The Law Of Faith

"For all have sinned, 

and come short of the glory of God" 

"being justified freely by his grace 

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 
Romans 3:23-24

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. 

By what law? Of works? 

No: but by the law of faith. 

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 
Romans 3:27-28

Some time ago I listened to my pastor ask an intellectual what his view was on justification. The man replied that; “he believed that he is a good person and had lived a good life, and that if there was a God that he hoped he would take the totality of his life into account and judge him as worthy of favor.”

Here is a question for you. Who is the one person that from a human perspective you would consider to be worthy because of who they are, or because of all of their good deeds or the loving life that they have lived? I know this might seem impossible but name the one person you admire the most. Please stop here and write the person’s name in the comments below or email to me at talavera.bob@gmail.com

It will be interesting to read those comments. The person I will name here is a great scientist and inventor. His philanthropic work has saved literally millions of poor people from suffering and death. And the foundation he has established will most likely continue saving millions more lives for the remainder of this century. 

His contribution to the health of poor and suffering children is beyond what most of us can even dream about. Any decent person would give anything to be able to save ten lives ... let alone millions. He is the one person in the world I would most like to have a conversation with. Can you guess who he might be? I have begun to pray for his salvation daily. Here is the article that clearly explains how I came to this conclusion based upon my logic and feelings. (must read click here)

The most important fact being missed here is that the amazing work and humanitarian efforts of Bill and Melinda Gates are temporal. This is the most an unbeliever can hope for.

How much more infinitely valuable is one life saved for eternity?


Here is another interesting one. I don’t know if it is true, but I have read that the most famous and charitable American entertainer Bob Hope once said; “if there is a God, how could he not consider all of the wonderful things that I have done?”

I really did admire Bob Hope and all that he did for others; and he brings up an interesting question. But God has already spoken clearly on this, and if that truly was Mr. Hope’s belief and not just a clever quip … he was sadly misguided. The fact is that by the world’s standards Bob Hope is most admired and beloved but we are all just sinners in need of a savior in God’s eyes. God’s Word tells us that no man measures up to God's test of righteousness.

Are you beginning to now understand why after speaking to the rich young ruler, Jesus said?

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking on them said, with men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:25-27

Here is the problem that all men and women face.

As Jesus said; “with men it is impossible” … to receive eternal life.

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-12

Who meets this test of righteousness and a sinless life that God has for us all? How about Mother Theresa? She was a most religious, charitable, prayerful, faithful, most loving, and humble person. She may be in heaven, but not because of any or all of the charitable things she did … no, not one.

No matter how good we might try to be … daily good deeds for an entire life, or living out the life of a loving person can never make us right or acceptable before God.  All of mankind has the exact same problem and there is only one solution to the problem and the solution is the same for us all. That is faith in the blood of Jesus Christ as the payment for our sins.

“Now we know that whatever things the law said, it said to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:21-28

I know many understand this but we need to understand well enough that we all can help others understand, we have all been given the ministry of reconciliation.

What does this mean? 

We are justified by Jesus who lived a sinless life here as a man and who delivered himself up to the cross as the payment for our sins once and for all. The law of faith Paul speaks of is the belief in God’s free gift of grace for those of us who have believed and trusted in Jesus Christ for our eternal forgiveness and salvation.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, 
so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 
2 Corinthians 5:20-21

 Here is another one of those Biblical absolute Forever Principles. 

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25

“… By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 3:27-28

So ... does this leave us free to do nothing or whatever we wish? NO, No, No.

We will discuss this next.

God Bless you my friends, Bob

Forever ...

"For all flesh is as grass, 

and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. 

The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: 

But the word of the Lord endures forever."

"And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you."  1 Peter 1:24-35

What can anyone say to this mighty truth?

It is either:  Forever Truth ... or it is a total lie.

Hypocrite ... is the last thing anyone wants to be called. 

So the question is: Are churches full of hypocrites? 

You be the judge. A Barna Research Group study found that only 9% of Born Again Christians hold to a Biblical worldview on life. 

In other words, they have chosen not to use the Bible as the moral standard and guide in their lives unless it happens to agree with what they want to do. They have chosen to be the god of their day to day activities while at the same time proclaiming to follow the God of eternal Truth.

“What is truth?” is not a new debate. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate: “I came into the world, to testify to the truth". "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” The Jews had rejected his claims and brought him to Pilate who simply asks in response to Jesus: “What is truth?” 

