THE FAITH
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God…”
Galatians 2:20
May we grasp the significance of His faith becoming ours. It is this wondrous revelation that frees us from religious pretense and the condemnation of our efforts to live a life of faith in our own strength. Faith is the gift of God. When we attempt to manufacture faith, we step into the realm of the flesh and end up “frustrating the grace of God.” Faith is one of the dynamic gifts given to those who receive Him into their hearts.
In our reception of Him, we receive the faith of Him. We live by the faith OF the Son of God, not by the energies of self. What a glorious Gospel!
“I do not frustrate the grace of God:
for if righteousness come by the law,
then Christ is dead in vain.”
Galatians 2:21
We need to clearly understand the nature and source of the faith that enables the Bride of Christ to prepare herself for the glorious Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
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The Marriage Supper – The Faith
“May we rejoice and exult, and give the glory to Him,
because the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His wife has made herself ready.”
Revelation 19:7 (LSV)
The marriage supper will come when the Bride has made herself ready. There are stirrings within her through the power of faith. Faith is the inspiration, grace is the power, and love is the motive for her to be made ready. Faith is the sole means by which this grace is effectively received.
“By Whom also we have access by faith
into this grace wherein we stand…”
Romans 5:5
Scripture presents us with insights into the workings of God and the wisdom necessary to heed His revelation to us and through us. The Bride is to be making herself ready for Him. There is a pressing within her being and an urgent desire to be adorned with His graces.
“By WHOM we have access…”
Everything in God’s creation revolves around Jesus. My relationship with Him determines the power and influence of faith. All things that pertain to godliness are through the agency of His Life. There is only ONE FAITH.
ONE FAITH
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Ephesians 4:4-6
When Paul spoke of the “life he now lived,” he made it clear that it was lived “by the faith OF the Son of God”*(see note below) (Galatians 2:20). This is an irrevocable truth for us all.
The life we now live reflects the faith that currently empowers us.
According to the scriptures, there is no such thing as “a” faith; there is only “the faith”. In the New Testament Greek, faith is very often prefaced by the article “the,” signifying its uniqueness in the eyes of God! (See an extensive list at the end of this article.)
NOTE: The holy, happy life which I now live, is neither procured by my own merit, nor caused by my own power. Or, as ζω δε ουκ ετι εγω is more properly rendered, I live no longer, namely, as to my former sinful self, state, and nature, being made dead to the world and sin; but Christ liveth in me — By his word and Spirit, his truth and grace; and is a fountain of life in my inmost soul, from which all my tempers, words, and actions flow. And the life that I now live in the flesh — Even in this mortal body, and while I am surrounded with the snares, and exposed to the trials and troubles of this sinful world…”
– Joseph Benson
Paul reveals this to Titus, where he speaks of the “common faith.”
“To Titus, mine own son
after the common faith…”
Titus 1:4
Without a proper understanding of the true faith, we will continue to live by “a” faith taught by men rather than the clear and pure word of God.
“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God”
1 Corinthians 2:5
In much of the church today, faith has come to mean WHAT a person believes rather than a life that reveals its Author. We have made faith a statement rather than a life! The faith spoken of in God’s word stands “in the power of God.” Therefore, it must be demonstrative in the lives of those in whom its power is effective.
James declares unequivocally:
“I will show you my faith
by my works.”
James 2:18 (ESV)
It is because of this mighty moving of ‘the faith” within those who yield to its power that the Bride is making herself ready for HIM!
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”
1 John 3:2-3
Related Articles:
Elements of Faith – The Wonder
“It is easy to say ‘resist,’ “but the command is bitter irony, unless we go on to say with the New Testament, “Whom resist steadfast in the faith.” No man, my dear brother, can stand in the slippery places where we have to go, unless he has the grasp of a higher and stronger hand to keep him up.”
— Alexander Maclaren.
Instances in the Greek
Where “the faith” is found
According to the LSV
(Literal Standard Version)
Act 3:16 and on the faith of His Name, this one whom you see and have known, His Name made strong, even the faith that [is] through Him gave to him this perfect soundness before you all.
Act 6:7 And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; a great multitude of the priests were also obedient to the faith.
Act 13:8 and there withstood them Elymas the magus—for so is his name interpreted—seeking to pervert the proconsul from the faith.
Act 14:22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that it is required of us to enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations,
Act 16:5 then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;
Rom 3:22 and the righteousness of God [is] through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and on all those believing—for there is no difference,
Rom 3:26 for the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who [is] of the faith OF Jesus.
Rom 4:16 Because of this [it is] of faith, that [it may be] according to grace, for the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that which [is] of the Law only, but also to that which [is] of the faith of Abraham,
Rom 10:8 But what does it say? “The saying is near you—in your mouth, and in your heart”: that is, the saying of the faith that we preach;
Rom 14:1 And receive him who is weak in the faith—not to determinations of reasonings;
1Co 16:13 Watch, stand in the faith; be men, be strong;
2Co 13:5 Try yourselves, if you are in the faith; prove yourselves; do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if you are not disapproved of in some respect?
Gal 1:23 and they were only hearing that “he who is persecuting us then, now proclaims good news—the faith that he was then destroying”;
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and that which I now live in the flesh—I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me;
Gal 3:23 And before the coming of faith, we were being kept under law, shut up to the faith about to be revealed,
Eph 3:12 in whom we have the freedom and the access in confidence through the faith OF Him,
Eph 3:17 that the Christ may dwell through the faith in your hearts, having been rooted and founded in love,
Php 1:25 and being persuaded of this, I have known that I will remain and continue with you all, to your advancement and joy of the faith,
Php 1:27 Only conduct yourselves worthily of the good news of the Christ, that, whether having come and seen you, whether being absent I may hear of the things concerning you, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news,
Col 1:23 if you also remain in the faith, being founded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the good news, which you heard, which was preached in all the creation that [is] under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a servant.
