Faith is trusting in God - believing that He loves us, and knows what is for our best good. Thus, instead of our own way, it leads us to choose His way. In place of ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership and accepts its blessing. Truth, uprightness, purity, are pointed out as secret of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these. Every good impulse or aspiration is the gift of God; faith receives from God the life that alone can produce true growth and efficiency.
Faith comes from the Word of God (Romans 10:14 KJV: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"), and we are to live according to every Word of God (Mathew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God). Therefore, before doing anything we should see what God has said about it - and do as He has said. That is living by His Words, and that is living by faith in what He has said. One can eat by faith by eating the food God has specified; dress by faith by wearing such attire as God has said becomes His children; marry by faith by marrying "only in the Lord" as He has said; and so on with everything in life.
"The foundation of all faith is the Word of God, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Anything that does not have the Word of God as its foundation is not true faith.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.… (Proverbs 3:5-7)
To ignore His will on any point, take liberties with what He has said and follow our own desires and then pray for Him to bless us, is presumption.
“Faith is not feeling. ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’ (Hebrew 11:1). True faith is in no sense allied to presumption; for presumption is Satan’s counterfeit of faith.
“Faith claims God’s promises, and bring forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression (1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law). Faith would have led our first parents to trust the love of God and obey His commands. Presumption led them to transgress His law, believing that His great love would save them from the consequences of their sin. It is not faith claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions on which mercy is to be granted. Genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provision of the scriptures.
A very broad application of these great principles summed up concerning one truth is this: If we believe that Christ is coming soon, we will live as if we expected to see Him; we will be faithful even unto death we can die by faith if need even as we can live by faith.
Thus the entire life should lived by faith; not in an ecstasy of trust that rests in God’s hand waiting for Him to do all these things, but a life of active endeavor to do everything just as He has commanded. “A mere profession of discipline-ship is of no value. The faith in Christ which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. ‘Believe, believe,’they say,’and you need not keep the law.’ But a belief that does not lead to obedience is presumption. The apostle John says (1 John 2:4, “He that said, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”).
Every act of life should be based upon the instruction God has given. We are to work and pray, and then believe that God will remove every mountain of difficulty that is in the way and make it possible for us to do all He has specified.
Thus faith works, as is set forth in James 2:14-26. Faith causes action; faith works. Thus it is with everything in life.
“God requires obedience, not for the purpose of showing His authority, but that we may become one with Him in character. We will find in God attributes of character needed form characters after His likeness. We are to form characters that are in harmony with the Deity. Thus our natures become spiritualized in every faculty” (1 Peter 1:15-16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”)
-The general concept of obedience both in the Old and New Testament relates to hearing or hearkening to a higher authority.
-One of the Greek terms for obedience in the Bible conveys the idea of positioning oneself under someone by submitting to their authority and command.
-Another Greek word for obey in the New Testament means "to trust."
-According to Holman's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, a succinct definition of biblical obedience is "to hear God's Word and act accordingly."
-Eerdman's Bible Dictionary states, "True 'hearing,' or obedience, involves the physical hearing that inspires the hearer, and a belief or trust that in turn motivates the hearer to act in accordance with the speaker's desires."
-Thus, biblical obedience to God means to hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and his Word.
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me! (Psalm 119:1–8, NLT)
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1, NLT)
The verse above says, "Let us work toward complete holiness." We don't learn obedience overnight; it's a lifelong process that we pursue by making it a daily goal and habit.
[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
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