This is a public service announcement – There will be no Sunday School December 24th or December 31st. We will meet back on January 7, 2024. Karin and I look forward to seeing you all in the new year! Merry Christmas to all of you our dear friends and Bible study partners.
Today we took a deeper look into Hebrews 11:1-6, the Faith Chapter, and compared it to Romans 3:19-28. Hebrews 11 expresses faith substance and evidence. Romans 3defines the Law of Faith. In this dispensation, we are all justified without the deeds of the Law, “for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Titus 3:5-7: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We were able to see in Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and so on, that each situation revealed the grace of God toward them in a different manner, and their faith (believing what God said), being demonstrated by their obedience.
V.4: Abel prepared a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.
V5: Enoch had the testimony that he pleased God.
V.7: Noah moved with fear and prepared an ark,
V.8: Abraham was called to go to a place unknown to him, and went.
In each case, their faith was made perfect (James 2:22) or complete through their obedience. Did Abraham know anything about the Mosaic Law? No! Did he understand “the mystery” revealed to Paul? No! At any given place on the dispensation timeline people were given specific information they were supposed to believe and act upon that they were accountable for. It is always by faith. The content of that faith may differ, as Hebrews 11 reveals, but is always faith. Remember, as Hebrews 11:6 states…without faith it is impossible to please God!
The gospel of the kingdom, preached by John the Baptist, and by the Lord, and by the apostles, required water baptism to make their faith perfect / complete. It was not part of their salvation, but it was required for a confirmation. The thief on the cross did not get baptized, but Jesus promised him that he would be with him in paradise.
It was the religious leaders, when confronted with the need to be baptized, rejected the counsel of God against them!
Luke 7: 29-30: And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
It is wonderful that we are saved by grace through faith, as Paul states in Ephesians 2:8-9. There are no works required of us to confirm our salvation or to make it perfect. Jesus paid it all! But, as I stated in my prayer this morning, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
The more mature we are in Christ, the more we should reflect who we are in Christ. Good works are a natural by-product of being who we should be.
Colossians 3:17: And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
See you January 7th! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!