CCC #8: Faith - Intro #3 - Hebrews 11 - God's Precious Promises
The Corrupt Christian Concepts Series
(All scripture quotes are from the BSB unless otherwise noted.)
NOTE: this is the third part of my introduction to faith. If you haven't read the first two articles, please take a look at them at the end of the CCC index on my home page. Without further ado, I will jump into the final introduction article. I'm sure you will be glad to know it is shorter, LOL. 🙂
“The Hall of Faith” - Hebrews 11
There are few passages of scripture more associated with faith than Hebrews 11. Thus, a great passage to cover. Not only does it give many examples of the people of faith from the old testament (some I mentioned in my last article), it also gives a definition of faith, and continues to refine that definition.
I will actually get into expositing these verses in the next article. My main focus in Hebrews 11 will be the definition of faith it provides. But permit me some broad comments on the ‘examples’ of faith and some other general topics related to this passage and Hebrews in general as part of this final introduction article.
Don't Compare Yourselves Amongst Yourselves
Again, we must be wary of comparing these specific results to our own. The author of Hebrews is not trying to get us mimic the results, but understand that these results - for these people and in their circumstances - resulted from faith. This is an important distinction.
We are not them - our circumstances are not theirs. As God's children, we are a unique instrument, joined to the Divine Trinity in perfect union. God will play us as an instrument in a unique way compared to any of His other children. The music He plays through us will sound different from anyone else. We have our own name (Rev. 2:17) and our own symphony. This is a vital truth (and also common sense).
One of the biggest errors I see in the Christian world today is separating results from the source of those results. The author of Hebrews is not praising the results, he is praising the source of the results: faith. But, of course, the results are still important. Faith will never result in sin. It will always result in victory over sin and circumstances. Yet, it is still faith - the root - that is most important.
Only we can walk our own walk of life. The unique situations and people we will encounter provide the canvas for God to use faith to paint. God is the master artist, we are the canvas, and faith is the paint. The outward reach from what Christ is doing within each of us will be unique. That is the beauty of the “fruit of the Spirit”.
Spirit Fruit is Never Legalistic
I don't want you to miss this point. The fruit of the Spirit can never be legalistic (unless they are twisted in some way.). None of the attributes within the gift package that makes up the fruit of the Spirit are specific actions. Thus, there is nothing to mimic. Loving someone may require a certain action one day, and possibly the near opposite action the next! Walking by the Spirit is a challenging mindset. We must be prepared for anything.
Please tell me the list of things to check off so you experience genuine joy. I want that list! But it can never happen that way. Same with true peace - no matter the circumstances. How Spirit fruit comes out from within you can never be standardized or systematized. That is why it requires faith. And faith will never give you a list. By definition, Spirit fruit demands a faith based reliance upon Christ for life.
If there is any measurement of faith listed in scripture, then it would be the fruit of the Spirit. I still caution against a ‘measurement’ mentality, but if you must have some guide to follow, then let it be the fruit of the Spirit. That is the best lightpost to show if something is from faith or not.
It has been my experience that in spiritual communities that lean towards legalism, the fruit of the Spirit is rarely taught. Or, if it is, it is turned into yet another list that we are supposed to work on and achieve. The point of the analogy is that a tree or vine does not ‘achieve’ fruit. It just bears it - it simply happens. No effort required.
A plant is completely dependent on its caretaker, just as a faith based life is completely dependent upon Christ. Just as a plant has no worries about fruit, it just drinks in the water and nutrients provided by the caretaker; thus believers should live the same way. The gospel does not call us to be fruit inspectors (other than “are you bearing any fruit at all”). It calls us to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. Let Him worry about our fruit.
Thus, while it is encouraging to see the many feats true faith has accomplished, now and in the past, a direct comparison to our own faith results can be harmful. Particularly since it is difficult to ascertain for anyone else if it was truly faith or not! Only God knows the heart. Fortunately, in Hebrews 11, the author indicates the results were from faith, but still, mimicking results is not his point.
My point is that we can certainly use these examples to gain an understanding of how faith works; but we must be open to any possible ways Christ is working in and through us. Do not just assume that mimicry of an action makes it from faith. That is the trap I am trying to help us avoid (and the one James was also concerned with, as I covered in my last article.)
