The Faith Of God\u2019s Elect
\nUntil we are sensible of our being miserable and helpless in ourselves, we shall not be persuaded of the necessity of a sole trust in another for help and succour. \u2018They that be whole need not the physician, but they that are sick.\u2019 This conviction is becoming \u2018dead to the law,\u2019 and it is effected by a work of the law upon the heart, in the hand of the blessed Spirit. \u2018I through the law, am dead to the law.\u2019 The mind of a sinner is impressed with a wounding sense of his guilt. His sins \u2018are set in order before him.\u2019 And he clearly discerns that he stands righteously condemned by the holy law of God, for his numerous violations of it. Upon which he acknowledges that it would be just with God to punish him, in particular, with everlasting destruction from his presence, and from the glory of his power. In this work upon him he is convinced of \u2018the plague of his heart,\u2019 as well as of the transgressions of his life. In that divine light which is communicated to the soul, he discovers the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of his heart, and the spirituality, purity, and extent of the law; whereupon, he concludes, that it is absolutely impossible that one so vile as he is, should ever be able to recommend himself to, or interest himself in, the approbation of God his righteous judge. Thus he sees his lost and miserable and helpless condition in himself, and dies to all hope of life by his own righteousness and works. When the Holy Spirit hath in this manner convinced a man of his deplorable state by nature; and his \u2018heart is overwhelmed,\u2019 he leads him \u2018to the rock that is higher than he.\u2019 He makes a gracious discovery of Christ to the soul, in his blood, righteousness, and in the fulness of his grace. And, then the language of a poor trembling sinner is: My sins are many, great, and dreadfully aggravated; but the blood of Christ hath a sufficiency of merit in it, to atone for them all. In myself I have no righteousness, nor can have, whereby I may be justified in the sight of God; but the righteousness of Christ is every way sufficient to justify me before God, and to give me a right to life, who am worthy of death. My heart is impure, and \u2018without holiness I shall never see the Lord.\u2019 That treasure of grace which is in Christ, it is sufficient to make me holy, and \u2018meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.\u2019 Besides, in the light of this grace, a person discerns in some measure, how God is glorified; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and all the divine perfections, goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, holiness, justice, truth and faithfulness, in this way of salvation; and herein he rejoices, even though himself should not be a sharer in it. The holy resolution of the soul upon this view of things is to renounce all other ways of relief which may be proposed to its consideration, and to cleave to Christ alone as the only proper object of his hope; this it is to flee to him for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. And this is that faith which is of the operation of God, and is peculiar to the objects of a divine choice to eternal salvation, for which reason, it is called \u2018the faith of God\u2019s elect.\u2019
\nJohn Brine. \u201cNew Focus http:\/\/go-newfocus.co.uk\u201d<\/p>\n
What Faith Does and Does Not Do
\nChrist\u2019s redemptive atonement effectually secured the salvation of God\u2019s elect, which we receive through faith.
\nFaith does not justify us. Christ is our Justification. But faith receives it. Faith does not sanctify us. Christ is our Sanctification. But faith receives it. Faith does not redeem us. Christ is our Redemption. But faith receives it. Faith is not the instrument by which salvation is accomplished. Christ is our Salvation. But faith is the channel through which salvation flows into our souls. And this faith is the blood bought gift of Christ to His elect, redeemed people.
\nPeter Meney. \u201cNew Focus http:\/\/go-newfocus.co.uk\u201d<\/p>\n
Faith
\nThe Believer\u2019s Rule
\nIf the letter of the law be the only rule that the believer is to walk and live by, then he walks by sight, not by faith; he looks at the things that are seen, not at the things that are not see. It is by faith that Moses saw him who is invisible, and by faith we must look at the things that are not seen, which are eternal.
