FAITH IS A FACT II
FAITH IS A FACT II
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
November 18, 2006
Carolyn Sissom
“Faith says that order grows from chaos and that life is born from death. That from the wreck of rending stars behind the storm; there dwells a heart of central calm; and this, this is Faith.” (Author unknown)
In the 1980’s, a prophet spoke to me in the midst of a crowd of people. He said, “You have entered my rest.” I knew I had entered into something, but I didn’t know until then what it was. The prophet’s name was Stanley Rankin.
(Hebrews 4:1-11) “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit the, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we wish have believed do enter into rest, as he said, “As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, “And God did rest in the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief; Again, he limited a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day, there remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, less any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
(Hebrews 3:7-19) “Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness…to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
I wish I could tell you how I crossed over. I know it was after walking through a fiery trial of my Faith that required me to die to my carnal soul. It was a walk of obedience in total opposition to my own understanding. Prior to this trial, my sin was a fear of failing God. It was the strongest fear in my life. I thought if I did everything according to the Word of God I would not have to suffer judgment or trials. “The only thing of my very own which I can contribute to my redemption is the sin from which I was redeemed.” Fear is the opposite of Faith.
My fears became bondage of works and perfectionism to please God and man. I knew God as Savior, Creator and Lord of my life, but struggled through a wilderness of personal works. It is very humbling to think we can’t do anything to qualify ourselves for salvation. Man hates to think he can’t help himself in anyway (pride of self-sufficiency).
Pride is a basic human sin. We flaunt many of our Christian acts and righteousness for show. The testimony of the overcomer should not flaunt the act of righteousness but the source.
(Romans 3:27-28) “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of Faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
The rest of the Lord is to come away from the old life of sin and bondage with the pain thereof and enter into a fruitful walk with the Lord. We have not been redeemed just to cross our red sea and sing the victory song of deliverance from the bondage of Pharaoh. This is the first step. It is the beginning of a spiritual journey through the wastelands of our old carnal nature, and in to the fruitfulness of the Canaan life of the Spirit.
My next learning curve on my personal spiritual journey was Justification by Faith.
I am justified by Faith and the law which judged me was the abomination of condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
After we accept our Justification by Faith, we will no longer condemn out own flesh or our brother in Christ. We condemn others because condemnation is in our own eye. To condemn the just is to condemn anyone who is justified by Faith. (Acts 13:39) “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.”
(Romans 5:1) “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
This abomination of condemnation is described in Proverbs 17:15: “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”
The abomination of condemnation (the law) is on the throne instead of Jesus Christ who should be on the throne.
This Faith journey is described for us in the wilderness experiences of the Israelites. Not that we are suppose to follow their example but to learn from it. For it is clear that they utterly failed to enter their rest (their Land of Promise).
The journey of the redeemed after Salvation in to the rest has four faith dynamics:
- Justification By Faith
- Deliverance from sin by Faith
- Deliverance from the law that condemns us by Faith.
- Entering the rest by Faith.
We must keep maturing in our faith until we reach the sum end of our Faith. (II Peter 1:11; Heb. 8:1). This sum is an overcomer who sits with Jesus on his throne. (Revelation 2:21) “To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
A ministry energized by a nature of love, the nature of God.
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
(Romans 5: 1-5)
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, be we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulations works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope makes us not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy ghost which is given unto us.”
In Romans Chapters 3 and 4, Paul has carefully outlined the precious truth of Justification by Faith and out standing before God. He also resolves the solution to the problem of our conduct. After we have resolved our Justification, then we receive the Kingdom of God privilege of peace.
In Romans 3:9, Paul puts us in our place. “There is none righteous, no not one.”
Paul proved man’s depravity in Chapters 1 and 2. Man’s depravity is so great, he cannot respond to God’s wooing except through the supernatural. (John 6:44) “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” Those who come to Him through Christ come not as a result of man seeking God, but God seeking man.
(Romans 3: 21, 22, 23) Can sinners be regarded as though they had never sinned? Paul turns from man’s failure to God’s wondrous provision for him. Two words announce the shift, “But Now”. Since man needs righteousness, God provides it through faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith in Christ does not make us worthy of the gift of righteousness. Faith is the means of receiving it or the appropriating device.
(Romans 3:22) Paul says, There is no difference, no distinction” between the worst and best people. All receive God’s accomplished by righteousness as a free gift. It is receiving the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire human race is put on a common level. We meet at the cross.
After sin (disobedience) comes guilt. Sin provides satan with his grounds for accusation before God and man. The law only serves to condemn us. In Verse 20, Paul describes the law as a straight edge only. When people are placed along side, it reveals how crooked we are. To know God’s standards is to realize our hopeless inadequacy.
Salvation from our sins is instantaneous. Redemption from sin takes place in three stages.
- At salvation we are delivered from the guilt of sin.
- We are then delivered from the power of sin.
- Finally we are delivered from the presence of sin.
(Verse 25) Now our problem is clear: Even though we become partakers of the divine nature and the law is satisfied, we are still sinners.
(Verse 27) The Law of Faith excludes all human pride. Justification is by Grace alone. If it could be earned, it would be a reward. It is a gift from the Hand of God which can only be accepted by Faith. One of the great doctrines of the Book of Romans is Faith is a means, a tool.
(verse 31) The Faith method confirms the law. Jesus fulfilled the law for us. We can’t produce righteousness of ourselves. We accept His righteousness. Law and Faith are not enemies. Jesus exalted the law because he was without sin. People who substitute law for grace dishonor the Lord and insult the Spirit of Grace.
The gospel brings to us not a work to do, but a Word to believe about a work done.
In Romans 4, Paul used argument to establish the doctrine of Justification by Faith. He now turns to the Old Testament to confirm it.
(Verse 2-4) “For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”
Abraham entered on God’s accounting books as a righteous man. This reconnects us to Hebrews 11: 13; 39-40.
Abraham along with all of the Old Testament saints died in faith without receiving the promises. It was merely accounted, put on deposit, reckoned or imputed to him. The gift of righteousness was not available and wouldn’t be until the Righteous One, Jesus Christ provided it. He was regarded as righteous by a right relationship with God until he could personally receive it from Jesus after the atonement was completed at Calvary.
We are Jesus’ guest all the way. “Empty hands outstretched in faith are all that man has to show God.”
(Romans 4:5-8): Paul interrupts the story of Abraham to consider the man, who has no works at all, One who is an out and out sinner. Can such a man be justified? Yes even he is accepted by God and declared to be righteous on the basis of Faith alone. This does not mean that he is pardoned, but actually examined and found not guilty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The worst man and the best man are here placed on the same level. Why? By Faith they come into the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness.
(Verse 6) “Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works.”
(Verse 13) “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of Faith.”
(Verse 20) He did not waver (stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving Glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised He was able to perform.
Hebrews 3:7: speaks to us about this Voice of God which speaks. It is this Word that proceeds out from the mouth of the Lord that becomes the living Word. The Word of God spoken in to our spirits becomes the Faith we are to walk on. There are many things in God’s Word that He said; and may of these things He will say again. I read the Word of God like a personal love letter from Jesus to me. I claim all of the promises. When the Lord speaks, I know His voice. I must obey or I will be like those who rebelled and did not enter His rest. “The Word when they heard it did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith with those who heard it.”
The Spirit of God blows softly from the heart of God. No man can come up with a plan, method, procedure or program to bring it into being or control it. He leaves man totally helpless and hopeless in himself.
(Romans 4:18) “Abraham believed who contrary to hope, in hope believed”. This feature made Abraham’s faith outstanding. God’s promise awakened a supernatural hope in him, a hope based on God’s ability to give life to the dead. He saw the Cross and the resurrection in this Hope. He also believed that he would have a son even if it took a special act of creation.
Hebrews 11: 4-7; 17
Five acts of Faith commended of Abraham:
- He obeyed
- He went
- He dwelt
- He offered up the promise
- He believed in the resurrection.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
This was last taught September 24, 2000. It is part of my epistle which can be read by all men. Faith is A Fact, Hope is a Certainty, Love is a Reality. By Carolyn Sissom