Mimicry of “good actions” without faith is a good definition of legalism. The way to avoid it is to focus on the fruit of the Spirit. Most of these Spirit fruit components are quite difficult to mimic. We cannot truly bear Spirit fruit without faith - dependence on Christ through the new creation within. We can fool ourselves of course - but truly bearing Spirit fruit requires faith. It cannot happen any other way.
The Law is Not of Faith
Speaking of legalism, another point to make is none of these “feats of faith” in Hebrews 11 resulted from being motivated by the Law. In no place does the author say these people were fervent in their law keeping, etc. Since Paul says “the Law is not of faith” (Gal. 3:12), and this very author of Hebrews says the Law is “weak and useless” (Heb. 7:18), this makes sense. These feats were motivated by believing and trusting God's promises no matter the circumstances - thus faith!
As I covered before, many of these folks did not even have the “Law of Moses”. And the ones that did certainly did not follow it very well. Of course, there were consequences for them, as there always are when we do stupid, harmful things. Yet, they are still listed as having faith that has been credited for righteousness. Even those who were technically “under the law” were not righteous because they kept any of it.
These people had promises from God and they had faith in those promises. This motivated certain mindsets and behaviors. One thing to realize, and certainly the author of Hebrews would want us to recognize (since nearly the entire letter is written for this purpose): the old covenant promises in the OT are not the same as new covenant gospel promises. Nor are they a continuation. Hebrews emphasizes over and over that they are truly new - a full replacement.
The Oath Between God and God
When the apostolic authors reference the “great and precious promises” from God that enables and empowers the new creation, they are referencing the new covenant. A covenant is a set of promises - and God is the only legitimate “promise keeper”. This is why, for both the original ‘new’ covenant He gave to Abraham (where Abe slept through it); and the completed covenant we now have; God made the covenant with Himself.
Hebrews 6:13-18 - “13-When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, 14-saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.” 15-And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.
16-Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument. 17-So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
18-Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
Notice verse 17 - we, as believers, are the “heirs of the promise”. The new covenant guarantees the “reward of the inheritance” for us. And that reward is embodied in Jesus Christ.
The two unchangeable things that guarantees the oath of God for us is God and God. Unlike the old covenant between God and humans (the Hebrews), the new covenant is a secure “anchor for the soul” because it is between God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ). The “law is not of faith” because it depends on those humans who were under it. Thus, it was doomed to fail. There is nothing wrong with the law itself, but because humans were part of the covenant, it became “weak and useless”.
We participate in the new covenant through our ‘marriage’ to the Son - the universal church is the “bride of Christ”. God swore the new covenant oath against Himself. There is no greater Being to swear against! This is why the new covenant is so much better. And you cannot mix new and old, they have a totally different foundation. Law and grace will never mix.
It is this new covenant oath by God that we put faith in. And these promises are embodied and delivered by Jesus Christ. Thus, the Word became flesh - God's new covenant gospel promises made real by; through; and in - Jesus Christ. And faith in those promises is how we allow Christ to work through our new creation to give us life. Both when we become a new creation and as we learn to walk as a new creation.
The Obedience of Faith is For the New Covenant Gospel Promises
Again, as I emphasized in my last article, the promises of the gospel are what we are responding to now with our faith. Those promises are our faith responsibility. These gospel promises - the good news that everything from God is a gift - are now the focus of our faith. Not the old covenant promises.
Hebrews 11 references that some of the motivations for even the OT examples of faith were these same gospel promises that were far in the future and not well understood by them! They were looking forward to the gospel and Messiah. The gospel was certainly not clear to them of course. The gospel was difficult, a stumbling block, even for those Jews who experienced Christ in the flesh. Yet, many still had faith even in these future promises.
The faith they had, and the author of Hebrews emphasizes, was for the promises they had personally received. This is why they endured so much, and had great feats. And this faith was credited to them as righteousness. But, the main focus of Hebrews is how the new covenant promises are better than the promises for the OT saints. And at some level, these future promises also motivated their faith in their own personal promises from God.
