Thought’s on Faith

Thought’s on Faith

When we talk of "faith" Paul wrote the means by which we receive it;
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom 10:17)

Faith simply meaning " fully persuaded." Yet the element or ability to be fully is only by our being able to hear to words of the Spirit. This “faith by hearing" principle Jesus alluded to when one of the scribes who is identified as an expert in the Mosaic law in Matthew 22:35, came to Jesus to test Him concerning His thoughts on what is the "Great commandment."

Note in Matthew 22:36 it doesn’t say "greatest" plural, but "the great commandment" with the identifying article placed before commandment denoting not quality but which is the numero uno commandment specificaly. Now considering all of the commandments given, this seemingly was a typical question evoked by a lawyer to cause one to be snared in there reply. Yet what was the reply?

Lets go to this account now in Mark 12:28 to get Jesus fuller reply than what was recorded in Matthew. Jesus said;

"The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:" (Mark 12:29)

Now any good Mosaic Lawyer would know now before any instituting of the Mosaic law the very background upon which the law was given. For Israel all together were to HEAR for themselves from God on Mount Sinai, yet they refused and they only heard through Moses. The word through Moses is what they believed, yet that word had not the ability to "fully persuaded" them of the promises of the commandments. The Ten commandments are NOT and WERE NOT given as a "do this and dont do" that command. NO! These commandments were promises;

- Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt is wording of promise, not what WE MUST DO. Examine these ten commandments in the light of what God shall do according with the "New covenant" of grace not the "Old covenant." For the New covenant is God writing His laws, which simply is His will and nature in your hearts and minds.

Yet NONE of this comes about but by first HIMSELF being the one to initiate our ability to hear beyond what we read or hear in our natural eartly ability but it must be a hearing what the SPIRIT OF GOD speaks. Then the hearing by the SPIRIT has the ability to "fully perusade" us that HE CAN AND WILL BRING TO FULFILLMENT ALL THE COMMANDMENTS IN OUR HEARTS AND MIND.

For an example of the being "fully persuaded" first by hearing or the imparting of faith, Peter serves as an excelent example.
Jesus in Matthew 16:13-17 asked his disciples, whom do people say He is? Some answered Elijah, others, Jeremiah, etc. but Peter answered;

"...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

And what did Jesus say about Peters response? Did He say, because you saw the miracles you are fully persuaded? Because of the words you hear me say you are fully persuaded? Because of seeing me you are fully persuaded? Because of the doctrine of the Church your fully persuaded? Because you repented, and confessed this your fully persuaded? NO! But He did pin point EXACTLY the very source of this "Faith/ full persuasion."

..."for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

Now in this statement we come right back to God being the Author and finisher of our faith-being fully persuaded, and no other not even Peters own mind or wisdom but God alone.

This ability of God fully persuading Peter is seen even when it looked like Peter in his denial three times of knowing Jesus did not fail him. For when Jesus prayed for Peter;

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31-32)

Peter in his trial was sifted of even His own self reliance of his own ability, for he earlier had boasted he would go to prison and death for him, yet Jesus did not pray to have Peter spared this tribulation but that his faith would not fail, or go into an eclipse. And sure enough when the cock crowed the third time “faith-full persuasion" rose up to sustaine Peter, that is faith never was ecplised, and he saw and was sorrowfull and knew now, it was not " ...of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." (Rom 9;16)

Grace to hear is a gift of God. Yes indeed yet man still just as Peter thinks it is because of himself and his ability in some way, that everything hinges upon him.