There are an endless number of things I can believe/believe in, and take action upon those beliefs, but Paul said he was crucified with Christ, nevertheless he lived - yet not he but Christ who lived in him; and the life he lived in the flesh, he lived by faith that is IN THE SON OF GOD.
My question is: what is ''the faith that is in the Son of God''? Is it simply doing everything I think is true? Or perhaps it is speaking of what I am commanded to do in prayer? But is what I am commanded to do in prayer limited by my knowledge (my people perish for their lack of knowledge) or by God's knowledge? Some say the Holy Spirit can only remind you of things you have already read; if that were true, that means He knows nothing at all for Himself, but Jesus says He will deliver to you what He has received from Jesus, and Jesus from the Father. Also, the Word and Law is written within the man, so if He is reigning, wouldn't His commandment be perfect? Shouldn't I lose all else, and follow it?
What is the faith that is in the Son of God? Is this in respect to our personal relationships with Him? There are times when we may not fulfill what the Word of God says (for instance, ''you must have a job, or else don't eat at all'' - and yet God will always make provision, because He may tell you, as He did me, to fast, thus fulfilling the Word [without even reading that or knowing it prior]) because we do not believe it as unto Jesus; it may break our relationship with Him, and so we cannot do it (you could do it, but you would not be in faith in Him, your relationship would suffer, and your eternal life be put in jeopardy).
So, it says to live by faith, and yet when the Galatians desired to obey the Law of Moses (they had 'faith' that they ought to have obeyed it) they were cut off from Christ - the deceiver had led them away from simplicity of devotion to Christ.
Is it, then, speaking of ''what you can believe and do and have a clear conscience about AS UNTO THE LORD, do it; anything else you do is sin, because it is not of faith that you can believe and still be in right standing with the Lord(not feel guilty)''??
Paul says the Law is able to make you wise unto salvation that is by faith that is in Christ Jesus; Jesus said Moses spoke of Him, and He explained Himself from the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Is THAT the faith that is in the Son of God; if so, what place does it have in my relationship with the ACTUAL WORD of GOD (Jesus, Himself)? If Jesus is the Word, isn't just KNOWING HIM knowing and being rightfully positioned with the entire Word? Doesn't Paul say that the GENTILE BELIEVERS who DO NOT HAVE THE LAW do BY INSTINCT the things written in the Law? They show that they have the Law written on their hearts by simply following the Spirit - their thoughts either excusing or condemning them? But if the faith that is in the Son of God is through reading the Scriptures, they couldn't be fulfilling the Law. But are they able to do so because they had been taught by the Apostles; is a believer today commanded to simply believe in Christ and SEEK HIS FACE (in Him is eternal life; not the Scriptures - Jesus said the commandments of God are eternal life; this means HE will command you all things you must do, for knowing Him is eternal life and eternal life is the command of God [John 12:50]) And isn't THAT the faith that is in the Son of God?? Knowing Him and abiding in His personal commandments? And if you don't know Him, you are far from Him, no matter how much faith you have? Are the Scriptures, then, capable of pulling me away from the Living Word?
That being said, anything I believe has first been introduced to me as a piece of knowledge (written or spirit-word), by which I might have faith, and so this tells me I must study to show myself approved; BUT I am also instructed to SEEK HIS FACE (to know the Person, not only His writings) and hear HIS WORDS because the Scriptures do not have eternal life in them, but the life is IN HIM, like the Glad Tidings of John says (John 5:39).
The question is: which word do I seek RIGHT NOW: the Spirit-Word, which is a current commandment, or the Written Word? What if I ''feel'' led to ''GO!'' and evangelize, but I feel unprepared? I could be lying to myself, and in reality, I am not committed in spirit, and using a lack of biblical knowledge as an excuse to not go, because my HEART is not invested.
The Glad Tidings of John records that Jesus said all that was necessary was for a man to be made entirely clean (I believe it was speaking of feet-my walk with Jesus; hands-my works for Jesus, and head-knowledge of Scripture or the right thing to do or believe) would be to have my feet clean; that this (and this alone) would position and perfect both my works and knowledge. (John 13:5-10)
Finally, then, the question is: what is the thing that ''cleans my feet'' Jesus, being the Word, cleaned the disciples' feet; but WHICH WORD IS IT SPEAKING ABOUT? If it is true that I must read, then at WHAT POINT am I ready to speak with others about Christ - at what point of having studied? And who determines that? This is ridiculous...
