Do You Have Faith?

Do you know that you are truly a Christian? Is your faith in God a sure, Bible-validated faith?

There is no clearer teaching in God's Word than the teaching that a person may presently have the knowledge of sins forgiven, the present assurance of being right with God. That assurance, however, comes only by faith.

On what is this faith based? First, on the plain statement of the Bible (John 20:31; 5:1; I John 1:9; 2:3). Second, on the inward assurance of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16; I John 4:13). Third, on the outward evidences—equally manifest to ourselves and to others —of a transformed life (John 13:35; Rom. 12:1; Rev. 7:14).

Is it true that "judging by the way they act, it's hard to tell the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian?" Is it not true rather, that how a man acts is the truest and only (humanly) certain evidence of a man's faith?

Though faith itself is unseen, its presence and operation are clearly manifest, for faith is known by what it does. This is the great emphasis of James—"Faith without works is dead." A true believer will obey Christ, openly and unmistakably.

Hebrews 11 is replete with proofs of faith. Abel declared his faith by the offering of a sacrifice. When Noah prepared an ark, it was visible evidence of his faith in God—even when others mocked.

Because of true faith, Abraham left Ur and settled in Canaan, and was content to live in tents because he looked for a heavenly city.

It was courageous faith that prompted Moses to spurn the title to Egypt's throne. Casting his lot joyously with the people of God, utterly disdaining earthly glory, Moses declared his faith in "the recompense of the reward."

Faith does not always make gains. Faith knows how to lose. "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might have a better resurrection."

Faith is manifest both by what a person does and by what he refuses to do. It is not certified merely by a desire or feeling.

In a true sense, therefore, how you live is what you believe The life you live is the faith you have.

--George E. Failing

Sowing The Wind Of Empty Hopes

Many men spend their days in obstinacy and hardness, adding drunkenness unto thirst, never once inquiring what their condition shall be when they enter into eternity; others trifle away their time and their souls, sowing the wind of empty hopes, and preparing to reap a whirlwind of wrath; but this lies at the bottom of all the saints' communion with Christ,—a deep, fixed, resolved persuasion of an absolute and indispensable necessity of a righteousness wherewith to appear before God. The holiness of God's nature, the righteousness of his government, the severity of his law, the terror of his wrath, are always before them. They have been all convinced of sin, and have looked on themselves as ready to sink under the vengeance due to it.

--John Owen

Pastor In Title Only?

We should beware of resting our claim to the people’s attention on our outward [pastoral] call only. It will never do to tell our people, “We are your ordained ministers, and therefore you must believe and follow whatever we tell you.” On the contrary, we must tell them to prove our teaching by Scripture, and not to receive it unless it is scriptural. That man has no right to expect the attention of his people, who does not preach the Gospel and live the Gospel. The rule of Paul is clear on this point. He told the Thessalonians to esteem their ministers very highly “for their work’s sake” (1 Thess. 5:13). When there is no “work” done, it is vain to expect the people’s esteem.

-J.C. Ryle

Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual warfare is a fight which everyone who would be saved must fight to persevere in order to grow in faith.

"He that understands the nature of true holiness must know that a Christian is a "person of war."

There are three fronts on which the Christian will fight throughout the course of their lives.

We must fight the flesh: "What and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Mark 14:38)

We must fight the world:  "Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (James 4:4)

We must fight the devil:  "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Eph 6:11)

A great military general once said, "In a time of war it is the worst mistake to underestimate your enemy, and try to make a little war."

(Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots R.C. Ryle)

What It Means To Be Missional

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Holiness: It is Real...

And this I do boldly and confidently say, that true holiness is a great reality. It is something in a person that can be seen, and known, and marked, and felt by all around them. It is light: if it exists, it will show itself. It is salt: if it exists, its savor will be perceived. It is a precious ointment: if it exists, its presence cannot be hid.

I am sure we should all be ready to make allowance for much backsliding, for much occasional deadness in professing Christians. I know a road may lead from one point to another, and yet have many a winding turn; and a person may be truly holy, and yet be drawn aside by many an infirmity. Gold is not the less gold because mingled with alloy, nor light the less light because faint and dim, nor grace the less grace because young and weak. But after every allowance, I cannot see how any person deserves to be called "holy," who wilfully allows themselves in sins, and is not humbled and ashamed because of them. I dare not call anyone "holy" who makes a habit of wilfully neglecting known duties, and wilfully doing what they know God has commanded them not to do. Well says Owen, "I do not understand how a person can be a true believer unto whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow, and trouble."

--R.C. Ryle

The Pattern of Apostasy

This pattern is taken from II Chronicles. The Books of Chronicles were originally one. The narrative begins with Adam and is brought down to the restoration of Judah from captivity. It is the history of all that has gone before, briefly rewritten. Their purpose is more than mere historical repetition or completion, however. Their ruling idea is that human kingdoms must rep­resent God-rule. Only while He is recognized and reverenced can there be prosperity. The key verse, "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him" (II Chron. 15:2), brings out this thought. The attitude of the kings toward the King of kings is shown to be the key to natural history, with its rewards or penalties. The Books of Kings as a rec­ord of history. Chronicles as a philosophy of history. In the former, idolatry is treason against the Supreme Being; in the latter, it is apostasy from the Covenant God.

