Devotional Guide
For the week of December 19, 2004
FAITH THAT IS FOR REAL
How faith in faithfulness matters
To Read: Ezekiel 28-30
To Know:
"Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are
justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by
faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine
forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present
time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in
Jesus." (Rm. 3:23-26)
What is Christian faith? This is the most important question any human being
will ever ask. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (See Heb. 11:6)
The apostle Paul wrote an extensive letter to the Romans to defend his
assertion that the gospel is God's strength to save sinners when he wrote,
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to
every one who has faith." (1:16,17) Jesus said, "He who believes in me,
though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall
never die." (Jn. 11:25,26) Moses wrote regarding Abraham that, "He believed
the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness." (Gen. 15:6) At a time
of approaching catastrophe the prophet Habakkuk said that the hope of his
people would be their faith. "Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him
shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith." (2:4) Faith was and
is the issue facing all the living.
Christian faith is plainly more than faith that God exists. The devils
believe in God's existence and tremble. James wrote, "You believe that God
is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder." (2:19) Neither
is Christian faith belief in the attributes of God. Many who believe in an
all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God, who has absolute charge of
human history, nevertheless deny Jesus Christ. Christian faith is faith in
the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. The Christians addressed in the Book of
Revelation were challenged to patiently endure. They were to completely rely
on the faithfulness of God revealed in Jesus in order to triumph over the
trials of life. Christian faith is trusting oneself to the trustworthiness
of the God and Father of Jesus Christ.
12204$-12204
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