\nPaul says, that \u2018he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;\u2019 then faith must be the rule of his coming. \u2018We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,\u2019 Romans 5:2 \u2013 then faith is the rule of our approach to God. \u2018The just (man) shall live by his faith,\u2019 Habakkuk 2:4 \u2013 then faith is the just man\u2019s rule of life. \u2018We walk by faith, not by sight,\u2019 2 Corinthians 5:7 \u2013 then faith is our rule of walk. \u2018Thou standest by faith,\u2019 says Paul, Romans 11:20 \u2013 then faith is the rule of a believer\u2019s standing. \u2018Whatever ye ask believing ye shall receive,\u2019 says Christ; – then faith is the rule of that branch of worship. \u2018By faith Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God; but without faith it is impossible to please him,\u2019 Hebrews 11:5,6 \u2013 then faith is a rule that God approves of and is pleased with. \u2018Whatsoever is not of faith is sin\u2019 \u2013 then faith is a perfect rule of holiness. \u2018He that believes is justified from all things, from which he could not by the law of Moses\u2019 \u2013 then faith is our rule of righteousness. It is by faith that we overcome the world. To lay hold on eternal life, is to fight the good fight of faith, according to Paul; \u2018I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith\u2019 \u2013 then faith was the rule of his warfare, and the rule of his race; and it was the grace of God that made Paul obedient to that rule. \u2018We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith,\u2019 Romans 1:5; that is, by Christ we have received grace to save our souls, and apostleship to be of use to the church, not as a reward of our obedience but to furnish us with power, to make us obedient to the faith, among all nations for his name, Romans 1:5 \u2013 then faith is the rule of apostolic obedience; for it cannot be called receiving grace for obedience to the faith, if faith be not the gracious man\u2019s rule of obedience.
\nPaul counts all things but dung that he may win Christ, and be found in him; not having his own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, and tells us to \u2018walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing\u2019 Philippians 3. If you take this rule of Paul\u2019s to be his pressing forward, or any of his attainments, it is answered, by faith he pressed forward, and by faith he attained; for else his pressing and attaining had been nothing but sin; for whatsoever is not of faith according to Paul\u2019s doctrine is sin.
\nBy faith Christ dwells in our hearts and by faith we dwell in him; and in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, which is Christ formed within us: \u2018and as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God,\u2019 Galatians 6:15,16. Faith is the rule of life according to the revealed will of God in Christ Jesus: \u2018and this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day,\u2019 John 6:40. Thus faith appears to be the believer\u2019s rule of life, according to the will of God in Christ Jesus and the letter of the law is the bond-children\u2019s rule of life \u2013 \u2018he that doeth these things shall live in them.\u2019 Let him do according to this rule and he shall live. The law is not the rule of believing, but of doing; \u2018the law is not of faith but of works, and the man that doeth them shall live in them,\u2019 Galatians 3:12.
\nIf to see the Son, and believe on him, entitles us to everlasting life according to God\u2019s will, then faith must be the rule of that life; and one would think that, if he that liveth and believeth shall never die, faith must be a safe rule to live by.
\nWilliam Huntington.<\/p>\n
TRUE Righteousness
\nMost modern preachers are preaching against sin without declaring the true nature and character of God, and it just comes out as dos and don\u2019ts and decisions and reformations. The whole process is merely peripheral. Their message reaches only to that which they have done; and consequently, that which they can change. They have never seen what they are; and that which no man can change. Such religion breeds self-righteousness and makes converts who do not need the full, free justifying righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
\nJust give them a plan, a proposition, a few things to do, a few rules to follow, a few commandments to keep, and they rest very comfortably. You will hear them talking about free grace, but all the while they are thinking about what they have done or are doing; and this is contrary too grace! TRUE grace brings a TRUE knowledge of God, a TRUE knowledge of self (sin), and leaves the sinner\u2019s attention focused upon TRUE righteousness, righteousness through the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus Christ, righteousness which is obtained through faith alone\u2014a sinner trusting Christ!
