Bible Study Faith in Christ

[for_his_glory]

We could never reach heaven on our own works (merit) without having faith in Christ first and foremost as works consist of charity and righteousness through the greatest commandment of love. By faith we learn what the fruits of the indwelling Holy Spirit are as first working in us and then through us.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Faith is part of the fruits of the Spirit and not of works should any man boast.

 

[GodsGrace]

We could never reach heaven on our own works (merit) without having faith in Christ first and foremost as works consist of charity and righteousness through the greatest commandment of love. By faith we learn what the fruits of the indwelling Holy Spirit are as first working in us and then through us.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Faith is part of the fruits of the Spirit and not of works should any man boast.

Hi FHG,,,,
Please read Galatians 5:22 again regarding faith.

I agree with you --- faith is NOT a work, the N.T. plainly teaches this.
But I believe Gal 5 will not be of help.

Honestly, I don't understand why some topics even need to be debated (discussed).
It seems to me that we all should know the same doctrine.
I find it tiring at times.
God bless the Evangelists.

 

[JLB]

Faith of Christ

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The faith of Christ, (KJV - John 12:44-50; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9), is where we find faith in Christ. The newer translations has changed where it says faith of Christ to faith in Christ. There is a difference between faith of Christ and faith in Christ as you can read in those scriptures out of the KJV. The faith of Christ is what He believed in the Father as He never said or did anything above that which God gave Him to speak or to do while He was on earth . Our faith in Christ is the same faith of Christ He had in the Father as we can never go above that of what He taught us and the works He left for us to follow in.

The Son of God is that free gift of God's grace given to all who will believe by faith in Christ and confess Him as Lord and Savior so they will see the kingdom of God, John 3:5-7; Romans 10:9, 10. There is no working towards something that is free as all we have to do is accept the gift. Believe is a verb that means something we consider to be true as we have heard the Gospel and not only heard it, but also believe what is written for our well being.

Faith works come after we are Spiritually born again and indwelled with the Holy Spirit that empowers us to go out into the world and continue in the good works of the Lord, Acts 2:37, 38; James 2:14-20. The good works are taking His Gospel message to the world as we too are His disciples and to love and help those in need as what we do we do unto the glory of the Lord Christ Jesus, Matthew 25:31-40.

Faith of Christ is faith of/from the Lord.


And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:21-24


And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God;
Mark 11:22 YLT


The reason we can say unto this mountain, “Be removed and cast into the sea“, and it will be done, is we have faith from God to do this very thing.

Which means God has spoken to us or moved upon us to “remove the mountain”, in which we now have faith; the faith from God to do this very thing.


Faith is not something we “muster up” from within ourselves, nor is it something we desire or want, but faith comes from God when He speaks to us to do a certain thing.


“Faith works” are works God has told us to do, and we do them.


Faith must have the corresponding action of obedience or faith is incomplete, and therefore dead, or dormant, inactive and therefore unable to function to accomplish the divine purpose, just as a body with a spirit is dead being unable to function.



JLB

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

no GRACE === God riches at Christ expense grace has many functions i was spared from death in about 3 wreck all 3 could have killed me. i was lost a heathen a rebel But God in his mercy gave me Grace favor from death .he gave me another Chance . there is no works in grace . works follows salvation the night i got saved i stepped out by FAITH at the altar all i said was God save me . so on this part your wrong . saved by grace through faith NOT OF WORKS unless man would boat

If grace were totally UNconditionally then all people would be saved unconditionally Titus 2:11.

Grace and obedience to the will of God are not antagonistic to each other as some people claim. Again in Romans 6 Paul points out that even though the Christian is saved by grace does not give the Christian the right to disobey God. If one is not obeying God he is 'serving sin unto death' a lost state away from God's grace. Obedience to God is necessary to be in and remain in God's grace. Christian's are warned about failing God's grace (2 Corinthians 6:1; Hebrews 12:15)

"Not of works" refers to works of merit and not to obedience to God's will. Hebrews 11:7 Noah's obedient work in building the ark did not merit the saving of his house but it was an act of obedience that God required. Thus Noah's work of obedience merited NOTHING but a necessary condition God placed upon His free gift (salvation of Noah's house).

Luke 17:10 " So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. "

It is man's duty to obey God's will (see also Ecclesiastes 12:13). Man is derelict in his duty if he is not obeying God.

Even when man does his duty in doing "all those things which are commanded you" man is still an unprofitable servant for he will not be sinlessly perfect in keeping God's commands therefore still in need of grace.

