The Inseparability of Faith and Obedience

The Inseparability of Faith and Obedience

By A.W. Tozer


The truth is that faith and obedience are two sides of the same coin and are always found together in the Scriptures. As well try to pry apart the two sides of a half-dollar as to separate obedience from faith. The two sides, while they remain together and are taken as one, represent good sound currency and constitute legal tender everywhere in the United States. Separate them and they are valueless. Insistence upon honoring but one side of the faith-obedience coin has wrought frightful harm in religious circles.

 Faith has been made everything and obedience nothing. The result among religious persons is moral weakness, spiritual blindness and a slow but constant drift away from New Testament Christianity.
Our Lord made it very plain that spiritual truth cannot be understood until the heart has made a full committal to it. "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own" (John 7:17). The willing and the doing (or at least the willingness to do) come before the knowing. Truth is a strict master and demands obedience before it will unveil its riches to the seeking soul.

For those who want chapter and verse here are a few, and there are plenty more: Matthew 7:21; John 14:21; First John 2:4, 3:24, 5:2; First Peter 1:2; James 2:14-26; Romans 1:5; and Acts 5:32.

To sum it up, saving faith is impossible without willing obedience. To try to have one without the other is to be not a Christian, but a student of Christianity merely.

Justification by Faith, Out of Date?

Justification by Faith, Out of Date?

By Billy Graham

      We have been saved by grace through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, "a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16).

      Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

      Let's suppose for a moment that I died tonight and stood before the Lord God who is the Supreme Judge of the Universe. No doubt He would ask me, "Wil Pounds, why should I let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?"

      My response would be, "I plead guilty, Your Honor."

      My advocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there beside me speaks up for me. He says, "Your Honor. It is true that Wil Pounds is a grievous sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and rose from the dead. Wil Pounds has put his faith and trust in Me and all that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him, and he has accepted Me as his substitute."

      The Lord God turns to me and says, "Is that true?"

      I will respond to Him, "Yes sir! That is the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus to save me for all eternity. This is what You have promised in Your Word. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world (and this includes Wil Pounds), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

      The Lord God responds: "Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you be set free. The price has been paid by My Son."

      Furthermore, I get to go home and live with the Judge!

      Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From that moment on throughout life, through death, that sinner who has believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him, and he stands acquitted of his sins.

      A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).

King of Peace

King of Peace

By Bible Names of God


"After that, also, King of Salem, which is King of peace." Hebrews 7:2

Righteousness is the basis of peace. There is no peace for the wicked. "He is our peace, who hath make both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, and hath made of twain one new man, so making peace." Remember what the King of Peace said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." He dwells in us and we dwell in Him. He came and preached peace. He went to the cross and made peace possible. "Great peace have they which love Thy law."

Oh, Thou King of Peace, may Thy peace which passeth all understanding, garrison our souls this day.. Amen.

Love of the Truth or For the Truth

Love of the Truth or For the Truth

By A.W. Pink


It is not simply a knowledge of the Truth that saves, but a love of it that is the essential prerequisite. This is clear from 2 Thessalonians 2:10, "Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved..."

Since then there is love for the Truth in contradistinction from a love of the Truth, and a natural love for Christ in contrast with a spiritual love of Him, how am I to be sure which mine is? We may distinguish between these "loves" thus.

First, the one is partial, the other is impartial; the one esteems the doctrines of scripture but not the duties it enjoins, the promises of Scripture but not the precepts, the blessings of Christ but not His claims, His priestly office but not His kingly rule; but not so with the spiritual lover.

Second, the one is occasional, the other is regular; the former balks when personal interests are crossed, not so the latter.

Third, the one is evanescent and weak, the other lasting and powerful; the former quickly wanes when other delights compete, and prevails not to control the other affections; the latter rules the heart, and is strong as death.

Fourth, the former betters not its possessor; the latter transforms the life.

"Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7).

  
Days of Heaven Upon Earth

      "Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7).
     
      We must receive, as well as ask. We must take the place of believing, and recognize ourselves as in it. A friend was saying, "I want to get into the will of God," and this was the answer: "Will you step into the will of God? And now, are you in the will of God?" The question aroused a thought that had not come before.
     
      The gentleman saw that he had been straining after, but not receiving the blessing he sought.
     
      Jesus has said, "Ask and ye shall receive." The very strain keeps back the blessing. The intense tension of all your spiritual nature so binds you that you are not open to the blessing which God is waiting to give you. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
     
      He tells me there is cleansing
          From every secret sin,
      And a great and full salvation
          To keep the heart within.
      And I take Him in His fulness,
          With all His glorious grace,
      For He says it is mine by taking,
          And I take just what He says.

"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness...And I will give her her vineyards from thence" (Hosea 2:14-15).

  
Streams in the Desert

      

Vineyards in the Wilderness
     
      "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness...And I will give her her vineyards from thence" (Hosea 2:14-15).
     
      A strange place to find vineyards--in the wilderness! And can it be that the riches which a soul needs can be obtained in the wilderness, which stands for a lonely place, out of which you can seldom find your way? It would seem so, and not only that, but the "Valley of Achor," which means bitterness, is called a door of hope. And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth!Yes, God knows our need of the wilderness experience. He knows where and how to bring out that which is enduring. The soul has been idolatrous, rebellious; has forgotten God, and with a perfect self-will has said, "I will follow after my lovers." But she did not overtake them. And, when she was hopeless and forsaken, God said, "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." What a loving God is ours! --Crumbs
     
      We never know where God hides His pools. We see a rock, and we cannot guess it is the home of the spring. We see a flinty place, and we cannot tell it is the hiding place of a fountain. God leads me into the hard places, and then I find I have gone into the dwelling place of eternal springs. --Selected

The Fear of the Lord

The Fear of the Lord

By Charles Stanley


Psalm 112:1-9

As we saw yesterday, the fear of the Lord does not have to do with terror or trepidation, but rather refers to appropriate awe and reverence for who God is. It is a quality that we as Christians should seek and nurture. Though we don't hear the expression often enough today, it should still be a great compliment to be known as a God-fearing man or woman.

To fear God produces all manner of fruit in the Christian's life. It leads to our hating evil as God does, and the Bible also tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Psalm 111:10) The more we acquire divine understanding, the greater will be our love for the Bible and God's commandments.

In addition to all these assets, we find that the person who learns to fear God will have a strong family (v. 2), with children who grow to be courageous for the truth.

God-fearing people also find that "light arises in the darkness for the upright." (v. 4) This doesn't mean that we will never have dark times or periods of distress in the valley - we will have trials, headaches, and tears like the rest of mankind. But in our hardships, we are promised the light that comes from God's angels of deliverance. These protective messengers encamp around those who fear the Lord. They surround believers above and beneath so that nothing can get at you without divine permission. Ask God to help you have a proper, reverential fear of Him. It is a request He will be pleased to honor.