Today, over 90% of Christians are not standing with the Truth that Jesus came to proclaim. They have chosen instead to follow a religion concocted by men often centered around good deeds and works rather than the Gospel of salvation by grace alone and the absolute Forever Truth God has given us in His Word.

This is blatant hypocrisy.

And their rejection of His absolute Forever Truths is a rejection of the Savior as well. 

They may as well be standing with Pilate and the Jewish leaders who delivered him up.

How did so many Christians get to this hypocritical low point? 

The American public school system has established an atheistic position on absolute truth and Judeo Christian values, and have rejected God and His Truth in total. And a majority of Christians allow their children to be schooled in this heresy… the results are predictable.  After a hundred years of this atheistic brainwashing of several generations of adults, we then wonder why the unbelieving world is convinced that Christians trying to live by standing on the unending eternal Truth of God's Word are judgmental hypocrites.

Well for sure all men are hypocrites on one point or another, and as the verse clearly explains we are all (in our flesh) like the grass and the flowers of the grass.  In our own strength, all me will eventually fall. But the Gospel of Christ that is preached to us cleanses all unrighteousness and His blood is the atonement for our sins.

The word of the Lord endures or abides …

FOREVER

This is the dividing line.

If we want to know the answer to all of the problems of mankind … they can all be resolved with this one verse. Men are endlessly divided by this one absolute word: “forever”. The Christian church has also been divided by this word for centuries. The majority of “Christians” in America who have been educated by atheists have chosen to reject the “forever” Truths of Christ in order to be tolerant of the beliefs of others, the feelings of others, and the teachings of men over the eternal Truth of God's Word. 


Hypocrisy runs rampant on this point. This is where our kingdoms will continually crash together … this is the battle line. It is one thing to be tolerant on anothers views or values. It is something totally different to have politicians force thoses views and values upon us in the name of tolerance. 

When a Christian quietly accepts these views that promote or support the idea that the the truth is ever-changing and evolving, and that right and wrong varies from time to time and culture to culture ... 

he is a hypocrite. 

The end result is women killing unborn babies carried in the their womb; and others promoting any and all forms of amorality; or rejecting the Creator and promoting evolution. This is hypocrisy for Christians ... plain and simple. This is promoting doctrines of demons. 

Two obvious questions are: 

How can they call themselves Christians and disregard the teachings of Jesus Christ?

Why would a seeker of spiritual Truth trust someone who is a blatant hypocrite?

Politicians or preachers will never resolve this dispute. In the end, you have deceivers like Nancy Pelosi playing politics with babies lives, and actually saying she is practicing her Catholic religion when promoting gay marriage ... or with the hourly the killing of unborn babies at nine months. She then paints anyone who questions paying for this evil: a right wing extremist.

Only the victorious return of Christ will settle this battle, once and for all.

When I say that I believe in Biblical absolutes, men who see themselves as wise … judge me as being foolish. Like those who crucified Christ, they laugh at the Savior and at my claim to His absolute Truth.

“There is no absolute truth” … “everything is relative” and "right and wrong varies from one culture to the next” … so they say.

Well God’s Word claims to endure forever.

And God’s Word responds to the intellectual egotists as follows:

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men.”

1 Corinthians 3:18-21

Forever has many definitions and the Bible speaks to the reality of forever in many different ways such as eternity, everlasting, always, endlessly, enduringly, eternally, evermore, forevermore, unchangingly.

There are unending verses that speak to this truth.

Therefore, this leads to the conclusion that:

God’s Word is forever truth, or

 God’s Word is forever a lie.

For a majority of Christians to compromise on this fact is at the heart of their hypocrisy. The paths that lead to the liberal definition of tolerance often lead to evil disguised as good. The compromises required leave them standing with atheists and false religions against Christ and His eternal Truth.

Below are only a few of the forever Truths that all born again believers must stand on or suffer from the consequences of unbelief. Building a Christian belief system on the “forevers” of God’s Word is the duty or service that God’s Word urgently requests or (beseeches) of us.

“I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

And who among us … does not desire to live out the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of the Savior and Creator of all things?

Be encouraged in the Spirit of Christ by a few these absolute eternal “Forever Truths” … there are a thousand more.

“He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.”

“I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.”

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.”

“O give thanks to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.”

“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament … this man, because he continues ever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Why he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law makes men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated for ever more.”

“They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”

“For the truth's sake, which dwells in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of your children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father … that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.”

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God stays for ever.”

“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” Daniel 7:18

“And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life.”

Forever Truths?

True or false … where do you stand?

God Bless you my Friends, Bob