How We Live Our Faith

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Read Romans 13-15:21

Darlene says:

I can't put up with all your legalism. You tell me I shouldn't do this and that and the other thing, then tell me that all I have to do to be saved is believe? Hogwash.

Sarah says:

I am saved by faith, not by works. When I saw the wretchedness of my life, how utterly wicked I was, I hated myself. Then I learned that Jesus died for my sins. That because of His great love for me, He paid the price for my wickedness. I am forgiven. God bought me from that horrible task-master of sin, and now I am owned by Him. How could I not desire to do what pleases Him?

Derek says:

In Christ, I have the freedom to live how I want . . . I'm not going to lose my salvation, so hey, I'm going to that party, drink myself to oblivion, maybe even try some drugs. I've got my fire insurance, and I'm going to live life to the fullest.

Three different people with three different perspectives.

I often hear people spew out the word "legalism" at those who sincerely desire a close walk with the Lord. I have heard those who adhere to certain "guidelines to living" spew out "liberal" at those who apply the principles of Scripture differently to their lives. Often when a person condemns another for his walk, that person does not understand the motivations behind the other's actions. Sometimes, pride enters and causes divisions. 

We cannot speak for every person, We can only speak for ourselves, our own faith. Some live by certain precepts and principles that they believe are founded upon Scripture. Not everyone will apply these precepts and principles for life the same way as another. One’s preference for one thing will not be another’s.

I love the Lord because of what He did for me by paying the price for my sin. I moved from being a slave to sin to being His slave. I owe it to Him to live fully yielded to Him and not to sin. I am motivated not by a desire to earn my way to heaven, but a desire to please my Lord and Savior.

Paul gave us an example of how to live. By grace I am saved. Not by law. I can say, as Paul did, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." I Corinthians 6:12

Those who avoid certain things live a certain way, because they believe to live otherwise might cause them to break fellowship with God (not that they would lose their salvation, but that they would not have the closeness with God that they desire). If I go out of my way to make them feel uncomfortable by how I live around them, then I am guilty of not loving my brother.

"But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." I Corinthians 8:12

Paul desired not to hinder the Gospel of Christ. He saw that how he lived affected others' ability to come to salvation. Legalism will hinder a person seeking Christ; on the other hand, liberalism can prevent another from seeing their need for Christ.

How we live out our faith should be governed by two things:

1. a desire to please, honor, and glorify our Savior "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31
2. a desire to not bring offense "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." I Corinthians 10:32-33

So, while I might feel I have the freedom of Derek (and cannot lose my salvation because of how I live), I might live as Sarah (for God's glory) and pray that the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance - Gal 5:22-23) in my life might keep Darlene from denying the faith.

To God be all glory, and honor, and praise, forever and ever, amen.

”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.” Romans 5:1-2

Spirituality

"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:3

Belief: an attitude of trust.

Faith: acts of trust and commitment, not as a need to achieve but out of a desire to please, to live out what you believe.

'Spiritual' is my connection with God. It is my relationship with God. Yet, I know that many character traits that should come because of my relationship with God can be found in non-Christians. 

My relationship with God is more than the sum of character traits and principles and values. Because His Holy Spirit lives in me, I can be led and directed in ways non-Christians can't be. There is a deeper understanding of who I am and of the world and of the events of the world than any non-Christian can have.

Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

My faith is built on having a relationship with God, on the fact that He loves me, forgives me, and is greatly interested in who I am and what I do.

So then, the sum of my Christianity is not in the character traits I attain or the lifestyle I live, but in Whose I am and the relationship I have with Him. Knowing this, that I am His and He is mine, and choosing to live as such, unleashes the potential God has designed to work in and through me.

It is not what I do, but Whose I am.

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you....As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." John 15:7,9

The Fear of People

 "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:3

I couldn't believe my ears. Rubbing my sweaty palms on my tunic, and blinking several times, I listened to Bro. Paul verbally strike down the Apostle Peter in front of all those people...well, it was somewhat private, done in the hall leading to the great room. Still. The Apostle Peter, of all people. Peter, who walked with Jesus, who people called the pillar or rock. 

But, as Bro. Paul continued, the Holy Spirit struck me. And I felt as though a dagger was thrust into my heart. I collapsed on the cushions beside the other members of the group that came from Jerusalem. I too, had fallen into the trap of trying to please the men that came from James and withdrew myself from the Gentile believers. As Bro. Paul said, "Fearing them which are of the circumcision." 

That's been my downfall all my life, trying too hard to please people. I don't believe Peter was intentionally preaching the need for circumcision. It was a simple case of his actions speaking...and I followed his actions, not his words. Although, I do feel that he was being so careful in what he said, one might almost call it double-speak. But who am I to judge? Like Peter, I so easily get caught up in things and the 'air about the situation'. When James' men arrived, I followed Peter into the far end of the courtyard and chose to eat with them. Dear Lord, forgive me.

This I do know: I am saved by grace through faith and that not of myself but of Christ.

I've struggled often with the concept of sanctification, of setting apart myself for God. It seems a moving target, as flighty as a deer. I do believe we are to walk in Christ and that means obeying His Word. But obedience, without compassion and grace, without an understanding of mercy and judgment...well, I'm not sure that is aligning oneself with God. 

Did not the prophet Hosea say, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you"? and then again, "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually"? Surely to live in the character of Christ, our strict obedience must be tempered with mercy and judgment...and sometimes, as I believe was the case with Peter and myself, the obedience isn't even consistent with the Lord's commandments, but rather man's interpretation of the law. Yada, Yada. If we only knew God more, we'd know better each moment what to do.

There will come a time, Paul teaches us, when all Christ's teaching will be available, the revelation of Christ complete. But I digress.

I watched from the room as Peter's chin dropped to his chest. He was stricken. And so was I. He nodded in agreement with Paul. Then he stepped from the hall and motioned the rest of us to follow him. Then, with true Peter-style, he took his goblet and a piece of bread, and joined the Gentile believers in the feast, begging their forgiveness for his rudeness and inconsistency.

Later, I sat on my cushion and watched the shift in the spirit of the evening. Rather, in the movement of God's Spirit in the room. Sanctification, I concluded after watching the joy and close fellowship shown in this mixed group, is a relationship with God which pours over and into our relationship with others. A relationship so close that what others do will not pull us from God and draws those who have eyes to see and ears to hear to God. I do things to please the Almighty Lord, my Holy Father, and to bless Him. That is it. No one else need be pleased.

Truth be told, I live a certain way because blessings come from living in obedience to my Lord. Do my works change me? hmm. I think perhaps only if those works cause me to know more of Christ can they make me more Christ-like. But if those works are merely to obtain the blessings, whether it be the praises of men or some other blessing, then I think Christ may not be in it. It is possible, as Peter, myself, and the others found, to live a 'righteous' life in the eyes of men, only to do harm to our relationship, or nearness to Christ. 

But the other side of the coin is that discipline can change me, can cause me to form habits that are good, that bring God glory. The inner man--my wishes, desires--they are formed by my relationship with Christ. If first my inner man is shaped by the Holy Spirit, then the outer man will more readily conform to the discipline that pleases God. 

That night, Bro. Paul asked me to close the fellowship in prayer. My prayer was short. "Lord, please help me, help us, to walk in Your ways for Your glory." For how else could I sum up the day?

"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." Galatians 2:20