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How Do We Increase in Faith?
March 10, 2013 | 
Author How Do We Increase in Faith?
by Theophilos on Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:51 am
Christian faith is not our intellectual resolve and commitment to something, this is just religious belief.
Faith is not our hope in a promise.
Faith has to do with our experiencing the object of our faith in our heart.
God has never spoken to me, or anyone I’ve ever known, verbally, or through any means of direct revelation. But, I know Him through a “spiritual” communication in my heart. I believe God speaks to us spiritually with a still small voice deep in our inner being which is also called our heart.
If this is true, then faith should be defined as “responding to what God puts into our heart”.
This definition of faith is consistent with scripture and clarifies how faith should work in our life. It is consistent with Eph 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.”, so our faith has to be responding to God’s grace which He puts into our heart. It also explains Romans 14:23b “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”, so no matter how good we think it is if we are not responding to what God put into our heart, then it is not of faith and it is sin. So, not only is faith without works dead, but works without faith are sin.
We are not only “saved” by faith, but we are to walk by faith.
Galatians 3:1-5
1 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Think about this. If faith is responding to what God puts into my heart, can I increase my faith by my resolve and commitment? Do I increase my faith by doing more for others? The answer is no.
We increase our faith by knowing and responding to what God puts into our heart. And there is a big difference between what God puts into our heart and what someone else puts into our mind.
How do we know what God puts into our heart? I believe it takes time. We must learn to ignore our own thoughts and imaginations, and the thoughts and imaginations of others, and this is not easy. Our tendency is to get on with it. We have a hard time waiting and seeking. I believe when we hear God we will feel enlightened and it will be about something that will make a difference in our life. It is not like pondering the meaning of a scripture and coming to some understanding of it.That is knowledge.
Knowing what God puts into our heart, will have to do with understanding the fulness of God’s grace in our life.
Faith is responding to what God puts into our heart. # Eph 3:14-16, Php 3:13-16
Walking by faith, in the Spirit, not the flesh. # Rom 1:5, 1Cor 2:4.5, Gal 2:20-3:3 5:4-6, Col 2:6.7
SAVING FAITH: is responding to what God puts into our heart concerning our fallen, lost and spiritually dead condition.
WALKING FAITH: we walk the same way we came responding to what God puts into our heart.
Following are some statements relative to this definition of faith:
It is not just an intellectual decision.
It is not initiated by us.
We must learn to know how God speaks to us.
There is a big difference between what God puts into our heart and what someone else puts into our mind, we must be discerning and not just accept any teaching.
Requires thoughtful and prayerful consideration.
Requires humility and setting aside of all self-interest (desire) and self-effort, coming to rest.
Allows grace to be grace, “God acting in our life”. God initiates and we respond as we walk.
It is not necessarily a frequent occurance. If God is not dealing with us in a matter, then we are free to live and choose according to our own decisions being consistent with who we are.
2 Peter 1:3
It is consistent with “whatever is not of faith is sin”. If we are not responding to what God puts into our heart, then we are doing it for some other reason (self-effort, self interest) and that is sin.
It is consistent with “faith without works is dead”. If we are responding, we are doing something. If it is not responding to God, then the faith is dead no matter what we are doing.
People not responding to what God has put into their heart have no faith. They may have a lot of works and pretending, but it is not of faith.
The key to growing in faith is to spend enough time to get to know God personally, not what preaching says and not copying what others claim and pretend, but personally. To learn to know God and how He acts in our life in a personal relationship, we may need to discard some things which we have been taught on how to “look” and “act” like a Christian.
Walking by faith is not trying to do the things Jesus did or doing “Christian duty”, or trying to clean up the flesh to be as good as Jesus is. We are to be “like” Jesus in His attitude. His attitude was that He could do nothing except what came from the Father. Making Jesus lord Vs. living by grace
How do we grow in faith?
Increasing faith is not increasing duties or spiritual disciplines. Jesus said if we had faith as a grain of mustard seed we would move mountains. How many of us are moving mountains? So, it is increasing our connection to or dependence on God, understanding how God works in our lives which increases our faith. There are a lot of views about this. It takes a lot of discernment, prayer and study to sort it out.
