Abiding Faith Endures

Charles Spurgeon said, "Temporary faith is no faith at all." Jesus spoke of "those who believe for awhile, and in time of testing fall away" (Luke 8:13). Abiding faith can stand the test. Also, true saving faith is an abiding gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 13:13). Abiding faith endures through all manner of testing. 

Jesus taught that there are people with temporary faith, who only believe for awhile. This is recorded in the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:11-15). The problem in this case is recognized in the person's heart. Temporary faith has to do with a heart not changed by the grace of God. It leads to apostasy, or falling away.

When you are born again, God takes away your heart of stone and gives you a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Your new heart is like rich soil for the seed of the Gospel of Christ to bring forth fruit unto salvation. Abiding faith has a heart changed to become a new creation in Christ (Romans 2:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Abiding faith, unlike temporary faith, is a gift of the Spirit of God that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).

When you are saved by the grace of God, your heart is changed with new desires. Your heart is the mind, will, and emotions, as the term is most often used in the Bible. God works in us "both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). A new heart includes your will changed by God's grace. God began the work of salvation in you and completes it (Philippians 1:6). Abiding faith endures to receive complete salvation in Christ.

Every Believer Sealed

Every believer in our Lord Jesus Christ is sealed with the Holy Spirit. "In Him (Christ) you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). Those who truly believe the gospel of Christ have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.

In Bible days, legal documents were sealed to guarantee the authority of transactions. Scripture uses this as an illustration to guarantee believers that we are God's people. The Holy Spirit is the seal of God, giving you the right to be called a child of God (John 1:11-12).

God seals all who believe the gospel of Christ with the Holy Spirit. That's the New Testament promise of God to every believer. As a believer, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit as your Guide, Counselor, Helper and Comforter. The seal of the Spirit is for each and every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit seals all who are saved by grace through faith in Christ. It happens to each believer upon trusting in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). It is the guarantee or earnest of the Spirit, that true believers will be kept until the redemption of our bodies, at the Day of Christ (Ephesians 4:30).

Two Ways of Believing

Martin Luther wrote, "There are two ways of believing. One way is to believe about God, as I do when I believe that what is said of God is true; This faith is knowledge or observation rather than faith. The other way is to believe in God, as I do when I not only believe that what is said about Him is true, but put my trust in Him, surrender myself to Him, and make bold to deal with Him, believing that without doubt that He will be to me and do to me just what is said of Him."

Jesus said, You believe in God, believe also in Me (John 14:1). That's our relationship of trust in God. We surrender our lives to God. Faith in God is taking Him at His word. Luther defined believing in God as believing without doubt that He will be to me and do to me just what is said of Him. 

Martin Luther warned those who only believe about God. It is only mental assent that there is a God. It is not believing in God, which is a personal trust in God. Faith in God receives the promises of His word. Believing in God depends upon Him to do what He has promised.

Believing about God cannot save anyone. You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). Here is a warning for those who only believe about God. It is a call to truly believe in God. 

Sinners Justified Freely

Justification is a legal term. In court, one accused of a crime is either condemned or justified. Based upon the merit of Christ, sinners are justified freely before God. His sinless life and substitutionary death on the cross for sinners is the basis for our justification, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). 

Sinners are justified freely by faith in Christ. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). Faith is trust and confidence, relying upon Christ alone. By faith in Christ, sinners are justified freely with God, and not by the works of the law (Galatians 2:19-20).

Sinners are justified freely by grace in Christ (Galatians 2:21). Faith receives the grace of God in Christ. Faith is the evidence that the believer is justified before God. It is the assurance of faith. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed (Romans 4:16). Be justified freely by grace, through faith in Christ.

Sinners are justified freely in Christ unto righteousness. The only way a sinner can become righteous before God is by faith in Christ. Righteousness is the gift of God. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 4:5). Be justified by faith in Christ.

It's All about Jesus

Tim Keller wrote, "There are two ways to read the Bible. One way to read the Bible is that it’s basically about you: what you have to do in order to be right with God, in which case you’ll never have a sure and certain hope, because you’ll always know you’re not quite living up. You’ll never be sure about that future. Or you can read it as all about Jesus. Every single thing is not about what you must do in order to make yourself right with God, but what he has done to make you absolutely right with God."

When it comes to being right with God, Keller made it clear. It's all about Jesus. It's not what we have done, but what Jesus has done for us. That's the Gospel (Romans 1:16). Yes, it's all about Jesus. He died for our sins. He is risen from the dead. He is Lord (Romans 10:9).

It's all about Jesus, not about doing better nor trying harder. Rather, it's simply resting by faith in Jesus Christ who is our righteousness with God. The only way that we can be right with God is in Christ alone (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

When it comes to being sure you are right with God, it's all about Jesus. Assurance is not about what we have done nor what we will do. It's all about what Jesus has done for us and what He is doing in us. Tim Keller was right. The focus of our faith must be in Christ alone. He works in us what is pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:21). 

The Throne of God

"Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new" (Revelation 21:5). We saw the throne of God in Revelation 4:2-4. There was a rainbow around the throne, as a sign of God's mercy. Never again would He destroy the earth with a flood. Again, we saw the throne of God in Revelation 20:11-12. It is the great white throne of judgment. Now, we see the throne of God in Revelation 21. No emphasis is on its appearance. The focus is upon God's voice.

The throne of heaven is a symbol of God's sovereign dominion over all. When He speaks, it shall be done. He decrees what shall come to pass. His word is with absolute sovereign authority. God said to John, "Write, for these words are true and faithful" (Revelation 21:5). God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). He is the God of all truth. He is faithful to His word to perform it.

From the throne of heaven, God's voice declared our salvation. God said, "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son" (Revelation 21:7). And, how do we overcome? The Bible is clear. "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5). Salvation is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31).

From the throne of heaven, God's voice declared judgment and condemnation for all who are unbelieving (Revelation 21:8). They shall experience the second death in the lake of fire. The word death (Grk: thanatos) does not mean annihilation but separation. That is separation from God forever in the lake of fire. "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36).

Christ Is All Theology

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "Jesus Christ, who is the sum and the substance of the gospel, who is in himself all theology, the incarnation of every precious truth, the all glorious embodiment of the way, the truth and the life." Theology is defined as the study of God. Spurgeon knew that God was incarnate in Christ (John 1:14). God is expressly revealed to us in Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3). 

Theologians have different views and opinions on many subjects concerning God. That can be confusing to many believers. What should we do? Spurgeon had the answer. He taught that Jesus Christ is in himself all theology, the incarnation of every precious truth. Interpreting the Bible must be done in the light of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has the final word in understanding the Bible.

Jesus Christ is in himself all theology, because he is the full, total, and final revelation of God. Jesus is the express image or likeness of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). Jesus said, He who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus is the revelation of God the Father.

Spurgeon knew that Jesus is the incarnation of God. He is God in flesh, fully God and fully man. All theology is summarized in the first chapter of John's Gospel. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14). That's God revealed to us in Christ.