Yet not obeying God goes against the purpose of man, disobedience goes against the "whole duty of man" leaving man lost serving sin unto death.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

BINGO 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. put works in the plan of salvation and it nulls the finish works of the Cross

CHrist died on the cross for everyone (Hebrews 2:9) but that does not mean everyone will UNconditionally be saved.

Christ dying on the cross was Christ's role in man's salvation and man's role in his own salvation is obedience to Christ's will (Hebrews 5:9).

Therefore man does have a role to play in his own salvation, that role being obedience to God's will and NOT works of merit (Eph 2:9) nor flawless works required by the OT law (Romans 4:5)

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Act 16:29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

How can one know God's will when they first answer His call to salvation through Christ Jesus. By faith in believing Jesus is the Son of God.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Being Spiritually born again from above is not an act of our charity and righteousness, which are the work part after faith, as all we have to do is believe.

When the jailer was commanded to "believe" in Acts 16:31 he had not yet been told what to believe. He was told the word of the Lord in verse 32. After being told the word of the Lord, he repented and was baptized as the word of the Lord commands in Acts 2:38. Hence the participle phrase "having believed" in 34 sums all he had just done including his repentance and baptism. Here believed bring used as a synecdoche includes repentance and baptism.

In 1 Peter 3:21 Peter says baptism saves but that does NOT mean baptism ALONE saves. "Baptism" is also used as a synecdoche were it would include belief, repentance ad confession.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

So, do you reject Ephesians 2:8,9 as it is clearly written we are saved by faith alone and not of works. Do you believe in a work based salvation?

What if a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior by faith, but yet has no good works started and then gets hit by a car and dies that same day, does this mean they will not be accepted into the Kingdom of God because they have no good works to show their faith?


Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

By works James appears to to include both acts of charity and righteousness according to the laws of the Spirit, Romans 8:2, as opposed to the Mosaic laws. James is not saying that a person is saved by works and not by faith, but that genuine faith will produce good deeds, however, only faith in Christ saves us as long as we endure until He returns.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is simply a belief as in hope for

We are justified by faith first within our belief in Christ Jesus. By faith we come to know the Lord and learn that of what we are to be obedient in and the works we are to continue in as to being obedient to God's commands. No one who first comes to Christ by faith just jumps into good works until they know what they are.

Work in accordance to the will of God is that which accomplishes that of faith.

Yet Eph 2:8 does NOT say salvation is by faith alone. The word "alone" is not even in the verse!!!!

There is a up and down, night and day difference between "faith" and "faith alone"

Romans 5:1-2 faith justifies
James 2:24 faith alone does not justify further showing the total difference between the two.

"Faith alone" is void of obedience thereby making it dead. "Faith" includes obedience, faith is itself obedience making it a living, viable, saving faith.

 

[PeterJens]

Hi FHG,,,,
Please read Galatians 5:22 again regarding faith.

I agree with you --- faith is NOT a work, the N.T. plainly teaches this.
But I believe Gal 5 will not be of help.

Honestly, I don't understand why some topics even need to be debated (discussed).
It seems to me that we all should know the same doctrine.
I find it tiring at times.
God bless the Evangelists.

Hi wondering,

We are going through romans as a church. It is interesting seeing Paul talk theory about our state as redeemed sinners set free from slavery to sin.

He goes no to describe our duality, mortal desires verses spiritual aspirations.
We sow and grow our spiritual realities and as compared to our passions.
Paul does not though go into the emotional foundations of our passions, and how we can see God move and transform us. Paul was a very emotional loving man, but seemed very academic and theological in his application, while being faced with some clear counselling issues. What disturbs me is the resistance of many to admit who they really are and how God speaks to us. Faith can be a way of defending against change with just reassurance of the status quo, rather than transforming our daily experience and interactions with others, because we have been set free from our past traumas and sin.

It reminds me of a woman claiming she praised God in a non-emotional way, so being slain in the spirit could never be emotional overload.

Faith can never be a work, because faith is like seeing, you either see or you do not.
Choosing to act on faith, is a work or an action, so I would call belief a work. When I say I believe Jesus, it means I will stand up and say, He is the Son of God.

Our emotional significance can break us or make us. I develop software and strategies to problems. If I am dependent on others response it would break me, because mostly people are passive. I need to know the software works, and the question is opportunity to benefit others is what matters. I know some who are literally emotionally broken if something does not succeed to be accepted. So one has to be very careful over the long term how one feels, or it is impossible to make progress.

I think also in the Lord these aspects are true. I need to be careful to praise the Lord and keep my focus on Him and who He is, and not just look at ministry and meeting others needs or answering positions, or else I die inside, and am as empty as many others. But praise God, He gives us the fulness in the Holy Spirit if we dwell in Him.

