Zeal For Truth

As previously discussed in this series, the spirit of faith is demonstrated by the use of words. It is verbal agreement with God. As a result of what we believe, we speak. Fortunately for us, the Bible is replete with examples of how people believed God in the face of adverse circumstances. Though their trials were very real, they were no match for faith in God. One of the most complete narratives in the Old Testament about faith is the story of Abraham. Abraham was promised he would be a father when he was an old man and his wife was an old woman (Genesis 17:2-5). There are a number of faith lessons we can learn from this biblical example of how all things are possible with God, and all things are possible to him that believes in God.

Lessons from Romans 4

17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

There is a lot in this verse. First, notice that God says that has made Abraham (past tense) the father of many nations. When did this occur? It occurred the moment the promise was given, before Sarah was pregnant. How do we know this? The verse says plainly that God “calls into being that which does not exist.” This illustrates the creative power of God’s word, which has the ability to alter history – whether spoken through the mouth of a prophet by inspiration of the Spirit or the mouth of anyone who dares to believe and apply what is written.

In some peoples’ minds, it is foolish to believe something that cannot be seen. Even among those who profess to believe that Christ rose from the dead, scarcely will one speak as though something has changed before the evidence materializes. Yet this is exactly what Abraham did, when he received his new name from God.  What would people think if an old childless man began to call himself Father of a Multitude? They would think he was nuts, of course, because he is childless. Just as God called that into being which did not exist, Abraham essentially did the same by agreeing with God and saying the same thing about himself that God said.

18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

Contrary to the natural expectation, which would have been to die without ever having a son, Abraham believed what God said and expected to become the father of a multitude. Verse 19 holds one of the most unrecognized mysteries about faith. It says that Abraham did not consider his aged body, nor did he consider the “deadness of Sarah’s womb.” Therefore Abraham was not in denial about his natural circumstance, he just did not give it any consideration. This is difficult for most people to grasp because, whether they say so or not, their human limitations dictate the extent to which they believe. To them, physical evidence and the ability to understand are paramount. They have failed to realize that faith is the evidence of things not seen – it is incomprehensible both to the human eye and human reason.

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

What does it mean to waver? It means to be unstable or inconsistent in one’s faith or in the expression thereof. The person who prays for something, and loses hope before he physically possesses the thing he once believed for, should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-8).  How can one guard himself against an attitude of doubt or unbelief? I believe the answer is found here in verse 20 where it reads, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.” Abraham gave glory to God. I’m sure he was tempted to doubt just like we all are, but he refused to be overcome by the influence of the temporal world, and rather glorified God. When a thing has been requested in prayer and the person praying has believed he has received when he prayed as Jesus taught in Mark 11:24, the only thing left to do is glorify God for the answer. This too is an expression of faith.

Identifying the Promises of God
We have already established that faith is based on the knowledge of God. When knowledge is revealed, there is an opportunity to believe. This is a personal acknowledgement of the truth and worth of the knowledge of God as revealed in his holy word. In examining the story of Abraham, we see that his faith was specific to the promise he was given. By the narrative account and the passage in Romans 4, we can see exactly what he believed and why.

The New Covenant, although superior to the old one, is established on promises. Christians, like our father Abraham, have received promises from God – promises that he will no doubt bring to pass if we believe and take possession of them. But if we are content neither to learn the promises nor apply them in our lives, they are just as ineffective as if they had never been promised. The promises of God must be obtained by the faith of those to whom the promises apply (Hebrews 11:33). If we lack knowledge of the promises, we of necessity lack faith concerning them, because faith is the result of knowledge. Therefore anyone intent on living by faith, as the Bible commands, must take an active role in learning the promises, personally applying them to their lives, and acting in accordance with the beliefs established by the promises.

Lessons from 2 Peter 1

1Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

Grace contains the capacity of faith. Grace is multiplied to us when the knowledge of God is revealed, thus making a way for faith, by which grace is accessed. Therefore, the more knowledge of God the greater opportunity for faith.

 3Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

The vast reservoir of grace made evident by the promises of God toward New Covenant believers is revealed in this statement: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” Just as in the case with Abraham, when God promises a thing he has granted it. So as far as God is concerned his provision for his children has already been made, secured for us through the grace of Jesus Christ. It is now up to us to inherit the promise through faith and patience (Hebrews 6:12).

When Peter said “having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” he was contrasting that to the divine nature. These are two contrary forces: the earthly nature of the flesh and the divine nature of the spirit. Many Christians struggle with the concept of faith because their consciousness is filled with earthly concerns. They have yet to realize the means by which they may take flight from the mental imprisonment that arises from base human imaginations. The remedy is a steadfast magnification of the knowledge of God above everything that exalts itself above it, and a subsequent escape from the limitations of sense knowledge to the limitlessness of God and faith.

20My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.

Proverbs 4:20, 21

Yea and Amen

19For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us–by me and Silvanus and Timothy–was not yes and no, but is yes in Him.

20For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.

2 Corinthians 1:19, 20

There are no promises which God has made to his people at any time throughout history that do not apply to his present-day believers, insomuch as they have to do with “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” In other words, the essence of any promise God has made that reveals his will for his people is unchanged in those who are in Christ. There can be no loss of privilege to those who are in Christ in comparison to those who lived out the shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1). If we believe that our covenant is a better covenant established on better promises, we must also believe that it has progressed beyond its predecessor – not to exclude the promises of the past, but to see them fulfilled in Abraham’s seed, who is Christ.

16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

26For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Galatians 3:16; 26-29