Those future promises are ones that we, as new covenant believers, have now received. Promises that have been enacted in us. We are the new creations they were looking forward to! We have the “something better” that was promised. They could only imagine it in the future. But these new covenant promises are not based on how well we keep the law or behave.
This chapter also brings up the examples of Abraham and Rahab again (used by James as an example of living faith), and adds even more clarity to their stories. I highly recommend you read it, as I will only be touching on a few verses. But, remember the main point that despite their faith in their current promises, our faith should be focused on the new covenant gospel of grace promises. Our eyes should be on Christ - and nothing else.
God's Best Plan: the Gospel
In the last verse of Hebrews 11, verse 40, the author makes quite a statement:
God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.
These great people of faith, after their death, were still waiting on Christ and the new covenant. Their faith in the future promises of God, even though they did not fully understand them, is what has enabled them to join us as new creations. It was never their “righteous” actions that made them righteous, it was always their faith in God's promises. Their actions resulted from their faith; but it was the faith that was credited.
And that is the message of Hebrews 11 - much like the book of James - living faith works and works hard. Yet, it is the faith that is in the spotlight. Never forget that. Our work; our focus, as believers must be on growing our faith, not in the results. If our life is lived from living faith, the results will come. But only if faith is the focus. As soon as we begin to primarily focus on our works, then faith is cast aside and flesh takes over.
Faith is Believing and Trusting God's Promises
At its bottom line, faith is believing and trusting God's promises - past, present, and future. It is always pointed at the Divine - not ourselves. And as 2 Peter 1:4 says, we have “His precious and magnificent promises” which enable us to live as those who are “partakers of the divine nature”. Even the fact of our being a perfect new creation is one of those promises!
While on earth, this reality is truly a “treasure in an earthen vessel” as Paul calls it. Yet, it is still a reality. And one we must use our “earthen vessel”, our mind - to believe and trust - among many other promises! And that is the adventure! Discovering who we are in Christ. And that reality is based in God's promises through the gospel of grace.
Faith = Hope (firm belief) + Trust
We need to make sure we understand God's promises in order to believe and trust them. Under the new covenant gospel, there are many amazing and precious promises that we can depend on. As we begin to understand them, then we can begin to learn to trust them. Obviously the main promise is that Christ will give you His life. That is the first promise to trust. But, there is are so many other promises wrapped up in that one.
Trusting is a step further than believing. As I discussed in my last article, the books of Hebrews and James were specifically written to help demonstrate the idea of true living faith. Belief is the work that leads to faith, but trust is the glue that holds faith together. The Greek word often translated ‘hope’ in scripture means “firm belief”. Thus, we find that firm belief and trust in God's promises combine to make faith.
You can believe that a chair will hold your weight. You see it was constructed well. You have seen others sit in it without it breaking. But until you sit in it yourself, you haven't ‘trusted’ it. Yes, an overused analogy, but there is a difference between belief and trust. Yet, both are vital to faith.
You cannot trust anything without believing truth about it first. Yet, without that crucial component of trust, belief does not become faith. The book of James I just discussed points out the difference! Even the demons believe truth about God (James 2:19), yet they don't have faith. They don't trust in what they believe. They don't believe God is good, so they simply cannot trust Him. The same verse points out that they even tremble before God. We can see that it is not only that we believe truth, it is what we believe about the truth that matters.
Our minds can be full of truth as an intellectual endeavor. Yet, if we only accede to it because of fear or other negative motivations, then is that faith? We must never forget the connection to love that defines faith. And love cannot coerce or it ceases to be love. The reality of the love and kindness of God is crucial to trusting His promises, and thus - faith.
That God is good is something we all struggle to believe if we are honest, especially when we see so much evil in the world, and some of it perpetrated in God's name. Any honest person struggles that God does not step in and stop the many atrocities.
I believe God's nature of love is the answer; however, my main point now is a proper knowledge of truth is an essential component of faith, but it is not enough by itself. You must also believe and trust what you know. Many atheists know scripture - but they certainly don't believe or trust it.
This also demonstrates how knowledge and belief are truly hard ‘work’. Christ was not wrong (obviously) when He called it ‘work’. Yet, again, this is much different from “works of the law”. Our calling is the obedience of faith, not the law. And the obedience of faith requires learning, believing, and trusting God's truth.
