The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans, “For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’ ” (Rom. 1:17) In his letter to the Galatians, Paul’s focus rested squarely on just one factor—our faith in God through Christ Jesus. It was here that he made his classic declaration that most Christians know so well, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20) As I reflected on this, the Lord reminded me strongly about the importance of making faith in God the very environment in which my relationship with Him must thrive—a faith that goes farther than calling on God only in times of difficulties. A faith that declares: “The life that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God.”
Now such a decision is primarily radical. It affects us completely. In essence it simply means that everything about us—our life, our choices, our decisions, everything—is based on living in total dependence in the Son of God. I wrote last week in an epistle titled, ‘Power perfected in weakness’, on the importance of making God our only Source. If God is all I have then that is sufficient for me, for in Him is everything I need. I have in part strived to make this true in me and I can witness of God’s grace—I have not been disappointed. Faithful and true is the God we serve. When we seek His face with the cry, “You alone are all I need Lord. No one can satisfy me the way You can,” then God not only attentively listens to this cry but He is delighted to answer.
Now Paul’s letter to the Galatians primarily deals with faith in respect to our legal standing with God through Christ Jesus. For through faith in the cross of Jesus, we have been forgiven. By our faith in the power of the blood of our Saviour, we are cleansed of all sin (1Jn. 1:9). It is because of our faith in Christ’s death and resurrection that we are redeemed from the kingdom of darkness and have been transferred to the kingdom of His glorious light (Col. 1:13). Because of our faith in Jesus, we are sons of God (Gal. 3:26), made righteous and holy to draw near to the One who alone dwells in unapproachable light. By faith and not by sight we believe that our hope of being clothed with an imperishable body at the coming of Jesus (2Cor. 5:4, 7); and then spending eternity with Him is as real as the earth and everything around us.
Yet in the gospel, our faith must go deeper. We know that God has chosen us in Christ Jesus to walk holy (or set apart) and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4). That the life we now live, we live no longer for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf (2Cor. 5:15). Having been sanctified as a new creation in Jesus, we live each day presenting the members of our body—our tongue, our eyes, our mind; yes, our whole being—as instruments of righteousness to God (Rom. 6:13). When we desire to live such a life on a daily basis, we soon realize that the good that we wish, we do not do; but we practice the very evil that we do not wish (Rom. 7:19). At home with the family; at work with our colleagues; on crowded trains and busy streets; almost every time, every day we find how strong our flesh is. Impatience, pride, rude talk, insensitive attitudes—oh how these temptations come toward us from all sides.
When I was younger and new in my relationship with God, I would struggle with trying in my own strength to live a life pleasing to God. Yet the Lord has called us to a life that depends on Him for strength and power and wisdom so that by His grace we can live a life as an overcomer—a life that shines like a light wherever we are, that the world may see our behaviour (the fruit of the Spirit) and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Mt. 5:16). Recognizing our own weakness, we cry, “Rescue me O Saviour for you alone can save. Deliver me from all evil and the sin that can so easily ensnare. I look to you who can keep me from stumbling.” Such faith, such dependence on God, for strength and victory, on a daily basis is what God is looking for in us. In doing so, we are not disappointed, for faithful as He is, our witness is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Php. 4:13).
When I was younger and new in my relationship with God, I would struggle with trying in my own strength to live a life pleasing to God. Yet the Lord has called us to a life that depends on Him for strength and power and wisdom so that by His grace we can live a life as an overcomer—a life that shines like a light wherever we are, that the world may see our behaviour (the fruit of the Spirit) and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Mt. 5:16). Recognizing our own weakness, we cry, “Rescue me O Saviour for you alone can save. Deliver me from all evil and the sin that can so easily ensnare. I look to you who can keep me from stumbling.” Such faith, such dependence on God, for strength and victory, on a daily basis is what God is looking for in us. In doing so, we are not disappointed, for faithful as He is, our witness is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Php. 4:13).
There is a third aspect of faith—a faith that we are all too familiar with—one that depends on God for help with the situations of life that we face, be it in health or finances or relationships. Such a faith needs to be anchored in the love that Christ has for us—an anchor so firmly rooted and grounded that come what may, we are not shaken. Through all the stormy waters, our life is not tossed here and there by waves and strong winds but like the Apostle, we too proclaim, “I know whom I have believed in.” (2Tim. 1:12) This is where the knowledge of the Holy One helps us greatly. If only we meditate on Him and His word, our faithful Father is ever so glad to reveal Himself to us. We then no longer depend on the world by putting our trust in the power of money or position, but rather on God who alone is dependable and trustworthy.
Sadly, of the three aspects that I listed above—our legal standing with God; our faithful, righteous walk with Him; and our needs which we place before Him—we place the third first and the first last. We have upturned the entire order of relationship and have made our dependence on God for our earthly needs the main focus of our covenant. It occupies the maximum attention of our prayer life. It has turned topsy-turvy the whole essence of our association with God. Is it any wonder then that the Church feels like an eagle with a broken wing, powerless and hardly effective? Is it startling when we see that the Church today is so very different from the Church of the first century?
God desires that the life that we now live, we must live by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:20). He desires that every part of our being and all our decisions reflect our trust in the Son. A hundred little prayers can rise up to Him each day, regardless of where we are—while walking on the street, or on our way to work, or even while brushing our teeth. We can be assured that each prayer catches His attention. It pleases Him.
Now our Lord says without ambiguity, “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (Heb. 10:37, 38). May God help us to be full of faith in Him and not lose heart. We will never regret.
Now our Lord says without ambiguity, “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (Heb. 10:37, 38). May God help us to be full of faith in Him and not lose heart. We will never regret.
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