Faith Brings Righteousness
“They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another
(The Gospel According to Mark 9: 10 NASB)
what rising from the dead meant.”
Have you ever wondered about your salvation?
Have you ever doubted, asking yourself if what you experienced was undeniably true or just a feeling?
In the passage, Jesus was coming down from the mountain, where He had been transfigured before the disciples: Peter, James, and John. When they saw Jesus transfigured, the Bible tells us, “and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.” (The Gospel According to Mark 9: 3 NASB)
Amazement came over those three men, and Peter, who was a man never without words, asked Jesus if they should construct three tabernacles (for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah), for God allowed each of these to appear during Jesus’ transfiguration. Terrified was the reaction of the three disciples.
“Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud,
(The Gospel According to Mark 9: 7-8 NASB)
“This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!”
All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore,
except Jesus alone.”
Faith does not depend on how we feel or what we see that happens in front of us. It’s not a warm, fuzzy feeling, but a testing from God to reveal to us whether our faith is counterfeit or real. Those who believe in Jesus are being changed by God. Thus, faith is not a one-time event but a daily walk with the Lord, as He transforms us, from life-to-life. The Lord strengthens our faith for the tasks He places before us. We realize our weakness and depend on God’s strength, even during the ordinary experiences of life. Since we never know how God is testing us, we are to continue in the study of God’s Word, in prayer, and in service within His kingdom work. God remembers we are dust, He knows our fears and doubts, but transforms us anyway, fashioning us, developing us, and making us more like Jesus, as He prepares us for heaven. Christians who believe God’s promises are also humbled as they see the way God works. Believers realize how God truly remains beside them, just as He promised.
His promises are unchanging because He is the changeless Almighty God.
His Word stands true forever.
Faith means more than simply trusting God because it also means “seeking” God and “desiring” to please Him. As His children, we keep our eyes on Him, see only Jesus, and trust Him. As God’s children seek to please Him, we bring God joy.
The apostle Paul wrote to discuss the uniqueness of our faith in Jesus, writing his letter to the church meeting in Galatia. He first gets their attention by calling them “foolish Galatians,” reminding them of Jesus’ appearing to them after his resurrection from the dead.
“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 3: 1-4 NASB)
Are you so foolish?
Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?”
Thus, we return to our first questions:
Have we ever questioned the sincerity of our salvation?
Have we ever doubted what our eyes have clearly seen by faith?
Have we ever wondered if what we experienced by faith was (really) true or just a feeling?
Friend, it is not wrong to doubt but human. We live in a world that screams the opposite, that faith and God do not exist, and often what shouts loudest is heard by the masses. Therefore, we must know that we know that we KNOW we have received the salvation of God.
To answer the question (How can we know?) Paul offers a question in his letter to the Galatians.
“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 3: 5-6 NASB)
Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD,
AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
The Bible tells us that we believe (as Gentiles) as Abraham did (as a Jew), and because we believe, we are the blessing God promised His servant Abraham when God took him outside his tent and told him to look up toward the stars in heaven. God told His servant that his seed would be as numerous as the stars. Our faith in Jesus is evidence of God’s spoken word to Abraham.
Thus, we do not believe in Jesus by the works that we do with our hands but we believe with our heart through faith, and Jesus does the rest.
Jesus saves our soul. And then–God places His Spirit inside us, sealing His promise within us.
God’s Holy Spirit is all the evidence we will ever need to assure us of God’s salvation.
Know with assurance that your sin has been forgiven, meaning your faith is NOT a feeling, but a promise. Faith Brings Righteousness.
“Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for,
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 3: 11NASB)
“THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Keep your eyes upon Jesus, not the world. See Him, hear Him speak to your inner being, and continue to believe. That is faith.
God’s Power is unshakable.
God’s Word is unchanging.