Col 2:7 being rooted and built up in Him, and confirmed in the faith, as you were taught—abounding in it in thanksgiving.
Col 2:12 being buried with Him in the immersion, in which you also rose with [Him] through the faith of the working of God, who raised Him out of the dead.
2Th 3:2 and that we may be delivered from the unreasonable and evil men, for not all [are] of the faith;
1Ti 1:19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away, made shipwreck concerning the faith,
1Ti 3:9 having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,
1Ti 4:1 And the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons,
1Ti 4:6 Placing these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching, which you followed after,
1Ti 5:8 and if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of the household, he has denied the faith, and he is worse than an unbeliever.
1Ti 6:10 for the love of money is a root of all the evils, which certain [ones] longing for went astray from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows;
1Ti 6:12 be striving the good strife of the faith, be laying hold on the continuous life, to which you also were called, and professed the right profession before many witnesses.
1Ti 6:21 which certain [ones] professing—swerved concerning the faith; the grace [is] with you. Amen.
2Ti 2:18 who swerved concerning the truth, saying the resurrection to have already been, and overthrows the faith of some;
2Ti 3:8 and even as Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses, so these also stand against the truth, men corrupted in mind, disapproved concerning the faith;
2Ti 4:7 I have striven the good strife, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith,
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the chosen ones of God, and an acknowledging of truth that [is] according to piety,
Tit 1:13 This testimony is true; for which cause convict them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
Heb 12:2 looking to the Author and Perfecter of the faith—Jesus, who, for the joy set before Him, endured a cross, having despised shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God;
Jas 2:1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in favor by appearance,
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from [the] spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from works is dead.
1Pe 1:9 receiving the outcome of the faith—salvation of your souls;
1Pe 5:9 whom you must resist, steadfast in the faith, having known the same sufferings of your brotherhood to be accomplished in the world.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, using all diligence to write to you concerning our common salvation, I had necessity to write to you, exhorting [you] to fight for the faith once delivered to the holy ones,
Rev 13:10 if anyone [goes] into captivity, into captivity he goes; if anyone is to be killed with sword, it is necessary of him by sword to be killed; here is the endurance and the faith of the holy ones.
Rev 14:12 Here is endurance of the holy ones: here [are] those keeping the commands of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
(44 Verses Found, 45 Matches)
Please read these verses slowly and allow His Spirit to give illumination concerning “the Faith.”
Brian Troxel
Lights Out?
I saw in a vision, 07/18/2015, lanterns, the kind you fill with oil, on the ground. The lanterns were on the ground and many were dim and dying out. It was pitch black dark in this vision. What I found strange and sad is that the lanterns were not being held or cared for by anyone. You can’t expect to maintain the light with no oil being placed in the lamp to replenish what was used and no one to trim the wick to maximize the light. There were many many unattended lamps in this vision. This is indeed very tragic because it can only mean that people do not realize the hour in which we live nor the danger that they are in. The parable of the 10 virgins comes to mind here.
Mat 25:1-13
(1) “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
(2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
(3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
(4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
(5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
(6) “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
(7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
(8) And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
(9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
(10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
(11) “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
(12) But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
(13) “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
What comes to mind here is that each one of us is individually responsible for keeping our lamps full of oil and our wicks trimmed. We are not a repository of oil for each other.
A dream that I had several years ago comes to mind here as well,
I had a dream early the morning of 04/29/2012. In the dream my wife and I were in bed sleeping and it was very late. Our door bell rang and I remember saying to my wife, “who would be ringing our doorbell at this late hour. We both got up to see who it was. What was odd was that each of us had an old fashioned hurricane lamp, the kind you fill with oil, as our light . When we opened the front door, we saw an angel standing there with a jug of oil in his hands. He filled our lamps and told us that the time is short.
As it states above I had this dream 3 years ago. I have discovered some things while reading this post again and am essentially adding to this posting. First off I note that this dream could be compared with the 10 virgins 5 being wise and 5 being foolish. The 5 wise had additional oil to take with them so that they wouldn’t run out when the bridegroom came at night. It was God’s mercy that He sent an angel to fill our lamps. We should have had that responsibility on our shoulders and have had the extra oil.
Secondly night and darkness are metaphors for evil in the bible. It does say that the bridegroom came at around midnight. Oil, i.e., the Holy Spirit, is essential to be able to travel in the dark.
As I studied more in depth I found that the Greek word for lamp was lampas and it actually meant a torch. This had to be replenished with oil every 15 minutes .
The reason I post this is that this scripture was not written with modern day light bulbs in mind. Again look at my dream above. My wife and I had lamps that required maintenance on our part, i.e., the wicks needed trimming and the lamps needed oil to burn. This was our responsibility in the dream and it is the responsibility of every believer to keep his/her own lamp full. What caught my attention is the fact that the oil needed replenished every 15 minutes in order for the lamp to continue to burn brightly. What then does that say about how often we should be praying and getting filled up and all the more so as the days become more and more dark because of the evil
We are living in the day of the 5 wise and the 5 foolish – and how we need each other to keep our wicks trimmed and our vessels full of the precious oil of the Holy Spirit. I will be sharing this with others.
Blessings
BT
Amen! Faith is not for a moment only or to determine what or if we believe, but the full aspect of the life of a believer.
Blessings brother