If there really is a God, than this fact is of such importance, that we must reckon with it, and take up some kind of attitude to it. The Bible calls a man’s right attitude to God, Faith. What does it mean?
Faith is to know that God is
To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, and to be certain of the things we cannot see.
▪︎ It was by their faith, that the man of ancient times won God’s approval.
▪︎ It is by faith, that we understand, that the universe was created by God’s word,
▪︎ And it is by faith, that we know that what can be seen, was made out of that, what cannot be seen.
No man can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have prayed that God exists and rewards those who seek Him.
This is how we find this in the Bible:
Hebrews 11:1,3,6
¹Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
³By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
⁶And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Faith is to trust God
Romans 8:31-39
³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
³²He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
³³Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; ³⁴who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
³⁵Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
³⁷But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Who will accuse God’s chosen people?
God Himself declares them ‘not guilty’!
Can anyone, then, condemn them?
Faced with all of this, what can we say?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not even keep back His own Son, but offered Him for us all!
He Who gave us His Son, will He not also freely give us all things?
Christ Jesus is the one who died, or rather who was raised to life, and is at the right side of God. He pleads with God for us!
Who then can separate us from the love of Christ?
Can trouble do it, or hardship, or persecution, or hunger, or poverty, or danger, or death? As the scripture says, ‘For your sake we are in danger of death the whole day long, we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered’
No, in all these things we have complete victory through Him who loved us! For I am certain, that nothing can separate us from His love.
▪︎ Neither death nor life,
▪︎ neither angels or other heavily rulers or powers,
▪︎ neither the present nor the future,
▪︎ neither the world above nor the world below,
there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our lord.
Faith means doing something about the way we live
James asked the question: “My brother’s what good is it for someone to say ‘I have faith’, if his actions don’t prove it? Is that a life saving faith?”
Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes, and they don’t have enough to eat; What good does it do, if you say to them ‘God bless you! Keep warm and eat well! If you don’t give them the necessities of life as well?
It is the same with faith.
If faith is on itself, and is not accompanied with actions, then it is dead.
Now someone may say: “It is all in the assembly, the body of the Christ; One person has faith, and an other person has the actions”. Then the answer of James was: “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.”
Do you believe that is only one God? Good! The Demons also believe that, and tremble with fear! You are foolish if you do you want to be shown, that faith without action is useless.
Abraham’s faith and his actions worked together. His faith was made perfect through his actions, and the scripture came true that said: Abraham believed God and because of his faith, God accepted him as righteousness, and so Abraham was called God’s friend. you see than that a man is put right with God by what he does and not because of his faith alone.
This is how we find this in the Bible:
James 2:14-20, 22-24
¹⁴What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
¹⁵If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
¹⁷Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
⁸But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
¹⁹You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
²⁰But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
²²You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
²⁴You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Faith involves love
There is nothing sentimental about Christian love.
It shows itself in reverence for God, and in concern for others
One day a teacher of the law heard the ongoing discussion, and he saw the Jesus had given the sadducees a good answer, so he came to Him with a question too. “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
“This is the most important one.” Said Jesus. ‘Listen Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second most important commandment is this: ‘You must love your fellow man as yourself, there is no other commandment more important than these two.’
Then the teacher of the law said to Jesus: Well done teacher!
It is true as you say, that only the Lord is God, and that there is no other God but He, and men must love God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and with all his strength, and he must love his fellow man as himself. It is more important to obey these two commandments, then to offer animals or other sacrifices to God on the altar. Jesus noticed how wise his answer was, and so he told him, “You you are not far from the kingdom of God”
This is how we find this in the Bible:
Mark 12:28-34
²⁸One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
²⁹Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; ³⁰and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
³¹The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
³²The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; ³³and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
³⁴When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.
Faith is a leap
Yes faith is a leap, not a leap into darkness, but into the light of God’s presence.
Jesus said: I am the light the world, whomsoever follows me, will have the light of life, and will never walk in the darkness.
John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
Internet: harryschoemaker.nl
Or directly to: devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
P.S.: Since my daily Bible messages went to over 10 million people, Facebook doesn’t allow me anymore to share these messages in groups (except my own). So if you don’t want miss out on them, you better join my group “The Worldwide Ekklesia” or follow me on Twitter: @schoemakerharry
About Author
