"Men of Faith"

 

 Part 1 -     Abrahams Seed

 

 Since the day that Jesus of Nazareth was nailed to the cross, this one incident has impacted humanity more than any other single event in the history of man.

 

Except for Judaism, Christianity is the only other religion that God the creator has had a hand in forming since the beginning of time.

 

Yes there are other religions and cults throughout the world that men have formed and Satan has given them his stamp of approval but they have absolutely nothing to do with God the Father.

 

Remember these words from “Jesus the Christ”, I am the way the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father except through me. The wonderful name of Jesus is the only door to salvation or deliverance.

 

Since the teaching of the gospel message began after the ascension of Christ, men have had the opportunity to both, accept or reject the good news of redemption, those who have accepted it have received eternal life and those who have rejected it have received damnation.

 

From the time that I was very young until the age of 29, I cursed God and the name of Jesus. The reason I did so was because of ignorance, I was never taught any different and so I simply followed after the ways of the world.

 

Little did I know that the Spirit of God was waiting patiently for me to call on that wonderful name which in turn enabled Him to make of me a new creation.

 

When this happened at the age of 29, I instantly experienced regeneration in my spirit man and I became a new creature in Christ Jesus, receiving the greatest miracle that man could ever hope to receive.

 

This is a fact and a spiritual truth that has spread from that small group of believers on the day of Pentecost to this very day in which we are living.

 

Right here would be a great place to insert some wisdom from a very prominent member of the Pharisees by the name of Gamaliel. The religious community chose not to believe the truth and were very disturbed by the teaching of the early church. As a matter of fact they gathered the council together in order to discuss how they might kill them, and it also says they were very furious. I wonder why the truth always infuriates non-believers?

 

All at once Gamaliel stands up and says, “Keep away from these men and leave them alone, for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God.” Acts 5:38-39.

 

Now why has this movement caused so much attention and been so misunderstood for so many years?

 

It is simply this; it causes attention because of the life force that is behind it. By a single act of faith an unregenerate man can experience the very presence of God the Father in an instant of time.

 

When Jesus said to the religious leader in John chapter three that you must be born again it caused confusion in his carnal mind, there was simply no way that he could gain understanding of such a statement. He could only reply from his natural thinking because no one had as yet been born again.

 

Even though Jesus took time to explain it, the carnal mind could never grasp such an eternal statement. This was the mystery hidden in God that no man as yet had the pleasure to experience.

 

This also is where the misunderstanding comes into play as well.

 

 

Every other religion including Judaism is understood by the carnal mind because they deal strictly with good works, that after being performed for a period of time will eventually lead them to their eternal reward depending on which reward is offered by what religion.

 

The foundation of Christian teaching is one of a kind in that it teaches salvation from an act of personal faith only, which in turn will produce good works. We are called to believe from our hearts that God has provided redemption for us if we will just accept the sacrifice of His Son and speak out our belief without any natural proof that this indeed has taken place.

 

Hebrews 11:6 says it best and it reads like this, he who comes to God must believe that God exists and that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Also in 2 Corinthians 5:7 it says, for we walk by faith and not by sight.

 

The Christian faith is based simply on believing Gods word and acting on it with no physical evidence that it will actually come to pass, but “knowing” in our heart that it will.

 

Now I have said all of that in order to bring our focus directly upon the title of our message, “Men of Faith.”

 

Jesus taught His disciples that the word of God is spiritual seed and if men would allow this seed to enter into their hearts then they would become right with God.

 

Well the first man we are going to look at did just that and today we call him the father of faith. His name was Abraham and I’m sure that he was a good man who probably treated people well and performed good works.

 

But, in Romans chapter four the word of God clearly teaches us that Abraham was not justified by works but by faith. Romans 4:3 says, for what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6.

 

Remember we talked about good works not being able to produce salvation but in Christ it is the exact opposite. Salvation by faith produces good works.

 

In James 2:23-24 it says this, the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. The Amplified says through works of obedience as well as by what he believes.

 

So we can all agree that Abraham became the father of faith because he believed the promises of God and acted accordingly.