Faith increases as we increase our understanding of how God works in our heart.
NOT
Doing more in a denominational congregation,
Volunteering for a mission field
NOT
By cleaning up the “Flesh”
NOT
By doing more for others
Do we grow by doing more for church, God, others and cleaning up our “flesh” or by understanding how God teaches us spiritually?
It is the attitude of the heart not what we do.
How do we grow in understanding the fulness of God’s grace?
Humility – we must be open to God and have a teachable spirit.
Scripture
Testing
Edification by God and by others
Seeking truth
Depending on God
**********
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
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Lordship Salvation – What is Saving Faith?
What is Saving Faith?
by Theophilos on Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:37 am
We know God does the saving, but what is our part? We repent and believe. Does repenting mean we must make a commitment to make Jesus the Lord of our life before we are saved?
Listen to this seven minutes of a sermon on why a Pastor thinks that a man he is talking to can’t be saved. Click on Sermon to play audio.
That is a classic example of “Lordship salvation”.
Our problem is not our sins. How can we ignore the many scriptures which say that the sin issue was removed from the world by Christ’s death on the cross? Our problem is that we are spiritually dead. We need spiritual life. We are saved by the life of Christ, not the death of Christ.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:8-10 (KJV)
What we repent of is unbelief. What we believe is.
1 John 4:1-2,4-6 NIV
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [4] You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. [5] They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
What we receive is a new life in Christ.
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
GFL Study Forum • View topic – What is the Gospel?
What is the Gospel?
by Theophilos on Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:29 am
What is the Gospel?
I asked this question in a Bible study group with about twenty people. I gave them time to write out their answer. The answers were unexpectedly varied indicating that there is little common understanding of what the gospel is. Can “the gospel” have different meanings? Paul said, there was one gospel which is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. 1Corinthians 15:1-4
The term is frequently used in preaching, teaching and Bible studies and many times seems to imply more than Paul’s statement. When used in this way, it is a term which people will define by projecting their particular idea into it, similiar to the terms “hope” and “change” which politicians use.
How many passages in the Bible can be considered the gospel, or “good news”? Many denominations preach the “Sermon on the Mount” as applicable to Christian living.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:17-20 (KJV)
Was that “good news” for the Jews He was teaching?
Here is what Jesus said to Martha in Chapter 11 of John’s Gospel.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:21-26 (KJV) (My emphasis in red.)
So what do you say the Gospel is?
John MacArthur’s book “the Gospel According to Jesus” is about “Lordship salvation” and “making” Jesus Lord in our life. Is that “Good news”?
Jesus is Lord of our life; we don’t make Him Lord of our lives.
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
GFL Study Forum • View topic – What is Growing in Grace?
What is Growing in Grace?
by Theophilos on Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:00 pm
There are several terms used for essentially the same process in a Christian’s life, “increasing faith”, “growing in grace”, “spiritual maturity”, and “sanctification”.
Increasing Faith # 2 Pet 1:5-12 Eph 4:14-24
When we talk about increasing our faith, we are talking about spiritual maturity in terms of “putting on” something new. When we were “born again”, we didn’t get a new old (old being the Flesh). We were not made righteous in the Flesh. By the grace of God, we are being changed from the image of Adam into the image of Christ. This change comes by responding to what God puts into our heart by the Holy Spirit enlightening us as to the meaning of Scripture. He is not looking for “sacrifice” but a contrite heart. The Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”. I think this means He is changing the desires of our heart, not giving us what we want.
Spiritual maturity # Rom 1:1-5 Eph 1:17,18 1 Joh 3:2 Col 1:15,18 Col 3:10 Php 3:20,21
We (the NEW MAN), because of Christ, are righteous before God.
We, in spite of the OLD MAN, are being changed –
BY PUTTING ON THE NEW – Eph 4:22 Col 2:9-11 Rom 6:6
BY RENEWING OUR MIND – Eph 4:23 Rom 12:2
BY WALKING IN THE SPIRIT – Gal 6:8 5:16-18,25 Rom 8:1-4
BY TRIBULATION – Rom 5:1-5 2 Cor 12:9-10 Php 1:29 James 1:2-3,12
BY TRUTH – John 8:32 1 Pet 1:22 John 14:17 16:13 Eph 4:15
BY KNOWING HIS LOVE – Gal 2:20 Rom 5:8-10 1 John 2:15-16
Discuss how these can be prioritized. (Spirit – Truth – Love)
What difference does it make?
