THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS . . .FAITH
\nGalatians 5:22
\nLike all things good and right, faith is not a product of man\u2019s evil
\nnature, but of the blessed Spirit of God. Faith is wrought in the elect
\nby the working of His mighty power. This is a vital issue to the truth
\nof the Gospel. There have only ever been two religions in this world and
\nthese can be distinguished by two words, grace and works. All of the
\nimmense volumes of argument both written and verbal regarding the
\nancient contention between Sovereign Grace and Free Will can be summed
\nup in this one question: Where does faith come from?
\nIf faith is a product of man\u2019s nature and can be exercised at his
\ndiscretion, then salvation is of the free will of man. If faith is God\u2019s
\ngift given freely at His discretion to those whom He has chosen in
\neternal discriminating love, then salvation must be attributed to the
\nsovereign grace of God. What sayeth the scriptures?
\n1.Faith is initially wrought in the sinner by the power of the Holy
\nSpirit. Ephesians 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power
\nto us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.
\nEphesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
\nyourselves: it is the gift of God.
\n2.Faith is sustained and increased by God. Luke 22:32 But I have prayed
\nfor thee, that thy faith fail not. Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto
\nthe Lord, Increase our faith.
\n3.Faith as a work in us is performed and completed by Christ. Hebrews
\n12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.<\/p>\n
Any honest reader\/hearer of truth must conclude himself to be an
\nimmeasurable debtor to that grace whereby we are made partakers of that
\ngift whereby we lay hold of God\u2019s unspeakable gift, the Lord Jesus Christ.
\nChris Cunningham.<\/p>\n
FAITH AND WORKS
\nAny man that has faithfully preached the Gospel of God’s wonderful and
\nmarvelous grace (found only in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ) has
\nprobably been accused of being an antinomian. This term refers to one
\nthat is without law….one that cares not for the “works of salvation”.
\nI can without reservation say that faithful men of God’s calling DO care
\nfor the works of God’s salvation. The problem in the mind of carnal man:
\nis that there is a misunderstanding concerning what these works actually
\nare! The works that are associated with God-given faith are not the
\nfeeble efforts OF MEN trying to earn some sort of right standing before
\nthe Trice Holy God, but are actually GOD’S works which are evidences of
\nHis presence. The works that are connected with true faith are
\nthese…Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Meekness, and
\nKindness. All that we have ever done has been mixed with sin, but the
\nwork that God, for Christ’s sake has done (in His people), is a work
\nthat brings honor, glory, and praise to the Son Of Righteousness. It is
\nthe WORK OF GOD, and not the works of men that is associated with true
\nfaith. Marvin Stalnaker.<\/p>\n
STAND FAST IN LIBERTY
\nThe greatest preacher and defender of sound doctrine apart from Christ
\nHimself was most likely the apostle Paul. None could charge him with
\ncompromise, none could call his message unclear, and none could accuse
\nhim of giving anyone a false hope. But as one who earnestly contended
\nfor the faith of God’s elect, he stood firmly in defense of the liberty
\nof those in Christ and their total deliverance from all bondage. His
\nadmonition to all true believers rings loud and clear today. “Stand fast
\ntherefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
\nentangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal. 5:1) He knew that all
\nwhom the Son had made free were free indeed, He knew that where the
\nSpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There had come to the Galatians
\nthose who, though zealous, had by their preaching brought these people
\nunder the spirit of bondage and fear. They no doubt preached Christ and
\nall the particulars concerning salvation by grace but there was a subtle
\nspirit of legalism and works woven into their message. It produced in
\nthe hearers a feeling of fear and great heaviness of heart due to the
\nunbearable yoke that was always being laid upon them. Paul, knowing full
\nwell that false professors and religionists always wrest the scriptures
\nto their own destruction, was not hindered in encouraging those in
\nChrist to untangle themselves from this yoke of legalistic bondage and
\nto rejoice in their liberty in Christ. The message he preached to them
\nwas the same message of God’s grace and full salvation accomplished
\nsolely by the merits and blood of Christ and that was good news. Those
\nwho were trusting in Him went away rejoicing! The gospel is our
\n“emancipation proclamation” and the joy in our Lord Jesus Christ
\nstrengthens, liberates and lifts us. “For God hath not given us the
\nspirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” When
\nthose who truly believe on and confess Christ hear His gospel they
\nbreathe the fresh breath of freedom; but when they hear something else
\nthey feel stifled under the tightness of the yoke. “Ye did run well; who
\ndid hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” The truth is that
\nthose in Christ are “Free from the law, O happy condition! Jesus hath
\nbled, and there is remission.” Stand fast!
\nPastor Gary Shepard<\/p>\n
Throughout the book of Romans, when Paul refers to those who walk after
\nthe flesh and those who walk after the Spirit he is speaking of
\nreligious folks, not immoral folks.
\nThe commandments of men teach that believers are yet under the law which
\nwas given at Mt. Sinai. Most say that the believer is not under the
\nceremonial law but that the believer is to be ruled by the ten
\ncommandments. That is a precept of man. God never divides the law. Those
\nwho are constrained by law mind the flesh. It is impossible to be
\nconstrained by law without having your mind set on the letter of the law
\nand your own flesh. This passage declares that everything that is done
\nin religion, when constrained by law, is all \u201cenmity against God.\u201d The
\nreason is because the carnal mind \u201cis not subject to the law of God,
\nneither indeed can be.\u201d
\nHere is the good news for those born of the Spirit of God. The believer
\ndoes not have to worry about the carnal mind being enmity against God
\nbecause \u201cye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
\nSpirit of God dwell in you.\u201d And the believer does not have to worry
\nabout subjection to the law because the body of the law is dead to us
\nbecause Christ has taken care of our sin, \u201cAnd if Christ be in you, the
\nbody is dead because of sin.\u201d Since Christ has taken care of our sin
\nwhen he laid down his life for us, the believer is dead to the law and
\nthe whole body of the law is dead to the believer so that we are married
\nto Christ and worship him in newness of Spirit, not in the oldness of
\nthe letter. (Rom 7: 4, 6) That is exactly what is declared in this
\npassage, if Christ be in you, the body of the law is dead, because
\nChrist has dealt with our sin before the law. And the Spirit of God
\ndwelling in us shall also do the same for our mortal bodies.