\nMaurice Montgomery<\/p>\n
The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God
\nThe Word of truth works the Righteousness of God in a sinner causing us to look nowhere else but to the Lord Jesus Christ our Righteousness. The natural man, in the filthiness and naughtiness of the flesh, never has, nor ever will, produce the Righteousness of God.<\/p>\n
By the Word of truth the believer knows that even though we were elected unto salvation in Christ before the world began, we were born into bondage to our own spiritually dead flesh and spirit. The Word of truth will not let the believer forget, that in the deadness of our flesh all our righteous works were only dead fruit (Ro 7: 4-6.) Sin, having dominion over us, would not allow us to deny the flesh by looking to Christ alone but made us constantly defend the flesh–dead fruit. By the dominion of sin, all we could do was think evil, say evil and do evil by thinking, saying and doing everything for the cause of our dead flesh–dead fruit. In this dead state, when our guilty conscious got the best of us, the dominion of sin caused us to look to that same dead flesh in an attempt to make self more acceptable to God–dead fruit. We attempted to clean a dirty floor with a dirty mop. The dominion of sin would not allow us to look to the Lord our Righteousness and confess that in our flesh is no good thing (Ro 8: 5-14.)
\nThrough the Spirit of God, the Word was engrafted within us and gave us spiritual life (v18, 21.) By the Word of truth, God’s holy law threw a spotlight on our persons (our old man–our flesh and our old dead spirit) and said, “Behold, sin!” (Ro 7: 7-13.) In the new spirit of meekness given by God, we put our hands over our mouths and became swift to hear. Christ our King entered in shedding his love abroad in our hearts so that the hatred for God in our old man no longer reigns within (Ro 8: 1-4; Col 1: 11-14.) With new eyes we discovered that when Christ was made sin and died in the flesh, we died in the flesh. Our body of sin was buried in the ground. The Holy Law of God released all claim on us. Therefore, being raised to newness of life with Christ, we regard our old man as dead and buried. We no longer worship God in the flesh but in spirit and in truth (Jn 4: 23, 24; Col 1: 21, 22; 2: 8-14; 3: 1-4.) We are still in this dead flesh, (and too often still look to it) but sin has no more dominion over us to keep us from trusting Christ our all. Before the all-seeing eye of God, our life is hid in Christ. Therefore we no longer look to our dead body for proof of righteousness or for proof of liberty as do the legalist, the antinomian and all dead religionists tittering somewhere between the two. Instead, BELIEVERS LOOK TO CHRIST FOR ALL.
\nClay Curtis<\/p>\n
THY RIGHTEOUSNESS
\nPsalm 71:16
\nIn Psalm 71:16 David said, “I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even Thine only.” Why did David make an issue of speaking only of God’s righteousness? Is he saying the obedience and righteous acts of a believer are of little or of no importance? Is he saying there is no such thing as good works in a believer? No, he is not saying that. All true believers do have good works and righteous acts.
\nDavid meant first of all that the imputed righteousness of Christ was the only grounds of a sinner’s acceptance before God. Moreover, David also meant that the good works and righteous acts of the believer do not stem from a self-righteousness, but the impartation of God’s righteousness.<\/p>\n
But I believe what David meant more than anything else was….. When I examine my acts of righteousness…..I cannot see the difference between my good works and my evil works. My righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and the only hope I have is the righteousness of Christ. This is the only righteousness I feel safe mentioning to God, and this is the only righteousness I feel safe mentioning to men. \u201cI have made mention of Thy righteousness, even Thine only.
\nTodd Nibert<\/p>\n
By Grace Through Faith
\nFaith is the means of Grace. It is the only means of grace. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. To make anything else a means of grace is to have a works gospel. Whatever is not of faith is sin.
\nSo where does that leave The Preaching of the gospel, Prayer, Worship, the Lord\u2019s Table, the fellowship of the saints, Scripture? These things are means to faith. Thank God for them. He uses them to give faith. When True faith comes through these means, it does not rest its hope in the means. It rests completely in the glorious person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is given to us by God\u2019s free and sovereign grace. -Greg Elmquist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Faith Of God\u2019s Elect Until we are sensible of our being miserable and helpless in ourselves, we shall not be persuaded of the necessity of a sole trust in another for help and succour. \u2018They that be whole need not the physician, but they that are sick.\u2019 This conviction is becoming \u2018dead to the […]<\/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-4813","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\/4813","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=4813"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4814,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4813\/revisions\/4814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}