Max Muller says: "To my mind the great epochs in the world's history are marked not by the foundation or de­struction of empires, by the migration of races, or by French revolutions. . . . The real history of man is the history of religion. . . . This is the foundation that underlies all profane history; it is the light, the soul and life of history; without it all history would be pro­fane." From Prince's Christian History these words are taken: "It concerned New England always to remember that she is a religious plantation and not a plantation of trade. The profession of purity of doctrine, worship and dis­cipline is written upon her forehead."

I think Israel's finest hour was at the dedication of the temple that Solomon built, when the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. Solomon's reign was characterized by great leadership, by great prosperity, peace and security. However, it was during this reign that the pattern of apostasy began to ap­pear and develop—"For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father" (I Kings 11:4).

Of Rehoboam, the next king, it was said that "for three years he and the people walked in the way of David and Solomon" but later it was said that "he forsook the law of the Lord, and all his people.”  And still later, “he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord." You will also recall that he forsook the counsel of the old men. It was in his reign that the king­dom was divided and the narrative in II Chronicles now follows the Kingdom of Judah and it is there that we pursue the pattern (II Chron. 10-12).

It is recorded of King Joash that: "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But after the death of Jehoiada they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers" (chap. 24).

"Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart." He later toned away from following the Lord and bowed down to the gods of the children of Seir (chap. 25).

Uzziah experienced a long reign. "As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. His name spread abroad; for he was marvelously helped till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God" (chap. 26).

Manasseh, another king of Judah, "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord has cast out before the children of Israel. He made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and do worse than the heathen" (chap. 33).  And of his son Ammon it was said: "He transgressed more and more" (chap. 34).

And finally Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and hum­bled not himself . . . stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. More­over all the chief of the priests, and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. The Lord . . . sent . . . messengers . . . because he had compassion on his people. . . . But they mocked the mes­sengers of God, and despised his words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy." The Chaldees came and destroyed Jerusa­lem, killed many of the people and took a remnant captive to Babylon (chap. 36.)

Now Juda had some good kings with varying degrees of godliness.  There was Abijah, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, Manasseh after he “repented and humbled himself greatly before the Lord,” and Josiah.  But the tendency was toward evil and it was never checked for more than a decade or two.

The outlines of this pattern can be seen in our modern society.  There are divided hearts, unprepared hearts, a forsaking of the godly counsel of revered men of God.  There are men of expedience who serve God while there are saintly influences near; backslidden people who live worse than those who have not known God; children who transgress more and more.  And finally those who will not humble themselves, who are stiff-necked and hard-hearted, who mock God’s servants, despise their words and misuse God’s prophets.  When their numbers increase the wrath of God will fall upon us.

I am sure that there are lessons in this history of Judah for us.  “They are written for our admonitions, upon whom the ends of the world have come” (I Cor. 10:11).  Following this pattern will result in apostasy in our day.

Brethren, I am concerned about the conditions of the times in which we live.  There is grave danger that a great nation, a nation that has known much of the grace of God, is following the pattern that leads to apostasy.  There is straying from the old paths, a losing sight of the ancient land marks. We are adrift from our moorings.  There is danger of our being engulfed by lawlessness, swamped by wickedness and swallowed up in a whirlpool of iniquity, and overwhelmed by such an apostasy as no enlightened nation has ever experience.

--L. J. Reckard 1960

Food for Thought "Conquering Faith"

The Word declares, "But without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb 11:6).  We live in a day when there is a shortage of vital living faith which is the dynamic and force our relationship in Christ; the faith which contains no element of uncertainty, enabling us to live the "more than conqueror" life.

This kind of faith is dependent upon obedience and righteousness of heart and life.

Dr. A. B. Simpson writes, "We cannot trust God in the face of willful sin.  An unsanctified state is fatal to any high degree of faith, for the carnal heart is not the soil in which it can grow.  Faith is the fruit of the Spirit and is hindered by the weeds of sin and willful indulgence.  The reason many Christians have so little faith is because they are living in the world and in themselves, and separated in so large a part of their life from God in holiness.  Faith requires for its heavenly vision the highlands of holiness and separation, and the clear blue sky of the consecrated life.  Beloved, may you not find in this the explanation of many of your doubts and fears.  Your plane is too low, your heart is too mixed, and your life is too near this "present evil world."

A conquering faith is always linked with a consistent life.

--H.J. Logsdon

Who Found Whom?

In the Timber mountains of the North West a five-year-old was lost.  Night came.  The citizens and rangers were searching the caves and mountain sides.  Snow began to fall.  All night the snow laid its blankets, but no Jimmy could be found.

The next morning the sun came out and the storm ceased.  A weary father decided to come in for another cup of coffee.  When he was within half a mile of the house he kicked against what seemed to be a log in the path, but when the snow was jarred a small boy stretched, yawned, sat up from under his snow blanket and exclaimed, "Oh, Daddy!"  I've found you at last!"  Now who found whom?

Mortals have an inherited phrase, "So-and-so found the Lord."  But the Lord has never been lost!  He has asked us to search the Scriptures and to seek His will; but when it comes to salvation it is God who reaches out for us.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)

Agnus Dei

9/11 Ten Years Ago

The Bible Belongs To The Ages

There are two things the Bible never takes into consideration: The Bible never takes geography into consideration. It leaps across the barriers of the nations and disregards the frontiers of people. It is a home in every land and language.

Then, too, it never takes time into consideration. Written thousands of years ago, it is a relevant today as when the words were first recorded. It is meant for all lands, all languages, and all times. The Bible belongs to the ages.

Simply Amazing - Brazilian Singer