Do You Trust in Your Forgiveness?
Here's an example: the new covenant gospel says believers are forgiven by God of all our sins for all time: past, present, and future. This is a gift. No works required (no confession, repentance, penance, etc. needed to be forgiven by God; it is already done and finished.) You are forgiven on the go; the milli-second you sin, you are forgiven. Any healthy actions like confession we might do come from the forgiveness we already have - they dont enact it.
There is nothing we can do beyond the initial faith we had in Christ's finished work that makes us more forgiven. There are not multiple types of forgiveness in scripture as some like to say - that is made up from their imagination. God’s promise is that you are forgiven of all sin for all time. Period. Don't let fancy unscriptural theological terms water down this promise of forgiveness.
As some of my first CCC articles discuss, confession and repentance are smart things to do. They are valuable tools to help us avoid the sting of sin. A humble approach towards those humans we have wronged will do wonders in repairing relationships. Christ will always lead us to do the smartest, wisest things.
Unlike God, those people we have wronged have not promised unlimited forgiveness as a gift. All human relationships are a struggle. Thus, showing God's love in these ways is the wise thing to do. It will bring life to your relationships. It will help your life be a bit better in this harsh world. It will be acting out what the Spirit has gifted you to do.
However, wise as these actions may be, none of them make us more forgiven by God. They don't change our peace with God one whit. They simply help us to live well within the forgiveness we already possess. We love because He first loved us; we forgive others because we recognize our own forgiveness by God. He who is forgiven much, loves much. These gifts we receive from God motivate us to give them out ourselves.
However, for these actions to be genuinely from faith, we must understand, believe, and trust in this promise of unlimited “for all time” forgiveness from God. The difference in how we live and act will be profound depending on whether we truly have faith in this promise.
Faith in our Forgiveness Helps Us Grow
At a minimum, faith in your forgiveness will help you waste less time on dead rituals (like asking for forgiveness God has already gifted.) But I fully believe, and have experienced, that recognizing your forgiveness actually helps you to sin less. And 2 Peter 1:9 says this attitude helps you grow!
In 2 Peter 1:3-7 (please read the entire chapter), Peter notes that faith involves God's promises, and indicates faith is the foundation of everything. He then lists traits, similar to the fruit of the Spirit, in which we should be growing (adding to the foundation of faith). Traits like virtue, knowledge, kindness, and love. And then he writes this:
“But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”
Note that this hypothetical person is clearly a believer. They have been forgiven and cleansed of their sins. As Peter references above, they are “partakers of the divine nature”. Yet, this believer is not growing in these traits as they should. And Peter gives the reason why. So, does he give a list of 10 ways to express kindness? Does he tell them to follow the 5 step virtue plan?
Of course not. Peter full well knows that only faith will enable true growth. Only the divine kindness of Christ expressed through our new creation will do. And this is enabled by faith. Peter calls out a promise we must have faith in so that we grow.
Scripture, through Peter, specifically points out that forgetting your forgiveness and cleansing of sin is why you struggle to enjoy these genuine attitudes in your life! Remembering your forgiveness is key to these attitudes naturally being reflected in your daily life.
Peter is Not Denying “Once for All Time” Forgiveness
Now, don't get hung up on the phrase “past sins”. First, every sin is in the past as soon as we do them. We can't be focused on whether we are forgiven and cleansed of a sin until we have done it. God may have seen all our sins in the future and forgiven them, but we don't have that ability!
Peter is acknowledging the poor attitude of an unhealthy fixture on past sins, not commenting on future sins. He is not dismissing the “the once for all time” forgiveness truth in the gospel - quite the opposite. His point is as believers you should not be obsessing about any sin. It simply does not help anything, and does a lot of harm.
Second, this is something Peter indicates those with stunted growth have 'forgotten'. You can't forget something that hasn't happened yet. And that is Peter's point. He is saying that faith in our total forgiveness and cleansing from all sin, for all time, is crucial to helping us to grow in those traits he listed.
This is not some special secret from God - it is also “common sense”! Those who are obsessed with their sins cannot be obsessed with Christ, because He has gifted you forgiveness and cleansing. Thus, obsession with your sinning indicates a lack of faith in His finished work. You don't truly trust this gospel promise of God! Thus, your growth will be stunted.
