Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 13 Location: In His hands
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:31 am Post subject: A Believer's Commitment Versus A Believer's Faith
Believe it or not: Jesus did not ask for a commitment from any believer: He did not have confidence in our flesh nor in our willpower to follow Him religiously. Jesus simply said "Follow Me", not "Make a promise to follow Me" as if we can follow Jesus religiously by looking to ourselves in keeping that commitment.
Jesus invited the little children to freely come to Him: He also said that unless we receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a child, we shall in no wise enter therein. So what can a child do but trust the Lord at His Word?
Trust is the basis for all relationship. That is how it is established when we trust the Lord at His Word, and thereby, we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
This is why the poor in spirit are blessed because they are no longer looking to themselves in doing the best they can in doing what is right and following what God wants. They know they cannot do it because they are sinners in need of the Saviour. They are so blessed because not only do they look to Jesus Christ in being their Saviour, but they also look to Jesus Christ in being their Good Shepherd in helping them to live the christian life. By learning of Him through His words, they see His promises in helping them to live godly as He helps them to continue in His words to be His disciples.
This is why it is written that the just shall live by faith... in the Son of God and all of His promises to us.
A believer's commitment only speaks of himself as a religious person and thus it is to his glory in keeping that commitment: but can any believer really do it? No, because by the believer's commitment to Christ or to follow Christ is the knowledge of sin.
A believer's faith is not in himself as having any confidence in the flesh to make himself good by doing the best he can. A believer's faith is in the Son of God as he relies on Him to enable him to follow Him with His words to guide him.
If God's chosen people could not keep the law by doing the best they can, then neither can a christian by doing the best they can in keeping their commitment to follow Jesus when His standard is higher than the works of the law. Indeed, making promises or commitments of what the believer declares he will do is a boast in the flesh: not just for today, but for tomorrow.
James 4: 13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
2 Corinthians 11: 19For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
Galatians 3:1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
John 2:24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
Matthew 26:40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 19:25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
John 6:28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Philippians 1:6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: ....9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. 11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
When we cease from our works by our efforts in making ourselves good by the deeds of the flesh or by the deeds of the law, and trust Jesus Christ at His word that He will enable us to follow Him, then we get to know Him and the power of His resurrection in how we are living the christian life and following Him by faith in the Son of God in us.
Galatians 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Philippians 3:8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him,....
Galatians 5: 1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
So which do you think a sinner that is a slave to sin would want to hear: a believer's commitment or the believer's faith in Jesus Christ? I guarantee you that a sinner laden in bondage to sin and to death cannot see it in himself to make a commitment to Christ nor to follow Christ, but when that sinner hears of that believer's faith in Christ, then not only does the sinner have hope for his salvation, but he also has hope for living the christian life as Jesus is the Good Shepherd as well as the Saviour.
This is why we are called to be witnesses of the Son by our faith in Him and not of ourselves by our commitments to Him. Indeed, we cannot bear witness of ourselves in order to be a true witness.
John 5: 31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
To be a witness, one must bear testimony of another in seeking the glory of the other that they are testifying of.
John 7:18He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
So as a witness, we have to decrease and speak nothing of our commitments and ceased to be identified by our commitments if others are to hear of our faith in Him when speaking of Him so that He may increase.
John 3:28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.
Even the Holy Spirit Whom is God has to abide by the Word of God in being a true witness:
John 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Thus as we are led by the Spirit of God not to speak of the Holy Spirit in seeking the glory of the Holy Spirit, but we shall be testifying of the Son in seeking the glory of the Son as His name is above every other name to the glory of God the Father.
John 15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
1 Corinthians 2:2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Philippians 2:5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Even in worship: hymnals are to be centered on the Son to honour the Son and thereby honouring the Father thus to glorify the Son is to glorify the Father. That is what the Holy Spirit in us is leading us to do as the name of Jesus is the name to glorify: not the name of the "Trinity".
Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
John 5:22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
John 13:31Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
So as a personal testimony as I am led by the Spirit of God in me to do as His words guides me: I had asked Jesus to forgive me, set me free from my commitment and my promises that are His to keep to rest in Him and all His promises to me, thus ceasing to speak of that commitment and any boast in the flesh in regards to those vain promises, to decalre my faith in Him and all of His promises to me in living the christian life as well as having eternal life so I can rest in Him when I came to Him.
