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Chapter I.
FAITH IS
FAITH IS:
GOD'S POWER/MAN'S OBEDIENCE
GOD'S EMPOWERING/MAN'S RESPONSE
ALWAYS GOD'S INITIATIVE
NEVER ALONE ON MAN'S SHOULDERS
EXPLICITLY A NEW TESTAMENT TENANT
IMPLICITLY AN OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCE
OF GOD/FOR MAN
TWO PARTS/GOD'S AND MAN'S
SOMETHING/TANGIBLE POWER
ACTION - REQUESTED/REQUIRED
INHERENTLY PART OF LIFE/UNAVOIDABLE/FROM GOD
DEMANDING/MAN MUST RESPOND (FAITHFUL OR FAITHLESS)
SPECIFIC/FROM GOD TO MAN
COUNTERFEITED/BY SATAN'S TEMPTATION
GOD'S WAY/SATAN'S DEMISE
HATED BY SATAN WHO ATTEMPTS TO DILUTE IT TO MAN
GOD'S
SENSORY COMMUNICATION METHOD TO MAN
BUT,
WHAT IS FAITH?
Many have set forth beautiful expressions about faith --
others
place it as a commodity that is totally dependent upon
man's
feelings and ability to achieve some sort of "high"
spiritually.
Of course there is a measure of truth in each of
these
concepts, yet, the Lord has shown me from His Word and
from
His life in and through me that faith is much more.
Indeed,
that faith is really a contract in two parts, God's and
man's:
(1) God's power (manifesting His love, His care, His
desires)
to us; and (2) Our response to Him (through obedience,
our
desire to be a part of Him, of His care and of His love).
Yes--
His communication to us -- our response to Him.
It is always of God, not of man, yet conditional with man as
to
effectiveness of response (really another expression of the
free
will He has given us).
Herein may be an answer to the dilemma some feel exists
between
the Apostles Paul and James: Paul,
of faith (without
works);
and James, by works demonstrated faith.
I believe that
Paul
saw faith more from God's perspective (the power of Cod
manifested
to man), while James' perspective was more that of man -- man's need to be
obedient to do God's will or there was no real transaction.
Both have an important place!
This is a God and man transaction, desired of God, conditional upon
man, impossible without both. Great
potential to man with God's power to him, but not kinetic (not
active) until accepted/acted upon by man.
Now, don't take this wrong -- there are many times that God
acts
unilaterally without man's input, or approval, but, more
often
than not, He chooses to work through an obedient vessel.
This
is His sovereign choice.
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