Christ Gifts the Growth
This is also because Christ gifts the growth! (Col. 2:19) Obsessing with sin will stunt your growth because you are no longer trusting Christ who gifts you the growth (and forgiveness). A focus on sin takes the focus off Christ. You cannot be focused on two things at the same time. And if you don't trust in Christ's gift of forgiveness, this leads to mistrusting Him in other things.
A Clear Example of Faith
Thus, we have a clear example of faith: believing - and trusting - the promise of God about His forgiveness. Scripture is transparent about this vital promise within the new covenant gospel. This is a foundational gospel promise that should be easy to have faith in. We should not require much convincing it is true - yet many struggle with this. Perhaps it is due to poor teaching, or taking single verses out of context; but, no matter the reason, it demonstrates a lack of faith.
Because of Christ's finished work, you are forgiven and cleansed of all your sin for all time. Next time you sin, it will be a test of your faith in this promise. How do you react? How do you think or what do you do? Can you see how “living faith” continues to do it's work even after salvation? Our attitudes and actions will reflect our faith in this promise of God. We will make certain choices based on faith in this promise, or make other choices because we don't really believe and trust it.
Faith in this promise will produce an attitude of gratitude that you are forgiven. Even after you stumble, you have peace with God. Faith in this promise will enable a continued trust in your closeness to God. Thus, you will not be fearful, or feel you need to perform dead rituals, before you can go to Christ and ask for wisdom and guidance on how to avoid stumbles in the future.
Trusting your forgiveness is the first step to trusting your righteousness, which is also a promised gift. If you can't even believe you are forgiven, how will you ever believe you are a slave of righteousness? And if you have not been made into the righteousness of God, how can you ever act in a righteous way? Faith in these promises build upon each other.
Use God's Tools to Help Him Renew your Mind
Yes, in some instances, we all will need repentance and confession to get our mind into a place of wanting the wisdom and courage to say no to sin. If you are not experiencing a healthy remorse (also in the mind), if the flesh is trying to convince you your stumble didn't matter, etc., then you will definitely need to repent (change your mind). Sin stinks, and we must be convinced of that. Sin hurts us and others. This is why God despises sin - it hurts those He loves.
Even God's attitude towards sin is a product of His nature of love. I will do a CCC on sin at some point, but this is a crucial understanding. Sin is not some abstract concept for God - it is simply that which is not of His nature - and thus abhorrent to Him. There is no sin that is ever a product of unconditional love. It cannot be. But God is not being arbitrary - He hates sin because sin is opposed to love.
Faith in your Forgiveness
Yet, you are still forgiven by God, even if your mind is not there, even if you don't repent right away. Can you see this? You will be miserable, because you are agreeing with (confessing) something that is at odds with who you are in Christ, but you are still forgiven. You are still at peace with God, no matter how stupid your thinking and acting. This is because your forgiveness is based in Christ, not your thoughts and actions. You should be breathing a sigh of relief! Yet, this idea is difficult for many to accept.
Those whose faith is firmly fixed on the truth of this promise of forgiveness and cleansing will be the first to repent, confess, be remorseful, and say no to sin. I have seen this exact attitude shift in my own life. Thus, again, faith in our forgiveness is crucial. As we will find out, it will put substance to this promise of God as a reality in your own life. The deeper your faith in your own forgiveness, the easier it will be to forgive.
Back to Hebrews 11 - And 'Feats'
Again, I want to emphasize that the feats in this chapter are not meant to be mimicked directly - but you should mimic the faith that led to the feats. Consider the example I gave above: what feats would result from faith in your forgiveness? Is saying no to sin more and more consistently not a “great feat”? Especially when it may be an addiction type sin that has troubled you for a long time, and damaged you and those around you? And what about your own ability to forgive others?
Faith or Flesh Based Messages
Much teaching I read or hear in the Christian world follows the pattern of ‘mimicry’. To follow my example of forgiveness above, it is an easy message to tell a story about how someone, from scripture or otherwise, forgave someone else. Often Christ Himself is the person elevated to mimic! I mean, that doesn't seem like a bad message, does it? Act like Christ. Sounds really holy, right? WWJD - what would Jesus do? Mimic Christ's action(s). Seems legit. Hard to argue against that message.
