Faith
Abraham believed God and God counted that as his righteousness.
~ Genesis 15:6
Trust is beautiful. Relationships thrive when people know they can rely on each other. We live in a world where not everything is explainable and not everything can be seen. God’s ways are higher than ours and God is invisible. But we are surrounded by evidence of His creative power. He expects us to acknowledge Him, thank Him and seek to know Him. His approval comes when we trust Him.
Each of us is deeply flawed. God, on the other hand, is morally perfect. There is a gulf between us. Our nature is to stand apart from God, to depend on ourselves, to want to control life. God is pleased when we adopt a different spirit – when we seek Him, believe Him and obey Him.
There is no ritual, no religious practice, no good deed that could buy His affection. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
True faith goes beyond mere acknowledgement. It is belief that translates into action – that responds to the prompting of God and looks for His leading.
It is an enduring faith that does not demand empirical evidence. It affects the believer in every aspect of life.
God has revealed His character in Jesus. God made Jesus a sacrifice of atonement for our flaws and failings. When we recognise Jesus we recognise God.
The apostle Peter, speaking to the Jews, the covenant people of God, said that acceptance with God only comes through faith in the name of Jesus.
The life of faith is the opposite of a life of reason, a life of independence, a life that relies on what can be seen. It is different. It is a life that trusts in Jesus.
Salvation – the basics – continues with:
What does it mean to be saved? »
Bible references:
Genesis 15:6; Psalms 19:1; Romans 3:23;
Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 11:6;
James 2:20-26;
Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 11:1; Colossians 2:9;
1 John 2:2; Acts 4:12
Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the Lord and He credited it to him as righteousness.
Psalms 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Romans 3:23
... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ...
×Isaiah 6:3
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.”
Habakkuk 2:4
“See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright – but the righteous will live by his faith ...”
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
×James 2:20-26
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
×Colossians 1:23
... if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel ...
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Colossians 2:9
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…
×1 John 2:2
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Acts 4:12
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
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