 

Until I read Abrahams story from the Amplified Bible I really didn’t have a spiritual picture of just how strong this man had become in his faith.

 

When God approached him in Genesis twelve to get up and move on that is exactly what he did. But remember he was 75 years old at the time. I believe that even before this happened that he and God had a relationship that developed around Abrahams faith and actions.

 

When we read on we see that Abraham remained obedient even though the carnal man showed up every now and then.

 

Then it happened, the one thing that would solidify his faith forever. God gave him a son whom he called Isaac. Even though it took 25 years to come to pass it was all because he believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.

 

There is one incident that nailed it for me as far as strong faith is concerned, and that is the act of obedience, that Abraham never thought twice about, when God said take your son whom you love and offer him as a burnt offering.

 

It has been taught by some over the years that God put Abraham to the test and that he was sad, felt rejected and was disappointed etc. But I cannot find this anywhere in the word.

 

On the contrary, in Hebrews 11:17-19 it says this, by faith Abraham when he was tested offered up Isaac and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said  “In Isaac your seed shall be called," Genesis 21:12, accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

 

Talk about a sixth sense, that is exactly what strong faith is.

 

Listen to verse 19 from the Amplified, for he reasoned that God was able to raise him (Isaac) up from among the dead. Indeed in the sense that Isaac was figuratively dead (potentially sacrificed) he did actually receive him back from the dead.

 

This doesn’t sound like a weak and fearful man to me. Plus there is one more statement that Abraham made that thrills me to the bone. Remember he was strong in faith giving glory to God.

 

In Genesis 22, Abraham, Isaac and his men were heading to the mountain to make the big sacrifice; Abraham stops, turns to his men and makes one of the most profound statements in the word of God.

In verse five he says to his men, “the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and “we” will come back to you.”

 

What was Abraham doing? He was simply imitating his Father. Remember God was always in the practice of calling things that be not as though they were. The Amplified says this, God speaks of the non-existent things that He has foretold and promised as if they already existed. Genesis 15:5.

 

Simply put, Abraham looking through the eye of faith as he spoke to his men, saw himself killing his son, burning him as a sacrifice and then standing back and watching God raise him from the dead.

 

He allowed the seed of God’s word to take root and grow in his spirit man to the point that his faith over rode the natural realm and the promise of “by your seed all the earth would be blessed” became more real to him than anything revealed to him by his five physical senses.That and only that is the reason he was and is called the father of faith.

 

Written by: R W Nagle. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

              "Men of Faith"

 

 Part 2 -           The Messiah

 

 In part one we looked at the fact that God approved the man named Abraham, made him a promise with the end result being, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6.

 

In Romans 4:20-21 the word says this, he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced (persuaded) that what God had promised He was also able to perform.

 

What was that promise?

 

I will make of you a great nation Genesis 12:2,  to your descendants I will give this land Vs.7 and I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth and in you all the earth will be blessed. Genesis 13:6.

 

What exactly was God the creator doing?

 

Romans 4:17 – even God who gives life to the dead and calls things that be not as though they were, or things that don’t exist as though they did. God speaks faith filled words that always come to pass.

 

When God finds a man who chooses to believe His word simply because of the source and with no physical evidence that it will come to pass then He (God) has someone to work with in the earth.

 

Once God was convinced that Abraham was truly that man look at what He did next.

 

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have already made you a father of many nations. Genesis 17:5.

 

The moment that God called him Abraham was the moment that the promise came to pass.

 

Why?

 

Because, when Gods word goes out of His mouth it does not return void but it accomplishes the thing for which it was sent. Isaiah 55:11.

 

That my friends is the bottom line. When the word of God is given and received, it takes root within the receiver and it grows into the thing for which it was sent.

 

After the fall of Adam, God gave His word to Satan that One would come Who would bruise his head under foot, when this word went out all God had to do was patiently wait for the right man to come along to begin the process, that man was Abraham.