My question is: what is ''the faith that is in the Son of God''? Is it simply doing everything I think is true? Or perhaps it is speaking of what I am commanded to do in prayer? But is what I am commanded to do in prayer limited by my knowledge (my people perish for their lack of knowledge) or by God's knowledge? Some say the Holy Spirit can only remind you of things you have already read; if that were true, that means He knows nothing at all for Himself, but Jesus says He will deliver to you what He has received from Jesus, and Jesus from the Father. Also, the Word and Law is written within the man, so if He is reigning, wouldn't His commandment be perfect? Shouldn't I lose all else, and follow it?
What is the faith that is in the Son of God? Is this in respect to our personal relationships with Him? There are times when we may not fulfill what the Word of God says (for instance, ''you must have a job, or else don't eat at all'' - and yet God will always make provision, because He may tell you, as He did me, to fast, thus fulfilling the Word [without even reading that or knowing it prior]) because we do not believe it as unto Jesus; it may break our relationship with Him, and so we cannot do it (you could do it, but you would not be in faith in Him, your relationship would suffer, and your eternal life be put in jeopardy).
So, it says to live by faith, and yet when the Galatians desired to obey the Law of Moses (they had 'faith' that they ought to have obeyed it) they were cut off from Christ - the deceiver had led them away from simplicity of devotion to Christ.
Is it, then, speaking of ''what you can believe and do and have a clear conscience about AS UNTO THE LORD, do it; anything else you do is sin, because it is not of faith that you can believe and still be in right standing with the Lord(not feel guilty)''??
Paul says the Law is able to make you wise unto salvation that is by faith that is in Christ Jesus; Jesus said Moses spoke of Him, and He explained Himself from the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Is THAT the faith that is in the Son of God; if so, what place does it have in my relationship with the ACTUAL WORD of GOD (Jesus, Himself)? If Jesus is the Word, isn't just KNOWING HIM knowing and being rightfully positioned with the entire Word? Doesn't Paul say that the GENTILE BELIEVERS who DO NOT HAVE THE LAW do BY INSTINCT the things written in the Law? They show that they have the Law written on their hearts by simply following the Spirit - their thoughts either excusing or condemning them? But if the faith that is in the Son of God is through reading the Scriptures, they couldn't be fulfilling the Law. But are they able to do so because they had been taught by the Apostles; is a believer today commanded to simply believe in Christ and SEEK HIS FACE (in Him is eternal life; not the Scriptures - Jesus said the commandments of God are eternal life; this means HE will command you all things you must do, for knowing Him is eternal life and eternal life is the command of God [John 12:50]) And isn't THAT the faith that is in the Son of God?? Knowing Him and abiding in His personal commandments? And if you don't know Him, you are far from Him, no matter how much faith you have? Are the Scriptures, then, capable of pulling me away from the Living Word?
That being said, anything I believe has first been introduced to me as a piece of knowledge (written or spirit-word), by which I might have faith, and so this tells me I must study to show myself approved; BUT I am also instructed to SEEK HIS FACE (to know the Person, not only His writings) and hear HIS WORDS because the Scriptures do not have eternal life in them, but the life is IN HIM, like the Glad Tidings of John says (John 5:39).
The question is: which word do I seek RIGHT NOW: the Spirit-Word, which is a current commandment, or the Written Word? What if I ''feel'' led to ''GO!'' and evangelize, but I feel unprepared? I could be lying to myself, and in reality, I am not committed in spirit, and using a lack of biblical knowledge as an excuse to not go, because my HEART is not invested.
The Glad Tidings of John records that Jesus said all that was necessary was for a man to be made entirely clean (I believe it was speaking of feet-my walk with Jesus; hands-my works for Jesus, and head-knowledge of Scripture or the right thing to do or believe) would be to have my feet clean; that this (and this alone) would position and perfect both my works and knowledge. (John 13:5-10)
Finally, then, the question is: what is the thing that ''cleans my feet'' Jesus, being the Word, cleaned the disciples' feet; but WHICH WORD IS IT SPEAKING ABOUT? If it is true that I must read, then at WHAT POINT am I ready to speak with others about Christ - at what point of having studied? And who determines that? This is ridiculous...
