Faith

 

 

 

There is a lot of talk about faith

And, as a matter of fact,

Some are known by their abundance

And quite a few by their lack.

 

Some have faith in Christ

And some have faith in faith:

These two I hope to deal with

And this is by God’s grace.

 

Not to be mixed up with the faith

Meaning the doctrine of Truth

But the two most argued about:

One without biblical proof.

 

The Bible is replete with texts

Depicting faith in Christ

And central to this specific faith

Is his atoning sacrifice.

 

Jesus is the object of our faith

All of the household of faith,

All them that are the born again

Via their faith in God’s grace.

 

They that put their faith in Jesus

Having repented of their sins

And like sheep that know his voice

Are walking along with him.

 

This faith is given in measure

And exercised in our daily walk,

It is manifested in our conversation

And it impacts the way we talk.

 

It’s different from faith in faith

The object of which is faith

That has no bearing on salvation

Or to God’s wonderful grace.

 

 

 

It’s a kind of God-like faith

As defined by some denominations,

The kind of faith that God used

Way back in the creation.

 

A speak-it-into-being faith

Conceive it, believe it, receive it,

Albeit full of illusion and delusion

Leaving adherents in a fix.

 

Exercising faith in faith

As opposed to Christ as the object

And faking it till you make it

Being another illusory aspect.

 

Faith in Christ is not for miracles

That may or may not happen,

It is in fact the God-saving faith

That tells us we are forgiven.

 

It is not that miracles have ended

And will never again occur

But above all miracles that ever were

It’s the miracle of salvation I prefer.

 

Miraculously and wondrously saved:

The miracle of a life transformed,

By faith in Jesus Christ, my Lord,

Miraculously I have been reborn.

 

And this for all eternity,

I am at present a citizen of heaven

And sealed by the blessed Holy Spirit,

All my sins have been forgiven.

 

By faith I walk in righteousness

As a born-again child of God

And by faith in my Saviour Jesus Christ

I share him at home and abroad.

 

Stewart Russell © October 9, 2022