The Firmness of Your Faith

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:1-3 ESV) 

If we want to know what all this entails, we need to read the New Testament, start to finish, one verse, one chapter, and one book at a time, in context. Personally, I suggest reading the New Testament before you venture into reading the Old Testament, because we now live in New Testament times, not in Old Testament times, although many of the teachings of the Old Testament are repeated for us in the New Testament, and so they still apply to our lives today, as understood in light of the New Covenant.

So, how can I summarize what Paul was stating in this first paragraph in a way that simplifies it and makes it practical and applicable to our lives today? I believe I should begin with Jesus’ words:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26 ESV)

And then the words of Paul:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works,” “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:10).

We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are not to live like the ungodly, in the futility of their minds. Their hearts are hardened against the Lord, and they have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (see Ephesians 4:17-19)

“But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20-24 ESV)

Basically, what we need to understand is that Jesus Christ, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is God, our creator God, the one who made us for his purposes and for his glory. And his will and purpose for our lives is that we die with him to sin and walk in holiness and in obedience to his commands and that we no longer walk in sin. And if that is how we live, by faith in him, in his power, we have eternal life in him. But if we obey sin, and not God, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

“I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:4-7 ESV)

And this is critical that we understand this, for so many people today are professing faith in Jesus Christ with their lips but by their actions they deny him. And they are being told that nothing is required of them other than a “faith” which is of the flesh and not of God, for it does not submit to God, and it does not obey his commands. For if we truly have received Jesus Christ as Lord, we are to walk (in conduct) in him which requires that we are dying daily to sin and walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands.

Now this is not to say that we will live absolutely perfect lives (1 John 2:1-2), but the Scriptures are very firm on this subject. If sin is what we obey, in practice, we will die in our sins. But if obedience to God is what we obey, in practice, it leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life (Romans 6:1-23). So we must be careful that no one deludes us with plausible arguments which try to convince us that we can continue in sin and still have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God. 

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

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