MORE FAITH MORE FIRE
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There’s a lot of faith at our disposal the moment we are born again. So how do we develop ourselves to increasingly access faith for the challenges of everyday living? The Bible answers that question clearly: “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17). So to start the process, find out what God has said. Open your Bible and discover what belongs to you.
Throughout the New Testament the phrase “the faith” and “doctrine” are used interchangeably. When faith has an article preceding it as in “the faith,” it means “the statement of faith.” Therefore, to have correct faith, we must have an accurate statement of doctrinal faith.
The apostle Paul certainly recognized the importance of correct doctrine. He constantly opposed those who sought to change the faith. Perhaps he was concerned about accurate doctrine because of his own experience.
When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, he thought his doctrine was accurate and that he was serving God. But when he met Christ on the Damascus road, he gained a living faith which changed what he believed and how he lived. Paul talked about those who had “departed from the faith” (1 Tim. 4:1) and “denied the faith” (i Tim. 5:8).
This is a great encouragement to faith. Why? Because it means that God is just as free to bless us before we get our act together as he is after. Since we are “unworthy” slaves before we have done what we should, and “unworthy” slaves afterwards as well, it is only grace that would prompt God to help us. Therefore he is free to help us before and after. This is a great incentive to trust him for help when we feel like our act is not together.
TO BELIEVE GOD IS JUST FAITH
There’s a lot of faith at our disposal the moment we are born again. So how do we develop ourselves to increasingly access faith for the challenges of everyday living? The Bible answers that question clearly: “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17). So to start the process, find out what God has said. Open your Bible and discover what belongs to you.
Throughout the New Testament the phrase “the faith” and “doctrine” are used interchangeably. When faith has an article preceding it as in “the faith,” it means “the statement of faith.” Therefore, to have correct faith, we must have an accurate statement of doctrinal faith.
The apostle Paul certainly recognized the importance of correct doctrine. He constantly opposed those who sought to change the faith. Perhaps he was concerned about accurate doctrine because of his own experience.
When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, he thought his doctrine was accurate and that he was serving God. But when he met Christ on the Damascus road, he gained a living faith which changed what he believed and how he lived. Paul talked about those who had “departed from the faith” (1 Tim. 4:1) and “denied the faith” (i Tim. 5:8).
This is a great encouragement to faith. Why? Because it means that God is just as free to bless us before we get our act together as he is after. Since we are “unworthy” slaves before we have done what we should, and “unworthy” slaves afterwards as well, it is only grace that would prompt God to help us. Therefore he is free to help us before and after. This is a great incentive to trust him for help when we feel like our act is not together.
TO BELIEVE GOD IS JUST FAITH
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