By Arthur J Licursi
Faith is among the most precious treasures any person can possibly possess. It's a shame that so few understand what the Bible teaches about faith. If they understood faith, its source, and its rewards, they would cease for their futile religious efforts in trying to earn God's favor. They would find the rest that is available only in trusting Christ in all their daily living.
Personally, I trusted in Christ for my salvation from judgment in 1968 and have never wavered from that. But, I must confess, I only began to learn to trust Christ for my daily living in 1994, after my heart attack at age 49. All those prior years I studied and taught the Bible, and led many people to the Lord, even while I missed the most practical mark of His salvation... which is His rest and peace within. I've entered a new way of living as I've progressed from that time and it has resulted in a more enjoyable life, in rest and peace; not only for me but for my wife also.
The words "faith" and "belief" mean more than having a simple mental ascent or inclination toward some fact of truth. Unfortunately, the word "believe" has been mistaken and watered down in the common English language we use today. The Greek word "pistis," which is translated in the Bible as "faith," means "to trust in, cling to and rely upon.. the Lord."
We all encounter life's situation whereby the illusion of control is shattered... and this leads to anxiety. We realize we cannot control things. We realize that we can't control our finances within reason, our health within reason, or our relationships with others. But every person who learns to endure life's situations by trusting in the Lord then enjoys Christ's rest and peace in their hearts... even while still in the midst of the situations of life.
Faith is simply believing, such that it produces rest and peace in the heart of a believer.
Christians often confuse faith with presumption, optimism, determination, superstition and imagination. But no amount of mind over matter, presumption, optimism, determination, superstition, religious effort, and imagination will work to produce the Lord's rest and peace in the heart of a Christian.
Our "good works" don't prove our faith or trust in the Lord. According to the verse below, our religious "works" are not "counted for righteousness" by God, nor are they the evidence of faith. Even the "work" of trying to have faith is no substitute for real trust in the Lord.
"But to him that worketh NOT, but (rather) BELIEVETH ON HIM that justifieth the ungodly, His FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Romans 4:5).
Faith is evidenced when we "trust in, cling, to and rely upon" Christ as our life, our source and our all.
Faith that is manifested by this kind of trusting belief is spontaneously witnessed within us by the unexplainable inner sense a confident "rest" and "peace" in our hearts... even while in the midst of the most awful trials of life.
We need to recognize that the Lord uses our trials as a refining fire that serves to develop genuine faith in us such that we trust the Lord for our daily living (1Peter 1:7).
Obviously, Biblical faith honors God, while doubting Gods Word must insult Him.
John wrote: "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater…. He that believeth NOT God hath made Him (made God to be no better than) a liar; because he believeth not the record that GOD GAVE OF HIS SON"
God "gave of His Son" life as a 2-part blessing for every believer.
1) Christ died for us at the cross to pay our sin-debt, and
2) Now after the cross Christ's resurrection Life is available to dwell WITHIN US, as the New Us!
John continues... "this is the record: that GOD HATH GIVEN TO US (His Own) ETERNAL LIFE, and THIS (limitless) LIFE IS IN HIS SON" (1Jn 5:9-11, excerpted with emphasis).
Some might ask; Why then did God give "the law" if... salvation can be gained... and peace and rest in our daily life can gained by faith and trust in Christ alone?
The Apostle Paul here explains the place of "the law" and how it was meant to work in our lives.
"... BEFORE Faith Came (to us), we were Kept Under The Law,
shut up Unto THE FAITH Which Should AFTERWARDS Be Revealed.
24 Wherefore the Law Was Our Schoolmaster (our teacher) To Bring Us Unto Christ,
(so) that we might be justified By FAITH (In Christ). (Gal 3:34-24)
"... The just shall live (have life) by faith." (Gal 3:11)
So, "the Law," as our schoolmaster (teacher), was to "bring us unto Christ," so we might be declared justified and righteous... by our faith in Christ."
But, how exactly does that work?
Paul goes onto answer this for us. But first let me explain. When we try to keep "the Law" and try to have faith by self-effort, we all FAIL. God intends that we fail and then become so frustrated that we turn our heart to God in helplessness. So actually our failing is good for us in that it should push us until we ultimately find that Christ has freely saved us by His grace (without works)... and so that Christ's "Spirit of life" could come to live His Christian life WITHIN Us... and Through Us... as He wills it.
So then "the Law" has done its intended job when we fail and then find Christ as our salvation, and as our life source for living in peace and rest. Therefore "the Law" is not needed any longer for those who have come to trust in Christ as their all... thus Paul writes;
"But AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, We Are NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER (LAW)." (Gal 3:25)
"... for ye are NOT Under The Law, but UNDER GRACE. (Romans 6:14b)
After believing, Christ has come to be the faithful Christian within us in every life situation... we're simply called to endure byclinging to Christ and to... trustingly go along for the ride of our life as Christ's co-operator of our lives... while enjoying His rest and His peace.
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Hebrews 4:1)
"For We Which Have Believed Do Enter Into Rest..." (Hebrews 4:3a)
"For he that is (whoever has) entered into his (Christ's) rest, he also hath ceased from his own works..." (Heb 4:10)
How grateful we all should be that God, in the Bible, has told us not only about salvation from judgment in Christ, but also of this... new way of living... that is enjoyed only by a trusting the faithfulness of Christ in us... as our all!