This same mimicry message continues about how Christ demands you forgive perfectly - like Him. Then, it gives the 5 to 10 steps to proper forgiveness, based on actions others took when they forgived. Finally it says go and do likewise.
A vital aspect of this mimicry message is if you don't forgive properly, it vaguely threatens God's judgment because you are disobedient; or at a minimum you should be guilty and ashamed if you fail to forgive like Christ. And once you are sufficiently shamed at how bad you are failing to forgive, come back next time for more uplifting messages of condemnation about the next thing you need to improve!
What is usually totally missing from these messages, or barely mentioned, is how faith in our new creation - connection to Christ - empowers our ability to forgive (or do anything else). As Christ Himself said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Empowerment vs Mimicry
There is a vast difference in saying Christ is a “model” for our forgiveness, thus pushing us into using the flesh to try hard to forgive like He did (mimicry); or emphasizing that He forgives us first and then places His forgiveness in our hearts through our new creation (empowerment). Christ does not expect us to be able to forgive; He expects us to have faith in His ability to forgive, which He has gifted to us. Can you see the difference?
Christ is able to forgive perfectly, He indwells us, and we are connected to Him at our core. As Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 6:17:
“But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit.”
(BTW, interesting phrasing. Seems like we play some role in “uniting ourselves” with the Lord. But I digress…for now.)
Thus, we can rely on Christ through our new creation to enable forgiveness in our walk. He will never coerce us to choose forgiveness; yet, as we rely on Him by faith, we will see forgiveness as the best way to live. Or, you can rely on your fear of punishment and your obligation to be obedient in order to forgive. This is your choice of course.
Faith vs Flesh
One of these is faith based forgiveness (a gift) and the other is flesh based forgiveness (a coerced requirement). This is a perfect example of a message that seems good, but really pushes us into the flesh. Christ is not a “model” for us to try and follow out of fear, shame, or guilt if we don't.
That is not the gospel! That is horrible news - based in our own ability. God promises He has given us new hearts, filled with His love; and thus: genuine divine forgiveness. Being able to forgive is a gift to receive; not a command to obey. It is for our good; but we simply can't have genuine forgiveness without faith in our own forgiveness through Christ and in our own new creation ability to forgive.
Again, the actions we take as a part of forgiving someone may look very similar whether it is empowered by faith or flesh. Self awareness of motivation, etc, is necessary in this process, of course. Yet, the fruit of flesh based forgiveness will be continued struggle with resentment, etc. While faith based forgiveness will last.
Trying vs. Trusting
The harder we “try” to forgive, the less genuine it will be because it is not based in faith. We may even convince ourselves we have forgiven; yet, when tested and tempted, the struggle will continue. But, trusting - both that we are forgiven by God, and that He has gifted us with His very forgiveness as a part of our essence as new creations - will enable genuine forgiveness that lasts. The only effort we have is faith - that is our only work. The rest will simply happen genuinely and naturally.
Maybe this sounds crazy to you. But, I must ask, how well has trying all your life worked for you? Faith is literally a leap. It is trusting when it doesn't seem logical. This mentality never takes our choice away. We are not puppets with Christ moving us. We are still part of the equation. Yet, there is a miracle involved where faith enables a mindset that allows the flow of the new creation from within to our soul (mind, will, emotions) and body.
We have the mind of Christ already. We have His love in our hearts. We have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1). We are a new creation. This is all true of us. Yet, our attitudes and actions don't always reflect this reality.
We believe lies about God, the gospel, and ourselves. There are messages coming at us constantly and we tune into bad channels with our mind. Some of these channels we have listened to for so long we think they are our identity! We believe lies and not the truth. We point our faith at unstable things. We take in those messages, not the quiet voice of the Spirit inside.
Knowledge and belief are what we use to tune into God's channel of truth. Then faith is what helps us align our minds with God's reality that we now know and believe. We begin to trust God's reality instead of our own. We begin to align our reality with His.
