Faith, the Faith and Faithfulness

 

 

We talk about faith

In very loose terms,

Often ignorant

Of that for which we yearn.

 

We often understate it

And just as often overate it

All the time still confused

As is our lifetime habit.

 

We pray in faith

Or so we believe,

And we are especially exasperated

When we do not receive.

 

We are saved by faith

Well, that is initially

But it also takes faith

To walk in the faith continually.

 

 

By God’s grace are we saved

And by our faith also,

And as we walk in the way

That faith must show.

 

It is faith at the beginning

And faith as we walk

In justification and sanctification

And not just plain old talk.

 

Faith to first believe,

Faith for daily transformation,

An initiation and a walk,

Grace and faith for salvation.

 

That takes care of the first

But what of the second?

Considering some still walk

As though nothing happened.

 

 

In what do we walk?

And according to what?

What is our spiritual compass?

What is our spiritual lot?

 

The doctrine of the Apostles

As taught by Jesus Christ,

Himself being the chief cornerstone,

This constitutes life.

 

Nothing more, nothing less,

As explicitly understood,

No interpretation or hidden agenda;

Undiluted as we should.

 

The medicine for the soul

And needed boost for the spirit

First, the explicit

And when necessary, the implicit.

 

Yes, faith number 1.

Is being saved from our sin

While faith number 2

Is walking in the doctrine.

 

 

The body of truth

That regulates both lip and life,

That helps us to conform

To the image of Christ.

 

We have been changed

And are daily being changed

And what we once used to be

Is being rearranged.

 

Hence, the call to faithfulness

As the consistency in our walk,

And not be stumbling around

Like the lame or the halt.

 

Emulating God’s faithfulness

As He has been to us

And through the Holy Spirit

Conforming to the image of Jesus.

 

 

Faith and the faith

And good old fashion faithfulness,

Being true to our calling

Whatever the test.

 

So, when you say faith

Identify what you mean

For the faith that ultimately matters

Is when upon Christ we lean.

 

Love for God

And love for our fellowman,

Faith, the faith and faithfulness:

That is the Divine plan.

 

Stewart Russell © July 2020

 

Absolutely No Conflict

 

 

 

Some perceive there’s a conflict

Between the apostles James and Paul

On the matter of salvation

But I see none at all.

 

For a background to this matter

Of these two texts take note:

There are Ephesians 2:8 and 9

And James 2:24 and I quote:

 

You see then how

That by works

A man is justified

And not by faith only.

 

Now hear the apostle Paul:

 

For by grace are you saved

Through faith;

And that not of yourselves:

It is the gift of God:

Not of works,

Lest any man should boast.

 

At a glance it would appear

There is obvious contradiction

But look a little closer and you’ll see

There is no such opposition.

 

Paul appeals to the fact:

The fact of salvation, I mean,

While James coming in behind

Speaks to the resulting scene.

 

Saved by grace!

It starts and ends with God,

And the faith that comes by hearing

Is also divinely caused.

 

By grace through faith:

Both from God’s loving hand,

Compliments of His precious Word

Effecting salvation’s plan.

 

No works to raise the dead

Or in keeping the dead alive

And none can maintain salvation

No matter how he strives.

 

So, where do works come in

As James appeared to suggest?

It is the fruit-producing consequence:

The evidentiary process.

 

 

By their fruits!

This is how we come to know,

The fruit of the one that is saved

Will gradually begin to show.

 

Paul speaks to the heart

While James reflects the walk,

It’s what’s inside intimates Jesus:

Living is more than talk.

 

Paul speaks to the internal:

That’s where God’s work is done,

James appeals to the external:

That’s where our race is run.

 

Compass by many witnesses

As this Christian race we run,

The battle’s is the Lord’s, we are told

And He has already won.

 

Take note of James’ “Show me!”

 

Show me your faith

Without your works,

And I will show you

My faith by my works.

 

 

Works is the external evidence

Of the work done inside:

The work of the Holy Spirit

In the one in whom he abides.

 

There is therefore no clash

Between the two apostles,

Actually, one complements the other

In this perceived tussle.

 

No evidence, no life!

That poor old soul is dead!

“All talk and no walk”, indicates

He is on his deathbed.

 

 

For as the body

Without the Spirit is dead,

So faith without works

Is dead also.

 

No conflict, I reemphasize,

Absolutely no conflict at all,

No contradiction of sorts or otherwise

Between the apostle James and Paul.

 

Stewart Russell © October 11, 2022

 

Living Faith

 

 

Is there a contradiction between

The Apostles Paul and James

In Ephesians 2 and James 2

Relative to their faith claims?

