From: Ben Kelley
Subject: Faith is....
There are many ideas floating around today about faith.
Some see it as something to be acquired and built by one's exercise, others as
some blind gullibility practiced by "religious" people who have nothing solid
upon which to believe. Many "faith" teachers abound who claim it as an
instrument to make God do what you want Him to. I believe faith is none of
these. I believe it is a gift, as we are
told by Paul in the familiar passage of Ephesians 2:8-9: For by
grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast. (New King James Version) I realize some say the
word "that" refers back to the "grace", and some to "saved, but I believe it
more properly points to all 3, grace, salvation, and faith. None of us can
receive grace by our works, for then it is no longer grace. In the same
light, no one can be saved, except by the gift of God. Finally, no one can
believe on such wonderful things unless God's Spirit speaks those truths into
their hearts, producing faith. In eternity, no one will
be able to boast of obtaining anything related to their
salvation by their own merit or work! If faith was something we could
obtain or add to by our own power, we would have something to boast of.
Scripture tells us: But they have not all
obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has
believed our report?" So then faith
comes by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
"Their sound has gone out to all
the earth, And their words to the ends
of the world."
(Romans 10:13-18 (NKJV) Millions of
people have heard the message (their sound and words), but only a
relatively few have acted upon them and been saved, as Jesus told us in
Matthew 7:14. Why does only one person in a group hearing a gospel
presentation "get saved?" They all hear the same person speaking the same
words at the same time in the same place. The problem is, only that one
accepts and appropriates the gifts of faith, grace, and
salvation. A gift is no good until one takes it as their own.
For instance, one could have a room full of unopened presents, but never receive
the blessing from any of them, until they take and open them.
There is one other point about a gift I want to make; it must be
delivered! The following passage tells us
this: For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher?
(Romans 10:13-14 (NKJV) That word translated as "preacher doesn't mean the
person who is "paid" to stand in the pulpit and speak about God; it merely means
"one who proclaims." God wants all believers to deliver
the gift that is packaged in His Word. That gift can be "wrapped" in the
personally spoken word, the printed word (as in a Gospel tract or gift Bible),
or the audio/visual word (like television and radio speaking over stations you
support through prayer and financial assistance). Many Christians I've met
say they just can't stand and "witness" to someone. I say, "if that is
really true, you can give out Gospel tracts and financially help "ministries"
that do deliver the Word."
To sum up, faith is a gift from God,
pre-wrapped in His Word, which must be personally delivered
and personally accepted. Will you be obedient to God, and start
helping deliver His gift?
Ben
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