“And He said unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
From the very outset of the consideration of true Christianity, we find in the words of God, specifically those of Christ, where the call of God is to believe in Him implicitly as the only object of worship and allegiance. True belief throughout the Scriptures is proved by the engagement of the one believing with regard to the will and purposes of God. Christ’s call is to believe, but it is also to follow Him. There is certainly the appeal to the intellectual aspect of faith, where the truth of God must be known, in order to believe aright. True faith is never based upon a lie. God, though merciful, gracious, and very patient with us, cannot bless the lie, or a twisted and contorted vision of Himself, according to the imaginations and speculations of men. He takes the preserved truths of Scripture, and in one sense, breaths upon them to make them come alive to the souls of men. The conviction He gives to men concerning these truths, His declared truths, are worthy to be accepted and believed in. This is the beginning of one coming to true faith in Christ. However, intellectual faith is only a part of saving faith. The faith that is of God which truly believes that Christ is the Messiah, and the sole Saviour of sinful man, is one that submits to the authority of Christ as Lord, and King. It is when, by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the individual not only realizes that Christ is the true Son of God, there being salvation in no other, that God gives the power to turn away from his sin and selfishness, that grace is given to follow Christ according to His words. In trusting Christ alone, one is then born of the Spirit, for true faith has been received, a faith that is intellectual, emotional, and volitional. To believe in Christ is to follow Him, the life submitted wholly to Him. Though there are many different testimonies of true believers concerning how the Lord worked in their lives to bring them to Himself, there remains the common truth and thread of reality that is characteristice of all. God worked in circumstances, through His word, or the testimony of a believer, to bring the sinner to the understanding and conviction, that only God in Christ could truly meet the most basic need of his heart, that of being saved. Sometimes this individual experience is a very simple one where the individual becomes convinced that he has no resources, and is helpless and lost, with no where to turn except to Christ. It is at this point that God in His mercy and grace comes to give “power” to call upon Him with all the heart, and even though the individual may not fully know all that is true of Christ, he or she is brought to place of being cast upon the mercy and love of God, crying unto Him for His intervention in the life. Christ has made it very clear by His words and example, that he will not reject those who truly, sincerely come to Him, calling upon Him for salvation. All of His dealings with men have their objective to bring each one to faith, true faith, that they might not only be saved, but that His glory should be revealed in them, “Chist in you, the hope of glory.” How then is one to come and truly follow Christ? It begins with a turning away from that which is not of Him, and a turning to Him alone for salvation and deliverance.
The wonderful example of this is seen in God’s dealings with Israel. He is ever seeking to bring the people to Himself, to that point of TURNING towards Him, away from idolatry and speculation. He does this through the written Scriptures, the preaching of the prophets, and the witness of His presence in its beauty, power, and wisdom in believers.
Dear Father, Fill us with Thy faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.