Matthew 11: 25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
To give an example of my vanity and what Christ is doing for me: I had made a covenant with my mouth never to cuss again, but no matter how much my spirit was willing, the flesh was weak as the very next day, I was worse than I ever was before. It was then when the Lord ministered to me as to why He was not helping me: He said unto me in that small still voice: "You made the covenant. You said you were going to do it. I have made the Covenant and I said I am going to do it. All I ask from you is to believe on Me." I was humbled that day as He has set me free from that covenant and eventually from my commitment to Him and all other vain promises to rest in His Covenant to me that He will help me live the christian life and to follow Him. I am trusting Him to be my Friend to make me His friend in doing His words by the grace of God and not just hearing them. Truly, I am His workmanship as He is bringing me Home to His glory as a vessel unot honour in His House, God be willing: I pray He will continue to do so, taking me by my right hand and make me to sit down at the Marriage Supper.
Psalm 100: 3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psalm 118:8It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. ( or in yourself )
This is my faith and hope in Him. This is my witness of Him by His grace and by His help as this witness seeks His glory. Amen. _________________ A divided hope ceases to be that singular hope. Let nothing divide your hope in Jesus Christ.
I don't think many Christians making committment to Jesus and that's why their lives are not Jesus centered and so ungodly. Do you see Christians trying very hard to make their lives Jesus focussed?
Jesus tells us that His followers are salt and light of the world. I dont see mainstream churches are being salt and light of the world. They are no different from this world. _________________ YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord
Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 13 Location: In His hands
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:17 pm Post subject:
joyful wrote:
Enow,
I don't get your point. What are you tellins us?
I don't think many Christians making committment to Jesus and that's why their lives are not Jesus centered and so ungodly. Do you see Christians trying very hard to make their lives Jesus focussed?
Jesus tells us that His followers are salt and light of the world. I dont see mainstream churches are being salt and light of the world. They are no different from this world.
Actually alot of believers are looking to themselves in living the christian life by making and trying to keep that commitment, but failing. Alot of churches have made commitments to alot of things, but that is not testifying to Jesus working in the church or their lives.
It is written that the just shall live by faith. Do we believe in Jesus Christ to be our Good Shepherd as well as our Saviour? Trust is the basis for all relationships. As we continue in His words, it is not to be done by doing the best we can like the Jews did under the law, but by faith in the Son of God in us that He will help us do what He says.
That is the difference between a believer's commitement and a believer's faith. One is a religion: the other is a reconciled living relationship. _________________ A divided hope ceases to be that singular hope. Let nothing divide your hope in Jesus Christ.
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Actually alot of believers are looking to themselves in living the christian life by making and trying to keep that commitment, but failing.
If they are committed to Jesus they will not have such caotic churches. I and my family are commtted to Jesus, so we strive to be obedint to Jesus teachings and commandments.
Do you see any faithful result from mainstream churches? What about that approving the military practice. If they are trying to be obedient to Jesus, would they approve of this sinful practice? Think about it, friend.
You seem like simple teachings complicated. We should not do that friend. Christianity is not complicated. Mainstream churches are making simple gospel very complicated with their man-made doctrines. _________________ YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord
Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 13 Location: In His hands
Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject:
joyful wrote:
If they are committed to Jesus they will not have such caotic churches. I and my family are commtted to Jesus, so we strive to be obedint to Jesus teachings and commandments.
Do you see any faithful result from mainstream churches? What about that approving the military practice. If they are trying to be obedient to Jesus, would they approve of this sinful practice? Think about it, friend.
You seem like simple teachings complicated. We should not do that friend. Christianity is not complicated. Mainstream churches are making simple gospel very complicated with their man-made doctrines.
A commitment is like a promise. That is looking to yourself in making yourself good or in doing good by the deeds of the law. Man has proven they cannot do it because they are sinners in need of teh Saviour.
If you promised or made a commitment to never sin again, it is broken. You can never said that you kept it nor can you ever keep it. Just the same way about making a commitment to follow Him: you can't keep it for by that commitment is the knowledge of sin.
Man had their chance with the law and blew it. Now it is God's turn.
Do you believe Jesus Christ as your Good Shepherd that He will help you live as His? If yes: then where is that testimony of your faith in Him to the world of His New Covenant to you in helping youive as his?
All that He requires from us is to believe in Him. That ius how and why the just shall live by faith.
John 6:28-29 _________________ A divided hope ceases to be that singular hope. Let nothing divide your hope in Jesus Christ.
That's right. When became Jesus' followers, we made a vow to Him to live for Him. Thats why we will not be powerful and lying if we dont serve Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. This is all about commitment.
You seem to be playing word games and nitpicking. Why are doing this? _________________ YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord
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