 

I will point you to these passages

And let you read them for yourself,

I will give you a minute or two

To grab your Bible off the shelf.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9

 

For by grace are ye saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

 

Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

 

James 2:14, 17

 

What doth it profit, my brethren,

though a man say he hath faith,

and have not works?

can faith save him?

 

Even so faith, if it hath not works,

is dead, being alone.

 

If there are contradictions

Please point them out,

There are none, as far as I can see,

And in this I have no doubt.

 

 

Neither do they refute one another

As some would argue,

What is more, I put it to you

They are of the same point of view.

 

Apostle Paul’s focus is different

From that of Apostle James

And when each is examined in context

They are both truth claims.

 

Paul highlights grace and faith

While James zeros in on faith and works,

To see that one follows on from the other

Does not require an expert.

 

Before God, we are saved by faith

And not by works

And as that faith arises in us

We instantly become converts.

 

That faith is not of ourselves

But it is the gift of God,

It is God’s saving faith

That He gives to the called.

 

James’ point is different

And so is his focus

And this should be easily picked up

With little or no fuss.

 

God needs no testimony from us

Either spoken or given,

He is eternally aware

Of them He has forgiven.

Our living testimony

Is for the sake of all men,

That’s where faith and works come in

Hence, I see no problem.

 

“If a man says,”

It is not if God says,

That the man is in question here,

Should be as clear as day.

 

One may profess to be saved

But if there is no evidence

Then that man’s faith is a dead faith

And his walk lacks consistence.

 

A vain man, according to James,

Trumpets his faith without any works,

Thus, he is void of saving faith

And is not yet a convert.

 

James 2:26

 

For as the body without the Spirit is dead,

so faith without works is dead also.

 

According to Paul,

It is a living faith that justifies

While according to James

Of such a faith, fruit testifies.

 

These Apostles, as I see it,

Are not arguing to the contrary

But their positions regarding the saved

Are explicitly complimentary.

 

Stewart Russell © December 22, 2021

 

Salvation and Its Jargon 4

 

 

The world is under God’s “judgment”

Ever since “Adam’s fall”,

God’s “justice” does not excuse sin

Absolutely no sin at all.

 

Hence God’s judgment on sin

And on the entire world:

Remember sin is any “transgression”

As shown in God’s Holy Word.

 

But God demonstrated His mercy

When He sent Jesus, His Son

To break all of sin’s shackles

And bring us glorious “freedom”.

 

This speaks of our redemption

And our freedom from sin’s bondage,

Making Jesus our kinsman “Redeemer”

That relieved us of sin’s luggage.

 

In Christ we are set apart

This in fact is our “sanctification”:

It is the work of the Holy Spirit

That follows our “justification”.

 

In Christ we are made “righteous”

And set apart for God’s holy use,

It is “just as if I’d” never sin,

Satan has no grounds to accuse.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2018

Just Questions

 

 

How long is eternal life?

At what point does it end?

Does it have a beginning?

Answer these questions, my friend.

What really is salvation?

What is its nature?

How does one come by it?

Is there a full picture?

Can we lose our salvation?

What must we do to lose it?

What do we mean by born again?

Will a born again person quit?

And if a born again person quits

Can he be born again?

And if after trying he is lost,

Who is it to blame?

How much is salvation dependent on us?

How much is it dependent on Christ?

Can we take any credit for it at all?

Or, did Christ pay the total price?

Is Jesus able to keep his sheep?

Or, does he require their assistance?

What is the role of the Holy Spirit?

What is his real importance?

Can Jesus lose any of his sheep?

Can any pluck them away from him?

What is the role of the Father in all this?

Is a believer lost on account of sin?

How much of our sins are forgiven?

Is it the past sins only?

Is it the past and the present sins?

Or, is it our sins totally?

 

 

What proof is there that another is saved?

Do we know it for sure?

Can we tell other than by their fruit?

Or, is there something more?

What does it mean to be justified?

How are we justified?

What appeased the justice of God?

And, how is it described?

How is the atonement factored in?

And who atoned for our sins?

How effective is this atonement

And who is eligible to be brought in?

Are we saved by the works we do?

At what point did we become sinners?

And, if salvation is dependent on works

What is the fate of the beginner?

These are just important questions

What you do with them is up to you,

The answers can be found in God’s Word

But I have a strong feeling you knew.

If your faith is taking a beating

You can find solace in God’s Holy Word,

Where there is encouragement and assurance

If in your walk you have grown tired.

Finding the answers will take time

But God knows the repentant heart,

He will reward the diligent seeker

Once we take the time to start.

Stewart Russell © October 2019