 

Now, in the first chapter of Lukes gospel I want us to notice specifically how the word was given and how it was received. Vs. 28 – The angel says to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, Vs. 31 – you will conceive a Son and call His name Jesus, Vs. 33 – He will reign over the house of David and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”

 

Vs.34 - Of course Mary knew how children were conceived because she simply asked, “How will it happen since I’ve never known a man?”

 

Once the angel explained it to her he then made a profound statement that sealed it for her, Vs. 37 – “ For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

 

Remember we all have a choice when it comes to God’s word, once we hear it we can choose to believe it or reject it, this is called the free will principle.

 

Could Mary have chosen to disbelieve what the angel was telling her? Of course she could have but thank God He knew what He was doing. In Vs. 38 we find one of the most faith filled statements ever spoken by a human being. Let it ring throughout the ages as an example of the God kind of faith. Listen to this, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

 

At that very moment the Holy One of God was conceived in her womb. The promise of the Messiah had just taken root and now there was no turning back.

 

Those three little words “let it be” should not just be the title of a popular song but they should ring in our ears every time we see a promise from the Father in our new covenant. Have we learned something from this young Jewish maidservant of the Lord?

 

Remember God gives life to the dead and calls those things that be not as though they were.

 

What we have just seen is the result of His word going forth throughout the ages, all the prophecies spoken by all the prophets concerning the redeemer have been fulfilled this very day in the city of Nazareth.

 

A few months later in Luke 2:11, an angel speaks to some shepherds out in the fields and says, there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

 

In Vs. 17 it says, the shepherds were testifying of the Lord and in Vs.19 it says, Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

 

We know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem but He grew up in the city of Nazareth in Galilee, which is why He was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth.

 

There is not a lot of information in the word concerning His childhood except for His trip to Jerusalem at the age of twelve.

 

But there is one thing that we know for sure, since He is referred to in the word as the last Adam and since He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not by an earthly or sensual man, then He obviously must have been born with the divine nature of God the Father. 2 Peter 1:4. He was at birth and throughout His earthly walk the sinless Lamb of God. 1 Peter 1:9.The Bible says by two or three witness’s let every word be established. 2 Corinthians 13:1.

 

In Luke chapter two, besides Mary and Joseph, we can see that God has prepared two other witnesses concerning who this child was and who He would become.

 

In Luke 2:30 a man named Simeon took Him in his arms, thanked God and said, “with my own eyes I have seen your salvation.” Vs. 32 – “A light for revelation to the gentiles – to disclose what was before unknown – and to bring praise and honor and glory to your people Israel.”

 

Then in Vs.38 we see a prophetess named Anna who had been worshipping night and day with fasting and prayer, it says she too came up that very hour and she returned thanks to God, and talked of Jesus to all who were looking for the redemption (deliverance) in Jerusalem.

 

Now it doesn’t say this in the word but personally I like to believe that because of who she was that Mary like all loving mothers shared with her Son all of these things that she pondered in her heart. Luke 2:19.

 

Also in Luke chapter two we see two other verses that give us some insight as to what took place during Jesus growing years.

 

In Luke 2:40 it says, and the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him. Vs. 52 says, and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. I believe that these two scriptures prove beyond any doubt that besides being God the Son, Jesus was and is all man, consisting of spirit, soul and body.

 

In Pauls letter to the Colossians he encourages the believer to put on the new man, meaning, learn to let the spirit or inner man have control.

 

Because Jesus had no sin in His life I believe that he put on the new man at a very early age. Verse 40 clearly states that He became strong in spirit. You only become strong in spirit by becoming strong in faith. Only when you are strong in faith do you fully please the Father.

 

Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, He obviously had some old covenant training sometime during His youth. He could not have increased in God’s wisdom by listening to left wing propaganda. Listen to what He said to Mary and Joseph when they found Him in the temple; remember He was only twelve years old, “Why is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Fathers business?”

 

I believe He learned from His Heavenly Father, his natural mother and father and the many wise teachers that must have been available to Him.

 

Notice this, he grew in wisdom to the point that at the age of twelve they found Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. The word also says this; all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. Luke 2:46-47.

