“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Why is it that faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, is the most spiritually logical, and convincingly dominating reality, that remains intact over the centuries, ever proving to mankind that sinful man can be reconciled to God, have peace with God, and enter into true communion with Him? In other words, how is it that little man, even though he is a sinner, can know the Eternal God, Christ revealing Himself to the soul of the believer by the Spirit of God? It is because true faith has ever been declared, and revealed in the Scriptures, the Bible, as being just as real, certain, and operational in the life, as anything in the physical world, even more so. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote this: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (11:1) What is the author declaring? First and foremost is the fact that faith is a real thing, not only by the effect that it has upon the believer in that it creates a hope in God, and expectation of Him working and moving in a certain way, but that also, true faith is proven to be the gift of God by the results of exercising it. Later in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we read, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He IS, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (11:6) This faith of which the Scriptures speaks is a faith given BY God, in order first of all, to justify, or render the believer just or righteous in the sight of God. There is no pleasing God unless the individual believer possesses this faith. Why? By true faith, one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ to be, as the Apostle Paul put it, “…there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) God does not provide us several means of approaching Him and obtaining peace with Him. There is but one provision, and it is in His Son who died on Calvary, not only to deal with all of man’s sin, but by accomplishing a work so perfect and complete, a work of perfect righteousness in the sight of God, that God can and will accept the one who trusts in Christ alone. Peace with God, instead of living under His wrath, is the first proof of faith. This peace will begin to have its effect upon the life for its duration, and into eternity. The believer by nature has become a lover, and pursuer of peace with others because of the love of God now dwelling in the heart by the Spirit of God.
There is another aspect of this life of faith that is essential, and it has to do with present blessing, the knowledge of the blessing of God and the reception of it. Scripture calls this the “reward” of the believer. So that, not only does true faith grasp the reality that there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, but that when faith is exercised, the believer actually receives from God a certain reward, or blessing. The highest and greatest blessing of all is God Himself, for in Christ there is Life eternal. This Life eternal is not just characterized by the duration of the life, but by the very nature of God communicated to the heart of the believer. It is Christ, by the Spirit, dwelling in the heart by faith. The reward of faith is the reception of Christ as one’s life, not only with regard to the truth of this life, but because of its power. Christ then becomes the fountain of one’s life, and the river of it, overpowering the unbelieving power against it.
Dear Father, Fill us with faith, In Jesus’ name, Amen.