\n\u201cTherefore brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the
\nflesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
\nthe Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.\u201d If we mind
\nthe law, mind our flesh and try to live constrained by the law, we will
\nnot have our hearts set on Christ alone, and we shall die. But as we
\ncontinually hear of the faithfulness of Christ through the preaching of
\nthe gospel, the Spirit sets our affection on Christ above, strengthens
\nour inner man to rest in Christ and makes us treat our body, and the
\nbody of the law, as God says they really are, dead. (Col 3: 1-4)
\nSo if you are in religion, which are you? Are you constrained by men,
\nconstrained by their precepts, constrained by the law? If so you have
\nyour affection continually set on your flesh rather than on Christ. You
\nglory in appearance, not in heart. (2 Cor 5: 12) It is to have a carnal
\nmind. All such religion is enmity against God. You are not, and cannot
\nbe, subject to the law given at Mt. Sinai nor subject to the gospel by
\nwhich God commands us to cease from our works and believe on Christ. (Jn
\n6: 28-29) God says that those who have not the Spirit of Christ are none
\nof us. All who worship this way are worshipping by works.
\nIf you are constrained by the love of Christ for you, then you live unto
\nChrist rather than unto yourself. You have been given the Spirit, not of
\nbondage, but of adoption. You have discernment to judge that when Christ
\ndied, right then, all things that needed to die, died before God: your
\nold man of sin died, you died to the law and the law died to you. (2 Cor
\n5: 14-15; Rom 6: 6-7; 7: 4, 6) You worship and live unto Christ in
\nnewness of spirit because you are a new creation, old things are passed
\naway. All things are become new. The Spirit has revealed in you that you
\nare now a son of God. So now, you glory only in God and his Son, who has
\nworked this great work for us by his Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. (2 Cor
\n5: 17, 18) This is the true religion, the religion of grace.
\nClay Curtis.<\/p>\n
What a demonstration of contrast between the way of the wicked flesh and
\nthe way of sovereign grace when God\u2019s servant, Stephen was being stoned
\nto death for the gospel\u2019s sake. The enemies of the gospel were filled
\nwith rage; Stephen was filled with joy in the Lord (Acts 7: 56; Phil.
\n3:3). They were occupied with hatred; Stephen was bursting with the love
\nof God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). They were
\npacked with fear; Stephen was occupied with faith (Heb. 12:2). They were
\nchock-full of persecution; Stephen was jam-packed with prayer (Acts 7:60).
\nOh, what a difference the sovereign grace of God makes in the believer
\n(Rom. 9:15-16; 1 Cor. 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:9). Oh, how dreadfully wicked is the
\nway of the sinful flesh (Rom. 3:9-18). Tom Harding<\/p>\n
ALL CHRIST OR NO CHRIST AT ALL!
\nDo you think that you are to get onto the scale, with your beautiful
\nrighteousness, and that you are to be accounted somebody of great
\nimportance, and that Christ is to do the little that you cannot do; that
\nit is to be \u201cChrist and company,\u201d or rather, \u201cSelf and Company,\u201d and
\nthat you are to be the head of the firm, and Christ to be a kind of
\nsleeping partner? He will not do it; it would be a disgrace to Christ to
\nyoke you with Him in such a fashion. You might as soon yoke a gnat with
\nan archangel as think of your going in to help Christ to save you. To
\njoin a filthy rag from off a dunghill with the golden garments of the
\nKing cannot be permitted. Christ will be everything, or else He will be
\nnothing; you must be saved wholly by mercy, or else not at all. There
\nmust not be even a trace of the fingers of self-righteousness upon the
\nacts and documents of divine grace. It must be all of grace; \u201cAnd if by
\ngrace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
\nBut if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no
\nmore work\u201d (Romans 11:6). There can be no more mingling of the two
\ntogether as the ground of hope than oil will mix with water, or fire
\nwill burn beneath the sea. You cannot be saved by your own merits.
\nC. H. Spurgeon<\/p>\n
The Scripture distinctly teaches us that we are not justified by the law
\nnor is the law a rule of life. That which can only curse can never
\njustify and that which can only kill can never be a rule of life (Romans
\n3:20). Both the Jews who had received the law and the Gentiles who had
\nnever had the law were now to be saved through grace (Acts 15:11). Not
\nonly were they to be saved by grace, but also they were to \u201cstand in
\ngrace\u201d (Romans 5:2) and to grow in grace\u201d (II Peter 3:18). All who seek
\nto put believers under the law are tearing down the very foundations of
\nthe Christian faith. Listen to the strong words which came from the Holy
\nSpirit in Galatians 5:12; \u201cI would they were even cut off which trouble
\nyou.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Pastor Scott Richardson
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS . . .FAITH Galatians 5:22 Like all things good and right, faith is not a product of man\u2019s evil nature, but of the blessed Spirit of God. Faith is wrought in the elect by the working of His mighty power. This is a vital issue to the truth of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4051"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4053,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4051\/revisions\/4053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}