In us – We should experience the fruit of the spirit and grow by coming to know God and depend on Him more and more. Gal 5:22-26 Eph 1:17-23
In others – We share this GOOD NEWS with others, in love. Rom 12:10 Joh 13:34,35 Gal 5:6-13 6:2
If faith is responding to what God puts into our heart, how do we increase our faith?
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:16-17 (KJV)
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
GFL Study Forum • View topic – New Life Plan
New Life Plan
by Theophilos on Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:06 pm
Our problem is not our sin.
Our problem is that we are spiritually dead.
GUILTY and DEAD
——————————————————————————–
From a Biblical perspective, everyone is born in the image of Adam, born without the Spirit of God in them. This means that we not only have the distinction of having the same basic fallen nature of Adam, but we are also dead spiritually.
——————————————————————————–
If we are guilty and dead, we not only need to be forgiven, but we need life. Jesus not only came to pay the penalty for our sins, but to give us life. Romans 5:10
——————————————————————————–
Chapter two of Genesis explains how Adam was created in God’s image. And that God breathed the breath of life into man.
The soul consists of the MIND, EMOTION and WILL. Animals have this, but animals don’t consider where they came from or how they came to be. Animals don’t have the “breath of life” which God gave man.
The Bible and our experience indicates that man is BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT. Man was created by God, in the image of God. Created with free- will, the ability to choose.
An unanswerable truth, for natural man, is “how are we here” and “why are we here”? These are spiritual questions which reveal the difference between spirit and soul (man and animal).
Lack of understanding of the difference between the spirit and the “flesh” is the major misunderstanding of Christianity today. Scripture talks about the contention between the spirit and the flesh. Scripture also says God is spirit and “speaks” to us Spirit to spirit.
This is a link to another page which has a diagram which shows the relationship of the body, soul and spirit. http://www.gflstudy.org/?p=13
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
GFL Study Forum • View topic – What is sanctification?
What is sanctification?
by Theophilos on Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:25 pm
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. –2 Thess. 2: 13.
It is not about us trying to clean-up our “old-nature” by obedience.
Bob George says, “sanctification of something means it is being used for the intelligent purpose for which it was created”.
Spiritual maturity is not about what we do for God, but understanding what God does in us. It is about putting on the right thing in the right way. What comes out is our love of God and our love of others. This is the “law of Christ” and “obedience of faith”.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:14-21 (KJV)
Until we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit to really understand this part, we are probably out there giving it all we’ve got to “win” for God. Kind of like our “sacrifice” for God which He said He didn’t want. He wants us to know Him which requires a different attitude in our heart. This attitude change won’t happen until we come to understand and believe that there is nothing we can do for God. This would be kind of humbling, wouldn’t it? Scripture calls it the “offense of the cross”. It all comes from Him if we just come without any fleshly pride and commitments and allow “Christ in us” and His Word to work it out in our life.
Eph 4:21-24
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Acts 20:32
32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Copyright © 1996 – 2008 Theophilos and gflstudy.org web site. All rights reserved.
Jesus & New
Speaker
Dan B
Date
2013-01-10
Jesus & New
This is an unusual thing for those around Jesus to hear. Here Jesus is foretelling of the New Covenant.
John 4:7-14 (NKJV)
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Jesus & Old
When you read the New Testament, always look for the New Covenant.
Luke 6:7-9 (NIV)
7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
Conclusion
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Bible Quote
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV – sent from CadreBible)
It is about the life.
The New Covenant is not unique because of Grace. It is unique because of Life.
Who Made God
 |
Who Made God? And Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith Edited by Ravi Zacharias & Norman Geisler / ZondervanHow can there be three persons in one God? Why does God allow evil? What is the origin of the universe? Did Jesus rise from the dead? What about other faiths, such as Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, reincarnation and Buddhism? Expert evangelical apologists answer all these tough questions-and many more. |
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