 

How many twelve-year-olds can sit among the teachers and cause them to be astonished? Listen to the Amplified, and all who heard Him were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His intelligence and understanding and His replies.

 

When it was time for His earthly ministry to begin Jesus of Nazareth knew who He was and He knew His divine purpose.

 

For proof of this let’s read Luke 4:18-19 – The man Jesus stands up in the synagogue on the Sabbath day and begins to read from the book of Isaiah, “ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

 

He closed the book and sat down, all eyes were upon Him, and then He made a statement that all Jews have been waiting to hear for thousands of years, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

 

What was their reaction?

 

They wanted to throw Him over the cliff. Imagine that, the Messiah had arrived and they refused to believe it.

 

They should have said what Pilate said in John 9:5 – “Behold the Man.”

 

Well today we have the privilege of saying “Behold the Man of Faith.”

 

 

Written by: R W Nagle.      

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            "Men of Faith"

 

Part 3 -          The Victor

 

 

In part two we saw the miracle of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. We saw how he grew in faith and became strong in the spirit man. We saw that He put on the spirit man with the wisdom of His Father and those close to Him.

 

Because the kingdom of God was already birthed in Him, He did not have to learn how to be an overcomer, He was the original, the only one until the new birth became available to all men.

 

There has never been a more victorious man on the face of the earth, in reality He was and is a Superman.

 

In Matthew 3:13-15, Jesus came to John the Baptist to be immersed in water, at first John was hesitant saying it should be You who baptizes me but Jesus simply explained that it was necessary just this one time.

 

In vs.15 He says, “Permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." What He was saying is this, the righteousness that comes through faith has got to be expressed through corresponding actions. Therefore if I am to be the head of my church then I have to set the example for them to follow, which is obedience to the Father.

 

How do we know this?

 

Because after His physical baptism the Heavenly Father gave Him His stamp of approval.

 

Look at Luke 3:22 – And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven which said, “ You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” The Amplified says, “In You I am well pleased and find delight."

 

This reminds me of another scripture from Genesis 1:31 – it says, and God saw everything that He had made and behold it was very good – suitable, pleasant – and He approved it completely.

 

Faith and obedience will go a long way towards pleasing our Father. He is extremely delighted when a person makes a decision by his own free will to take Him at his word and say not my will but Yours be done. Hebrews 11:6 says this man will be rewarded.

 

Why was the Son of man so obedient to the Father?

 

Because at this particular time in His life His mind had been renewed to where he knew the perfect will of God for His life. Although He was obedient in water baptism this was just the first step towards his fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Messiah.

 

Look at Isaiah 42:1 – Behold My servant, Whom I uphold, My elect, in Whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice and right, and reveal truth to the nations.

 

Jesus of Nazareth fully pleased the Father in obedience therefore He was untouched by the sin of the world. 1 John 3:5.

                                                                                                             In Hebrews chapter five the writer is making a contrast between persons who are spiritually mature and those who are still maturing. Look at verse 14, but solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

We who are born into the body of Christ are born spiritual babes. We have to do the things necessary, that are laid out for us in the new covenant, that will enable us to one day reach spiritual maturity.

 

Paul explained this in the word as putting on the new man; he has encouraged us to be like our father Abraham, to be strong in faith. Ephesians 6:10. It actually says to be strong in the Lord but you can’t be strong in the Lord without being strong in faith. His strength can only come through the spirit man, which gathers strength through the word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17.

 

This exercise in spiritual things is what eventually enables us to mature to the point where we do have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

All right, because Jesus of Nazareth had no sin in His life to deter or distract Him from His purpose, this enabled Him at the age of twelve to cause people to notice that He grew and became strong in spirit, was filled with wisdom and that the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40.

 

We can just imagine if He was that mature at the age of twelve then how mature must He have been when He began His ministry on or about the age of thirty? Luke 3:23.

 

Before we move on for the benefit of those who may be skeptical or weak in faith, let us go to the word and clarify the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed a man of flesh and because He allowed Himself to identify with us, that in turn allows us to be able to identify with Him.

