The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Timothy 1:5,
"I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."
Faith, living in the hearts of Lois, Eunice and Timothy! Faith is a living dynamic that informs our thoughts and feelings as well as influencing our choices and prompting our actions. I have a suspicion that many of us have a limited concept of the realities of living faith.
I consider what Paul has to say a few verses later as one of his greatest statements of faith, revealing both the virility of his faith and providing it definition: "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12b. His observation of Abraham's faith is similar, "He [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Romans 4:20-22.
The wonderful thing about the gospel message is that it reveals to us that God has chosen for himself all who will embrace him in faith... and the wonderful thing about faith is that we all have a capacity for it. As a matter of fact, while we may consider this person or that person as being particularly equipped and well-suited for the things of God, all of us have the capability of Paul's faith, Abraham's faith or Timothy's faith. We all do!
God has wired into his creation of mankind our ability to embrace people and things in faith. We all have the capacity to place our trust in people and things. Often times it may turn out to be "misplaced" faith, but it is faith nonetheless.
Expressing faith, embracing people and things in faith, is not unique and does not bring us close to God in any way unless he is the object. If that faith has as its object Jesus Christ and his resurrection, his ability to save us, it brings us eternal life, it brings us into God's family, it ushers us into the Lord's presence. I have often heard it said, "You just need to have faith". However, when it comes to the things of God, it is all about the object of that faith: is it in the living God?
Some today argue that our capacity for faith in God is an illusion. The thinking is that if we express faith, then that is a "work" we do for which God would be indebted to us for our salvation. Therefore, if we have real faith in God, then it isn't our faith, it is something God manufactured or manipulated within us. Nothing could be further from the truth. All people can embrace God in faith, and for those who do, it is not "a work" that merits salvation. Faith is not "a work." God freely gives us eternal life if we place our faith in him. This is why it is said that salvation by faith is an expression of the grace of God. Paul speaks of this various places, "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:4-5. Faith as opposed to "earning" our salvation.
Here is how Paul puts it in Romans 9:30-32, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works." Faith is not "a work."
"I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."
Faith, living in the hearts of Lois, Eunice and Timothy! Faith is a living dynamic that informs our thoughts and feelings as well as influencing our choices and prompting our actions. I have a suspicion that many of us have a limited concept of the realities of living faith.
I consider what Paul has to say a few verses later as one of his greatest statements of faith, revealing both the virility of his faith and providing it definition: "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12b. His observation of Abraham's faith is similar, "He [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Romans 4:20-22.
The wonderful thing about the gospel message is that it reveals to us that God has chosen for himself all who will embrace him in faith... and the wonderful thing about faith is that we all have a capacity for it. As a matter of fact, while we may consider this person or that person as being particularly equipped and well-suited for the things of God, all of us have the capability of Paul's faith, Abraham's faith or Timothy's faith. We all do!
God has wired into his creation of mankind our ability to embrace people and things in faith. We all have the capacity to place our trust in people and things. Often times it may turn out to be "misplaced" faith, but it is faith nonetheless.
Expressing faith, embracing people and things in faith, is not unique and does not bring us close to God in any way unless he is the object. If that faith has as its object Jesus Christ and his resurrection, his ability to save us, it brings us eternal life, it brings us into God's family, it ushers us into the Lord's presence. I have often heard it said, "You just need to have faith". However, when it comes to the things of God, it is all about the object of that faith: is it in the living God?
Some today argue that our capacity for faith in God is an illusion. The thinking is that if we express faith, then that is a "work" we do for which God would be indebted to us for our salvation. Therefore, if we have real faith in God, then it isn't our faith, it is something God manufactured or manipulated within us. Nothing could be further from the truth. All people can embrace God in faith, and for those who do, it is not "a work" that merits salvation. Faith is not "a work." God freely gives us eternal life if we place our faith in him. This is why it is said that salvation by faith is an expression of the grace of God. Paul speaks of this various places, "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:4-5. Faith as opposed to "earning" our salvation.
Here is how Paul puts it in Romans 9:30-32, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works." Faith is not "a work."
The Scriptures have a lot to say about faith and those who read their Bibles should be fully versed in what faith is, what faith does, what faith looks like and how it manifests itself. James has wonderful teaching on faith, as well as Paul, Peter and the Lord himself.
What do you know about faith? Is faith alive in your heart? It certainly was in Timothy, his mother and his grandmother. When we learn about biblical faith we learn we all can have just as strong a faith as they did, as well as Paul and Abraham.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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