How would I answer if asked to ‘explain my faith????’ I say that I can’t ’explain’ my faith to another…at least not to the point of having another validate my faith as authentic!!!
God/Truth/Christ/Gospel/Salvation/Word…and so forth…is complex beyond what we can comprehend…much less ‘explain’ to sufficiently satisfy the criteria of another soul. FAITH IS PERSONAL….colored with the
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
experiences, understanding, and degree of faith given by the Father to each who believes, to each man who confesses Christ (Romans 10:9), and to each man who commits righteousness as fruits of repentance amidst regeneration from death to Life….under the guidance of the Holy Comforter. Only the Spirit within an individual can bear witness to the same Spirit within another.
For me…Faith comes only from a changed heart…by way of personal encounter between the natural heart of a man and the supernatural heart of the Father. Faith is KNOWING God. Faith is TRUSTING God. Faith is SERVING God. Faith is KEEPING the commandments. Faith is a life-long process of renewal and encounter beyond what many can understand. Each man’s experience with God is unique since each man is unique. Salvation is PERSONAL…not mass produced. The power of the Gospel …according to Matthew 16: 15-18… is encounter with the Divine Father who reveals Truth found in the living Christ(And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven….and followed by being ‘known’ to the Father and Son, by way of the Holy Spirit (18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; ).
Faith, Salvation, Righteousness, Holiness, and so forth….are all experiences of the supernatural realm of God and are not explainable to mortal man….apart from those who themselves are members of the Kingdom of God which is…according to scripture ’ in the world…but not of the world.’ And…mind you…I readily confess I have not received the fulness of what God desires for me since I have not completely yielded myself to such heavenly gifts. But I want them. And God is bringing me to a new place. I am learning daily to excercise the senses ‘by reason of use’ in the area of rejecting temptation to serve the flesh man through gluttony (pleasures of food which destroy the Temple of God), through wasting PRECIOUS time on Turner Broadcasting’s Classic Movies…when souls are needful of fellowship which would lead them to salvation….and so forth (Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. )
My sins…both of omission and commission are such that I neither have the right… nor the heart to point out the failures of others. I am as filthy rags before the Father. I am accountable before Him for every sin practiced for ‘fleshly’ benefit. I am indebted to Him…to YIELD my body as the Temple of God…because of the immense purchase price paid by God and Christ the Lamb.
Could you please take a look at my recent blog posts (over a weeks worth toknow the whole story)? My family is suffering at the hands of a Mennonite Pastor and I would like to hear from Christian bloggers, what they think of it.
Your post reminded me of the following verses: Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
NIV
Your confession in the last paragraph is true of all of us who know Him.
“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Rom 8:12-15
NIV
God help us all “to put to death the misdeeds of our bodies”. Amen.
JD…I’ve come too far not to get it ‘right’…so to speak. Doing what is ‘good’ (as in..there is none ‘good’ but one) should become as common to the follower of Christ…as doing what is fleshly is common to the carnal man. It’s all about CHOICE! God and Christ deserve so much better than what I give.
The Romans 8:12-15 scripture is a great reminder that Christianity cannot be minimized…since it has eternal consequences.
Thanks for visiting. I’m always encouraged by your comments.
Was online for few minutes and thought I’d come by to visit
Excellent post, so thorough. Hope you’re enjoying your summer. God bless you my friend.
your cyber friend,
Mary