 

Let’s read Hebrews 4:15 – For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, and indeed He was touched with feelings of our infirmities.

 

So how did he identify with us who are always struggling with this lower life?

 

Listen to His words to His followers in John 14:30 – “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me."

 

Jesus gave no place to the devil, yet He was allowed to be tempted in every way. Through this, He was able to see for Himself exactly what man was going through on a daily basis. And of course when He went to the cross he experienced the totality of the curse upon the whole man, spirit, soul and body. Galatians  3:13.

 

Here was a man who ministered for approximately three and one half years on the earth and was victorious in every way.

 

Let’s see exactly how spiritual this man was. In Luke chapter four we find the beginning of His temptations. In verse one it says He was filled with the Spirit and He was led by the Spirit. Two qualifications that point to a spiritually mature man. He obviously had the revelation of Galatians 6:8, he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life.

 

Talk about being touched by the feelings of our infirmities look at Luke 4:2, He was tempted for fourty days and during this time He ate nothing. The Amplified says He was tempted, (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil.

 

Talk about being tempted by food, as I am writing this I am experiencing one of the greatest temptations ever brought against a married man. Can you guess what it is? You’re exactly right, it’s the smell of a roast beef dinner in the oven.

 

Now do you think it’s possible that I can walk upstairs and by pass the kitchen, walk out the front door and into the wilderness to be tempted for fourty days?

 

Maybe if it was someone elses roast beef dinner but not my wifes. Why? Because I’ve already experienced it before. For me to get past the kitchen I would have to be translated like Philip was in the book of Acts. Otherwise I’m a goner. Plus, I have never read in the new covenant where I am commanded to do such a thing.

 

Let’s continue, Jesus was tempted for fourty days, He ate nothing and it says afterward He was hungry. What comes next is one of the greatest teachings from the word of God concerning the temptations of man. Here if we can grasp it, is the number one rule in the word for repelling Satan when he comes at our weakest point in life.

 

Do you remember when Satan first attempted to deceive someone with food and he was successful? That’s right, in the Garden of Eden.

Notice he hasn’t changed his strategy in all this time.

 

Right here is where he met the real Superman for the first time.

 

Remember to Eve he said, “Did God really say that”? I don’t think that’s what He meant, you will not surely die but your eyes will be open. To Jesus he said, “If you are the Son of God, and if you are as hungry as you appear to be, just give a command and turn this stone to bread."

 

But this time he received something that he hadn’t counted on. Here was someone who was more than prepared for battle. Here was the Son of God, strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40.

 

What did Jesus do?

 

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

 

Luke 4:4 - Jesus answered him saying, it is written, which is the word of God, the sword of the spirit.

 

 

Written by: R W Nagle. 

 

 

 

  

 

 

            "Men of Faith"

 

Part 4 -        Spiritual Seed

 

 If Abraham was the father of faith and Jesus was our example of the new life to come then this next individual has got to be the number one example of what Gods word or spiritual seed will do in the life of a man who chooses to live it day in and day out 24/7.

 

In Acts chapter nine we see a man who was acting contrary to the will of God. In Vs.3, it says Saul came near to Damascus and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. He fell to the ground and a voice said to him, vs.4, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?" Vs.5, Saul said, “who are you Lord?" And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." Vs,6, Saul said, “Lord, what do you want me to do? The Lord said, “Arise go into the city and you will be told what you must do."

 

What sort of man must this be that Jesus Himself came down, interrupted his seemingly adventurous life and caused him to make a 180-degree turn around?

 

I believe from reading Saul’s testimony that God knew exactly what He was doing, just as He had chosen Moses for a specific job, and Abraham, and Mary etc. even now He was choosing the right man for the job. He didn’t have to put an add in the paper, He didn’t have to look through a dozen resumes or interview a dozen people, He knew that He knew. Saul had all the qualifications necessary to become the apostle Paul.

 

In Acts 22 Paul is addressing a mob in Jerusalem and he is testifying about who he was and who he had become. In vs. 3 he says, “I am indeed a Jew, I was taught according to the strictness of our father’s law, I was zealous toward God, and I persecuted the Church to the death." 