Many have amazing 'results' or ‘feats’, but they are purely from flesh power. Many who are motivated by their worldly religion have “great works” like charity, etc. Yet, their belief system would make it difficult for these folks to be joined to Christ; thus, the works are likely not coming from genuine faith power. Again, this is the exact condundrum James was writing about.
Many, if not most, of these folks will be standing in front of Christ proclaiming their great works; but, He will say He never knew them (Matt. 7:22-23). It is knowing Christ - being connected to Him by faith - a new creation - that matters. Not any great works. Faith is vital to the equation itself, not only the results. As Paul says, the new creation is what matters.
My point is don't seek great works to somehow prove your faith; have faith in who you are in Christ. Then, if opportunities for “great works” (or small) present themselves, you will be confident and ready to make those choices. But if your focus is on the works; then it can't be on Christ.
More on Flesh vs Faith
It is crucial to understand the difference between flesh based human faith and scriptural God powered faith. As I covered in my last article, this is living vs dead faith. And the works produced are living vs dead works. It is a vital truth that in the spiritual world, all works done by those who are not connected to Christ are dead works. They are slaves of sin. The flesh is their only power source for all activity, good or bad. It is the source that determines the value of anything for the Kingdom of God, not the type of activity.
As believers, we now have a permanent source of “living faith” within, but we still have to choose it as the source of power to live. And the way we choose it is to believe and trust God's promises. Have faith in what God has said about us as new creations. Both the promises on God's side (forgiveness, etc) and the promises for and to us (a new heart; a slave of righteousness; a new creation; etc).
But, as believers, we can still choose the flesh as a source of power. This is the basis for dead faith and dead works. And this happens when you believe lies or twisted truth about the gospel. This happens when you are pressured or coerced into performing. This happens when “behavior improvement” becomes more of a focus than faith.
This happens when you don’t believe or trust in who you are in Christ. The list of lies we can believe is long and extensive - and sadly many of them come out of pulpits and Christian bookstores. Any idea that portrays God's promises as anything other than a gift is a lie. And often these lies are the easiest to believe.
New Covenant Promises
In this article, I have covered how the object for a Christian’s faith should only be God's promises to us, cemented by the oath God made to Himself, and expressed by the new covenant gospel. We should learn about those promises, work hard to believe them, and finally trust them = faith. It is faith in those promises that should guide our daily lives.
I gave an extensive example of one of those promises - forgiveness for all sins for all time - and mentioned several others. I demonstrated from scripture how faith in this promise can impact how you live and grow. Ultimately, faith in God's promises demonstrates faith in the living Christ who indwells you and His power within to enable your walk. Christ does not coerce; thus, in this way, we choose Him. We are no longer quenching and grieving the Spirit and He can then work through us.
But, only by accessing the true living faith we have within can this happen. And learning about that is what these articles are all about. I look forward to continuing this study!
Deeper Hebrews 11 to Come
Let's finally take a deeper look at Hebrews 11 and see if we can dig further into what faith is from scripture. In the rest of my articles on faith, I plan to focus more directly on scripture passages about faith. They are fascinating!
Until then, I hope this introduction has given you some food for thought. Again, the goal is not to add even more of a law type burden where you must achieve “perfect faith based choices” at every moment! I hope and pray that is not how any of you are reading this.
But, the goal is to help you see the value in the living faith you have within, and to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ so that you utilize the gift of faith more and more to your advantage and to those around you. It is that you cooperate with Christ as He renews your mind so that you are believing gospel truth - God's new covenant promises - and learning to trust them.
Yes, all of scripture is useful for this - even in the negative, where we learn that the Torah is not of faith (even though it is in scripture). As Christ pointed out on the road to Emmaus, every study in scripture, no matter where it is, must be about Him. If our study of scripture is not confirming and helping to build our faith in the new covenant gospel, then we are misusing scripture.
Luke 24:27 - “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.”
And this is my purpose and goal: to help us understand what faith is and how important it is that we focus on the new covenant gospel promises that Christ enabled us to share. Ultimately, it is the gift of Christ and His life. Yet, that gift package is huge and full of many things.
Making faith based choices will come more easily as you realize and fix in your mind that these promises are good and true. But, I'm getting ahead of myself - let's see what the author of Hebrews has to say about it. Until then, keep walking well in God's blessings He has gifted you in Christ.