 

[GodsGrace]

Hi wondering,

We are going through romans as a church. It is interesting seeing Paul talk theory about our state as redeemed sinners set free from slavery to sin.

He goes no to describe our duality, mortal desires verses spiritual aspirations.
We sow and grow our spiritual realities and as compared to our passions.
Paul does not though go into the emotional foundations of our passions, and how we can see God move and transform us. Paul was a very emotional loving man, but seemed very academic and theological in his application, while being faced with some clear counselling issues. What disturbs me is the resistance of many to admit who they really are and how God speaks to us. Faith can be a way of defending against change with just reassurance of the status quo, rather than transforming our daily experience and interactions with others, because we have been set free from our past traumas and sin.

It reminds me of a woman claiming she praised God in a non-emotional way, so being slain in the spirit could never be emotional overload.

Faith can never be a work, because faith is like seeing, you either see or you do not.
Choosing to act on faith, is a work or an action, so I would call belief a work. When I say I believe Jesus, it means I will stand up and say, He is the Son of God.

Our emotional significance can break us or make us. I develop software and strategies to problems. If I am dependent on others response it would break me, because mostly people are passive. I need to know the software works, and the question is opportunity to benefit others is what matters. I know some who are literally emotionally broken if something does not succeed to be accepted. So one has to be very careful over the long term how one feels, or it is impossible to make progress.

I think also in the Lord these aspects are true. I need to be careful to praise the Lord and keep my focus on Him and who He is, and not just look at ministry and meeting others needs or answering positions, or else I die inside, and am as empty as many others. But praise God, He gives us the fulness in the Holy Spirit if we dwell in Him.

Great post.
I have nothing to add.
Maybe I could add that as time goes on and we become grounded in our faith,
sin seems to be less of a problem because we just don't want the same things anymore.
Or maybe we want them but it's not so important if we get them or not.

If everything is measured with GOD,,,,things become less important.
Seek first the Kingdom of God? I think that would cover it.

I still would like that 65 inch 4K TV which is toooooo big but sure looks great.
But no sleep is being lost over it.
It's a passing fancy.

 

[for_his_glory]

Hi FHG,,,,
Please read Galatians 5:22 again regarding faith.

I agree with you --- faith is NOT a work, the N.T. plainly teaches this.
But I believe Gal 5 will not be of help.

Honestly, I don't understand why some topics even need to be debated (discussed).
It seems to me that we all should know the same doctrine.
I find it tiring at times.
God bless the Evangelists.

By me quoting Galatians 5:22 I was showing how faith is a fruit of God's Spirit and not of works.

 

[for_his_glory]

Faith of Christ is faith of/from the Lord.


And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:21-24


And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God;
Mark 11:22 YLT


The reason we can say unto this mountain, “Be removed and cast into the sea“, and it will be done, is we have faith from God to do this very thing.

Which means God has spoken to us or moved upon us to “remove the mountain”, in which we now have faith; the faith from God to do this very thing.


Faith is not something we “muster up” from within ourselves, nor is it something we desire or want, but faith comes from God when He speaks to us to do a certain thing.


“Faith works” are works God has told us to do, and we do them.


Faith must have the corresponding action of obedience or faith is incomplete, and therefore dead, or dormant, inactive and therefore unable to function to accomplish the divine purpose, just as a body with a spirit is dead being unable to function.



JLB

I agree as there is faith of Christ as in His obedience to the Father who gave Him a commandments of what to speak and do while here on earth, and faith in Christ that we believe who He said He was as we develope that personal relationship with Him.

 

[GodsGrace]

By me quoting Galatians 5:22 I was showing how faith is a fruit of God's Spirit and not of works.

I believe Gal 5:22 is speaking about our faith toward God.
??

 

[for_his_glory]

When the jailer was commanded to "believe" in Acts 16:31 he had not yet been told what to believe. He was told the word of the Lord in verse 32. After being told the word of the Lord, he repented and was baptized as the word of the Lord commands in Acts 2:38. Hence the participle phrase "having believed" in 34 sums all he had just done including his repentance and baptism. Here believed bring used as a synecdoche includes repentance and baptism.

In 1 Peter 3:21 Peter says baptism saves but that does NOT mean baptism ALONE saves. "Baptism" is also used as a synecdoche were it would include belief, repentance ad confession.

I beg to differ as the jailer was told what to believe. Then they spoke to him the word of God.

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

 

[for_his_glory]

Yet Eph 2:8 does NOT say salvation is by faith alone. The word "alone" is not even in the verse!!!!

There is a up and down, night and day difference between "faith" and "faith alone"

Romans 5:1-2 faith justifies
James 2:24 faith alone does not justify further showing the total difference between the two.