                                                                                                                                                                         Then in Philippians 3 he was explaining again to the Jews that if anyone was perfect under the law then it was him, vs. 4 “If anyone thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so, vs, 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law a Pharisee, vs. 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning righteousness which is in the law, blameless."

 

So we see from these scriptures that Saul did indeed qualify for the job. All that was missing was one piece of the puzzle and that was a relationship with his Messiah.

 

As we have seen from his testimony, Saul was an authority of the law, he truly believed that the Jewish Messiah would come some day. Then on the road to Damascus he met the One who is the light of the world.

 

Notice in Philippians 3:4 Paul says that he had complete confidence in the flesh. He saw himself as a righteous man under the law. Meaning he kept the commandments to the extreme. He saw himself as blameless. This is what drove him in his persecution of the church. His being completely right gave him a zealous attitude and a drive to wipe out this, in his mind, blasphemous cult.

 

But after his conversion he knew that everything he did before was against God and as he says further on in Philippians 3:8-9 – “I count all things as rubbish, that I might gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." In the Amplified version it says, I consider all things to be mere rubbish or refuse, today we say garbage.

 

So everything that he did and tried to accomplish under the law in order to obtain self righteousness was now considered as trash to be cast aside for something far better.

 

What did he say was far better?

 

The righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus the Christ.

 

From the moment he heard these words, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” he began to take on the mind of Christ. He tells us himself that he wasn’t taught by man but by revelation from Christ Himself. Galatians 1:12 and Ephesians 3:3.

 

Up until the time of Pauls conversion the gospel was preached mainly to the Jews by the apostles and prophets. When Paul came along he too preached mainly to the Jews until he was instructed to go also to the Gentiles, it is here that we know that the good news is for all men.

 

It was now possible for any man to be justified by faith. This would be the spiritual path by which the Body of Christ would take this gospel into all the world.

 

Listen to Paul’s words in Romans 1:16-17 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentiles). For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith."

 

When Paul found out the truth that believers are saved by faith and not by works this was the message that he took to all the world. I’m sure when he had this particular revelation in his spirit man, all at once the Old Testament scriptures began to come to life and he could see that God indeed had planned this salvation for many, many years.

 

Let’s read a scripture that Paul used from Habakkuk that pertains to our subject at hand. Look at Habakkuk 2:4 – But the rigidly just and the uncompromisingly righteous man shall live by his faith and in his faithfulness. This is telling the believer that if we are justified and right with God then we too are called to live by our own personal faith.

 

Paul teaches that after an individual receives Christ as Lord and Savior by the act of his own free will he is then called to walk in this very same way. 2 Corinthians 5:7. If the just man is to live by faith then it has got to be Gods way and not mans way.

 

In Johns gospel chapter twenty we find the perfect example of how to believe by faith.

 

We know that after His resurrection Jesus began to appear to His disciples but Thomas was not there, Thomas says to the others in Vs. 25, “ Unless I see the nail prints in His hands and touch His side I will not believe." The Amplified says, “I will never believe." That is sense knowledge faith put into action and all of us know it very well. Have you ever heard someone say, “Show me my healing first and then I will believe."

 

Now a few days later Jesus appeared to them again and Thomas was there and of course he believed when he could see and touch.

Now this is where Jesus makes a statement that we need to grab onto with our spirits and not our heads, listen closely as the Lord speaks, Vs.29 – “Because you have seen me Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)?" Blessed and happy and to be envied are those who have never seen me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted in and relied on me."

 

Jesus is of course talking about us, the ones that He prayed for in John 17:20 when He said “I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in Me through their word."

 

Remember this, go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone, those who believe will be delivered, those who don’t believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16.

 

Are we the ones who are delivered? Are we the ones who live by faith? The faith that proclaims I will believe first and then I will see. I will believe His word and allow Christ to be formed in me. I will stand and shout these words from the mouth of Mother Mary, “Let it be to me according to your word."

 

Written by: R W Nagle.