From the pulpit
Ancient Words — The Author and Perfecter of our Faith
Hebrews 12: 1- 3: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Our faith is not perfected by what we do in church or out of church. Our faith is not perfected by our understanding of Bible verses and making correct application. Our faith is not perfected by anything we do. The perfection of our faith is found and accomplished only in and by and through the author of our faith — Christ Jesus our Lord. We apply our faith with substance and evidence, imperfect as this is, on behalf of the Son of God and He alone then perfects that faith for each one of His followers.
Romans 3:21-26 explains: “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
Christ Jesus is the author of our faith having penned this authorship through his own unspeakable suffering for all of mankind. The witnesses of ancient days experienced suffering for their faith applied through their substance and evidence without the benefit of the risen Savior. Our faith of today requires no less of patient endurance for we fix our eyes on Jesus, risen from the grave and ascended to heaven.
Romans 5:3-5: “We rejoice in our sufferings (which come through faith), because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Suffering is not a subject anyone enjoys talking about or experiencing. Yet in this fallen world, suffering manifests itself in various ways, at various times, with various outcomes. Necessary as it is, when one only remembers to fix their eyes on Jesus, one sees the necessary suffering Jesus endured for our sake at Golgotha. Sin’s price had to be paid for the answer to the world’s dilemma. The cost was great, the price was high — both so high that no one could afford.
Hebrews 12:4-7: “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?”
Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith and our faith is now the victory that overcomes the world!
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood — Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth (1 John 5:1-6).”
(Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible).
Sparks From The Gospel Anvil
Psalm 14:1
Now I do not know if today’s holiday was exclusively taken from this Scripture, but it sure seems to fit. This is also repeated verbatim in Psalm 53:1, and it is expressed in many other Biblical passages. At this moment in our history of this planet there is a growing number of what the world would call influential people that are blatantly and forcefully mocking the Christian faith and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ – even those that title themselves a believer, but do not completely believe the Holy Bible or any of its teachings. As mankind refuses to acknowledge God, the Bible declares, “professing to be wise, they became fools.” (reference Romans 1:22). What may be highly esteemed among men can be pure foolishness to God.
In God’s infinite wisdom, the apparent “foolishness” of the cross of Christ destroys the wisdom of the wise (reference 1 Corinthians 1:18). The cross in which our Savior bore the sins of the world to satisfy the wrath of God and provide forgiveness to those who repent and believe on His Name, is the means the Lord uses to display His Holy wisdom. So, for those that arrogantly declare that God does not exist and deny the mention of His Name, the holy scriptures declare all people everywhere will one day confess that indeed there is a God (reference Philippians 2:10-11).
Did you know that believer and unbeliever will acknowledge not only the existence of the One True God, but His preeminence over all of creation; including their souls. All things in the earth, under the earth and above the earth will confess the supremacy of Christ, His rightful rule and reign over all. And until then, we all must understand that all of mankind, whether they are an atheist, agnostic, humanist, secularist, moral or immoral, educated and uneducated, are under God’s judgment apart from saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, it says the fool has said in his heart there is no God, and there are many fools today, but God desires the believer to “not be foolish, but understanding what the Lord’s will is. (reference Ephesians 5:17). How can we discover the will of God for our lives? What does that look like? Is it the same for all of humanity? Well, God’s sovereign will is that not anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He desires that all of humanity be saved. Then there is also God’s specific will for our lives. That is in accordance to how He calls us and equips us to carry out His mission in our lives. He calls us all to testify of Him in the presence of others, but He equips us in the way to do it differently. He equips some of us to witness for Him, by literature, such as writing, or by lip, such as talking to those over a cup of coffee. Then there is His special will and that is what area we work for Him in. This includes our occupations (yes, I believe He calls us into those areas of our lives as well) (reference Proverbs 3:6; Proverbs 16:9).
It is in our occupations as maybe leaders of the community, or even those that are not so prominent in the public’s eye, that God calls us to those places. That is why Psalm 14:1, fits for today, especially today, because even God has a special place for the fool (reference Romans 9:17-18). The only useful purpose for a fool used by God is as a contrast to the wise or to rebuke His people when needed. Therefore, fools and foolishness should be avoided. Foolishness can only be overcome by the mind of Christ, which comes by trusting Christ as Lord and Savior and actively engaging in discipleship to train the believer in His ways.
( Lieutenant Charles Smith is commanding officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado).