Faith

Some seem to think the Lord did not love them any differently than He loved the one that is eternally lost, and that the Lord shed His blood for them no different than He did for the one that is eternally lost, and that the Holy Spirit deals with them no differently than He does with the one that is eternally lost, and that their faith is the same as the one eternally lost, except for the object of the faith. But why the difference in faith? What then, are some better than others that are not saved? What is different that one is saved and another is not? Is one saved because of their family, because of themselves, or because of other men that wanted them saved?

John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I contend, the Father has chosen those before the foundation of the earth that were to be saved, the Son died for those the Father gave Him (John 10:11 ... the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep) and they shall surely be saved, the Holy Ghost regenerates those the Son shed His blood for.

I conclude faith is different with the one that is saved. There is a faith that is natural to man and all have such faith, then there is the faith once delivered and not all have that faith (2Thess 3:2; Joh 5:38; 6:36,64; 10:26), faith of the divine operation of God whereby we believe.

Acts 16:31 (KJV) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.


By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio

 

This is how I understand these things.

There is merit in knowing things in order to be saved, but salvation is of the Lord, and not of man. God does indeed reward those that seek Him, but as Scripture teaches, natural man will not seek Him. There is a work of the Holy Ghost required, a divine work. Our intellect is not a factor in this salvation, but there is comfort by knowing something of these things. Two examples, one, John Baptist in the womb jumped for joy at the prescience of His Lord. Such joy is fruit of the Spirit. He was saved, yet as he lived and ministered he had much to learn. The infant son of David seems to have been saved, as David was saved, a man after God's own heart, and somehow it seems David knew he would see the child in glory.

True. There is not a location that we travel to, but there is believing, a coming by faith. Before we would come we must believe, and our believing is of the operation of God, the Holy Spirit working immediately on our soul, Christ in us, effectually communicating to us that we would come.

It was mentioned previous, but not by me, that if it were of God that men believed, then all would believe the same thing and then it was mentioned that not all actually believe the same thing about all things. There is only one way of salvation, and that salvation is not conditioned on our having learned and understood these things properly.

True. It is of the operation of the Holy Ghost that we believe, and then as believers, we are sealed, our having the earnest of the Spirit. When God starts something He finishes it. By His work we have faith, believe, then as we believe we are sealed, forever in His hand, having the witness within, and one day we will see Him face to face.

2 Corinthians 1:22 (KJV) Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

2 Corinthians 5:5 (KJV) Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:7 (KJV) And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

Ephesians 1:13 (KJV) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

 

There is comfort in learning from the Bible. Hearing the gospel brings our so great salvation to light, that we would better understand.

Romans 15:4 (KJV) For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2 Timothy 1:10 (KJV) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

IMO, One can be saved, but very wrong about some doctrine, even having some false hopes, but yet still be saved. Such lack of understanding demonstrates very little of faith, and might offer very little joy or hope, but even so one believer is not more saved than another. As students, we have much to learn and ought o be open to follow on to better know the Lord. It is natural tendency to argue and holds one position, or to insist another is wrong and even attempt to persuade them against their own mind. It ought to be realized, we have not all come in the unity of the faith, while at the same time we ought not allow ourselves to be tossed about by others. These things apply to me, as well as any that will hear.

Confidence is gained, IMO, realizing it is Christ that has begun a good work, and it is Christ that will finish that work.

That being said. . .

 

The Holy Ghost works, the effectual call, that man would believe, and as believers they are sealed by the Holy Ghost, kept by the power of God, that their faith will not fail, their being preserved through faith in Christ Jesus, to the end. There is a mark of ownership, the abiding Holy Ghost, that one can know they are saved. Assurance is given to the believer through the word of God, the Scriptures.

By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio