses sends spies to Canaan, which is a symbol of the fullness of God, to assess the general condition of the land. When the spies returned, Moses heard report after report claiming how fortified the cities were and how strong the inhabitants were. As the children of Israel murmured before Moses, Caleb quieted the people and with the spirit of genuine faith said:
We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome. Numbers 13:30
The other spies continued to spread the bad report to all of Israel to the point that all of Israel desired to return back to the bondage of Egypt. However, in agreement with Caleb, Joshua pleaded with Israel, saying:
The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us- a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them. Numbers 14:7-9
Much like Moses, all believers are faced with two different opinions: the voice of the overwhelming majority or the voice of God. How is that 2 young men can fully believe in the promise of God, over the voice of over a million dissenters? It is because both Joshua and Caleb had genuine faith. Their faith was not based on the difficulty of the obstacle, but was based on the power and promise of God's word fully. The other spies who sent bad reports only saw sure defeat as they crossed into Canaan because they only believed God's promise partially- they were not fully convinced that God was able to deliver them from this trial, despite the numerous victories that God gave to Israel previously. Much like the history of Israel, every trial revealed the fragile and unstable nature of their faith in God and it is only a matter of time before God gave them over to the dictates of their unbelieving heart, causing destruction of an entire generation. However, Caleb and Joshua had a different spirit that saw with eyes of faith, believing that there is nothing that can stop God's promise from coming to fruition apart from our unbelief.
This is the reality of the New Covenant life. It is a magnificent and glorious life that is fully impossible by human standards to obtain. Only those who live in the assurance of faith of God's promise will enter into this life. Much like Israel, many will strive with their own strength and discipline to obtain a measure of godliness and they will see defeat after defeat in their lives. For them, the only thing that they can see in front of them is the enormity of their sin and how it will constantly defeat them. Just like the children of Israel, it is only a matter of time before they develop an evil, unbelieving heart towards God, leading to their spiritual downfall. This is the life of the frustrated Christian and it is the very purpose of God to frustrate the plans of man so that God's plan may stand. Unfortunately, many Christians will have obtain the same testimony of Israel:
Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have no listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it
And again in Psalm 95:10-11
For forty years I loathed that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways. Therefore I swore in my anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest.
When I read this, I determined within myself that I will not leave this earth without experiencing the life in Christ that is available to those with genuine faith. The encouragement of this passage is that God fulfilled His promise for Caleb and Joshua. While every other person in the wilderness died only to see the land, two young men who simply believed God's word entered into this land. There were many battles that they had to fight and many lessons that they had to learn, but the greatest testimony given to Joshua's generation was that God would not allow them to fall since they had put their trust in Him. In the book of Joshua, God cut off the Jordan River (Joshua 3), brought down the most fortified city in Canaan (Joshua 4), and even made the sun stand still during a battle (Joshua 10:13)! This is the awesomeness of our God; when any person puts their faith in Him completely, He will not cause him to fall; He will do whatever is necessary for the believer to triumph. This is why we know that He always leads us in triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14); this is how we know that all things work together for the good (Rom. 8:18); this is how we know that sin will not have dominion over us (Rom. 6:14); this is how we know that the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet (Rom. 16:20); and ultimately, we know that we will overcome the world by our faith (1 John 5:4). By His Spirit, all of these things are not only possible, but they are our birthright as children of God through faith. Even so, the New Covenant life of victory in the fullness of the Holy Spirit is obtainable; to those who have faith in His promise, He will do whatever is necessary to fulfill His word.
So, let us be diligent in pursuing this life in God on the basis of faith unless while a promise remains of entering in, we should fall short of it. Moreover, let us be very careful not to develop an unbelieving heart like the children of Israel and fall away from the promise that He gives us in His word. Our Father is faithful and He has given us everything needed to live a godly life. Once again, we are given two choices: we can live a life full of the life of God or we can live the life that the children of Israel lived and millions of Christians live today. Let us endeavor to choose the life that Christ died for and enter into the rest that is still open for believers today.
posted by The Emissary at
12:42 PM
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