Faith The Victory That Overcomes The World
As I understand the Scriptures, the Lord does not simply attempt to save His people, He actually does save them (Matt 1:21). Faith, our believing, is a gift of God (John 1:13; 6:28-29; Acts 13:48; 18:27; Rom 3:22; 9:16, 18, 22; 10:17; 12:3; Gal 2:16,20; 5:22; Eph 1:19; 2:8; Phil 1:29; Heb 12:2; Tit 3:5), faith a fruit of the Spirit wrought in man by the operation of God. There is no such faith, unless a man is first born again, of the Spirit of God. First, one must be born again, then they have faith. There is no fruit of the Spirit apart from the Spirit. As it is written, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
There must be a work by the Holy Spirit. Faith is fruit of the Spirit. There are those that like to say their faith is not of the Spirit but is their own natural faith. They may insist, but it seems they are going by some other way, not that shown in the Scriptures, based on what I am seeing, for salvation is of the Lord (Gal 5:22; Col 2:12; Phil 1:29; John 1:13).
It is no proficiency test score that gives me a clear conscience and confidence before God. Christ died for my sins. I believe that, have faith, because of the work of the Holy Spirit. That is accompanied by confirmation from the Scripture. With that, I know my election, and am able to understand Eph 1:4 and am aware of my election (1Thess 1:4; Eph 1:4; 2Tim 1:9; 2Pet 1:10).
You must be born again to be saved. The Holy Ghost draws one to Christ, at the Father's command. There is where the faith comes from, by the operation of God, for it is given in the behalf of Christ.
John 6:44 (KJV) No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Philippians 1:29 (KJV) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not
only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
There is a faith that is natural to man and all have such faith, then there
is the faith once delivered and not all have that faith (2Thess 3:2; Joh
5:38; 6:36,64; 10:26), faith of the divine operation of God whereby we
believe.
Acts 16:31 (KJV) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Love so amazing, grace divine, that God would save a sinner such as I,
and also a multitude that no man could number.
Having ones desires match God's will is certainly not natural to man (Isa
55:8).
This faith is divine, a gift from God (Joh 6:29; Eph 2:8; Phil 1:29). There
is nothing of man that will overcome this world.
1 John 5:4 (KJV) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Faith Is The Victory
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/a/faithist.htm
By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio
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KJB John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Bob Krajcik