From Faith to Faith
From Faith to Faith
The true faith in Jesus Christ is ancient —it stands the test and wins victory. "In all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us" (Rom 8:37)
"Having been justified by faith... through our Lord Jesus Christ... we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance character, and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint..." (Rom 5:1-5).
One can immediately have "access by faith into God's grace", however that new faith must develop into a robust faith that holds onto the hope of glory, even in the midst of tribulation. When one is first converted to Christ, it is understandable that one's faith may need to be sheltered and nurtured for a time. However, some Christians seem never to grow out of that nursery faith.
Those who endure the testing of their faith find great reassurance. They can encourage others, as Paul did: "The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. We are more than conquerers through him who loved us. We suffer with him that we may be glorified with him... the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed" (Rom 16:20, Rom 8:16-18,37). Then we will shout, "Victory! Victory! Victory in Jesus!"
Christians are "those who are of the faith of Abraham" (Rom 4:16) . If Abraham's faith was anything at all, it was a tried and tested faith. Is your faith like that? Abraham, "contrary to hope, in hope believed" (Rom 4:18) . He had to have faith in promises that seemed impossible in the face of physical weakness. Yet his faith and hope were rewarded, and a son, Isaac, was born to him and Sarah in their old age.
But then Abraham had to go "from faith to faith". He had to demonstrate "the obedience of faith" that would make him take, at God's command, the life of Isaac, his only begotten son of promise. When God saw that Abraham's faith was true to the test, God spared Isaac at the last moment.
What was the reasoning behind Abraham's faith? He believed God could give "life from the dead" (Rom 4:17) . Abraham and Sarah had been "dead" in a sense. Sarah was barren. Abraham was aged. Their bodies were incapable of procreation. Yet Isaac was conceived. Abraham had received Isaac "from the dead" in a figurative sense.
In Hebrews 11:17-19, this is taken a step further: "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac... his only begotten son... accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also had received him in a figurative sense." Abraham reasoned that if he obeyed the command to kill Isaac, he would receive him from the dead a second time.
This faith of Abraham is a paradigm for us. Is your faith like his? In your trials and troubles, though you "are killed all day long" (Rom 8:36) do you trust that God "gives life to the dead" (Rom 4:17)?
Sometimes it's easy for us to reason like Elijah. He pleaded with God saying,"Lord they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." But what was God's reply? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who bow no knee to Baal" (Rom 11:2-5).
When we feel alone, desolate and threatened, we need not despair, for "we are more than conquerers through him who loved us" (Rom 8:35-39) . Our faith must say, "None of us lives to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die we die to the Lord. Therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living" (Rom 14:7-9).
A Faith That's Tested