"Faith alone" is void of obedience thereby making it dead. "Faith" includes obedience, faith is itself obedience making it a living, viable, saving faith.

What do you think when it says by faith, not of works? Unless I am wrong you are trying to make faith a work in order to receive God's free gift of grace. Faith has to come first for us to believe in Christ Jesus, Hebrews 11:1, and then we begin the works of the Lord as we learn to walk in obedience to His commands and statures.

 

[GodsGrace]

Hi wondering,

We are going through romans as a church. It is interesting seeing Paul talk theory about our state as redeemed sinners set free from slavery to sin.

He goes no to describe our duality, mortal desires verses spiritual aspirations.
We sow and grow our spiritual realities and as compared to our passions.
Paul does not though go into the emotional foundations of our passions, and how we can see God move and transform us. Paul was a very emotional loving man, but seemed very academic and theological in his application, while being faced with some clear counselling issues. What disturbs me is the resistance of many to admit who they really are and how God speaks to us. Faith can be a way of defending against change with just reassurance of the status quo, rather than transforming our daily experience and interactions with others, because we have been set free from our past traumas and sin.

It reminds me of a woman claiming she praised God in a non-emotional way, so being slain in the spirit could never be emotional overload.

Faith can never be a work, because faith is like seeing, you either see or you do not.
Choosing to act on faith, is a work or an action, so I would call belief a work. When I say I believe Jesus, it means I will stand up and say, He is the Son of God.

Our emotional significance can break us or make us. I develop software and strategies to problems. If I am dependent on others response it would break me, because mostly people are passive. I need to know the software works, and the question is opportunity to benefit others is what matters. I know some who are literally emotionally broken if something does not succeed to be accepted. So one has to be very careful over the long term how one feels, or it is impossible to make progress.

I think also in the Lord these aspects are true. I need to be careful to praise the Lord and keep my focus on Him and who He is, and not just look at ministry and meeting others needs or answering positions, or else I die inside, and am as empty as many others. But praise God, He gives us the fulness in the Holy Spirit if we dwell in Him.

Wait.
You didn't comment on Galatians 5:22
Faith is a gift.
But faithfulness is what we ARE/DO toward God....we are faithful to Him.
Is this two different ideas? Or the same?

 

[jerry63935]

CHrist died on the cross for everyone (Hebrews 2:9) but that does not mean everyone will UNconditionally be saved.

at no time did i ever say everyone will be saved..that is universalism .

Therefore man does have a role to play in his own salvation, that role being obedience to God's will and NOT works of merit (Eph 2:9) nor flawless works required by the OT law (Romans 4:5)

the obedience that night was i stepped out by faith after the Holy spirit drawn me in. we come to him just as we are---LOST we ask him to save us he justifies us sanctifies us .He does the forgiving HE christ paid the price

 

[GodsGrace]

Yet Eph 2:8 does NOT say salvation is by faith alone. The word "alone" is not even in the verse!!!!

There is a up and down, night and day difference between "faith" and "faith alone"

Romans 5:1-2 faith justifies
James 2:24 faith alone does not justify further showing the total difference between the two.

"Faith alone" is void of obedience thereby making it dead. "Faith" includes obedience, faith is itself obedience making it a living, viable, saving faith.

Seems there's a conflict in the New Testament.
Maybe James and Paul did not agree on doctrine?

Could you reconcile
Romans 5:1-2 faith justifies
James 2:24 faith does not justify

Which is it and why?

 

[GodsGrace]

When the jailer was commanded to "believe" in Acts 16:31 he had not yet been told what to believe. He was told the word of the Lord in verse 32. After being told the word of the Lord, he repented and was baptized as the word of the Lord commands in Acts 2:38. Hence the participle phrase "having believed" in 34 sums all he had just done including his repentance and baptism. Here believed bring used as a synecdoche includes repentance and baptism.

In 1 Peter 3:21 Peter says baptism saves but that does NOT mean baptism ALONE saves. "Baptism" is also used as a synecdoche were it would include belief, repentance ad confession.

What happens if I come to believe in God and next week I die unbaptized?

 

[for_his_glory]

I believe Gal 5:22 is speaking about our faith toward God.
??

I agree as faith keeps us in step with God's Spirit as the flesh part of us is a hostile enemy against God so much that we cannot do the things we should in being obedient to God's commands.

 

[for_his_glory]

Did anyone of you know God's will or what we were to be obedient in before you received God's free gift of grace through faith that is Christ Jesus in whom we began to believe in? I know I didn't. I had to learn that after being Spiritually born again.

1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.