The Gifts That Separate Us
Posted: July 14th, 2010, 1:19 am
simpletruth #138z Revisited 14JUL10 salicart@msn.com
HOSEA 10:12—Part Twenty Six: The Gifts That Separate Us
by rev. dave c
Hosea 10:12, Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you (NKJV).
Ro 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you (NIV). Ep 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--9 not by works, so that no one can boast (NIV). 2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours… (NIV).
The above passages tell us that faith is specifically and without question a gift from God. It is given to us in varied measure and it is precious. The Writer of Hebrews defines “faith” as, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (KJV). In verse six he continues, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (NIV). Faith in Jesus Christ brings healing (Ac 3:16), it purifies the hearts of believers (Ac 15:9), it sanctifies (Ac 26:18/Ga 2:20), and it leads to righteousness (Ro 1:17/3:22/4:13/9:30/10:6/Ga 3:11/5:5/Ph 3:9/He 10:38). Faith in Christ’s blood brings atonement for our sins (Ro 3:25), we are justified by it (Ro 3:28/Ro 5:1/Ga 2:16/3:8/3:24), it brings the promise of the guarantees of grace (Ro 4:16/Ga 3:14/3:22/He 6:12), it gains us access to grace (Ro 5:2), it causes us to stand firm (Ro 11:20/2Co 1:24), it provides “spiritual eyes” (2Co 5:7), through faith we become children of God (Ga 3:26), by grace through faith we are saved (Ep 2:8), in Christ and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ep 3:12), because of it Christ dwells in our hearts (Ep 3:17), and it produces good works (1Th 1:3/1Ti 1:4). Faith makes us wise for salvation (2Ti 3:15), it brings Godly understanding (He 11:3), it brings a better sacrifice (He 11:4), it speaks even after death (He 11:4), it brings obedience to God (He 11), and through faith we are shielded by God’s power (1Pe 1:5).
All that said, we must understand that the New Testament consistently sates that it is faith in the person of Jesus Christ, in His name, in His blood and in His promises, that brings about such miraculous events and changes in our lives. We must be careful, however, to avoid having "faith in faith". To have faith in faith is to have faith in a gift. The Bible is clear that we are to always, and exclusively, worship the Giver and never the gift. We are to have hope in the Giver, not in the gift--we are to love the Giver, not the gift--and we are to have faith in the Giver...and not in the gift. We wouldn't teach people to worship worship, or to have hope in hope, or to love love (all of which sounds more than just little "new agey")--why would we teach people to have faith in faith? To have "faith in faith" is 'missing the mark, or target' (or, in Greek, hamartia, which is the most common NT term for sin).
1Co 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (NIV). There is the gift of faith through the Holy Spirit—and then there is the faith God measures out to the rest of us (Ro 12:3). We need those people who are especially gifted with faith to cover us during our times of doubt and pronounced difficulties.
Ep 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (NIV). The Holy Spirit gift of faith, like all gifts from our great and good and gracious Father in Heaven, is given to promote the well being, growth, and increased understanding for the entire corporate body—not just for a few individuals, or for a particular fellowship, and absolutely not for the aggrandizement of the person possessing the gift (Ro 12:3 & Ep 2:8).
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1Co 12:4-7; NIV). God, in His mercy, does not force us to live out our lives in the damaged condition of sinful abuse—and in His grace, He gives us good gifts to help us, and those around us, to grow into the new life of the Spirit. While Divine gifts are given with the intention of uniting the Body of Christ, I fear we too often use our particular gifts to manipulate, to segregate, and to dominate our little corner of the Kingdom. Lord, forgive us and help us to do better. Amen.
HOSEA 10:12—Part Twenty Six: The Gifts That Separate Us
by rev. dave c
Hosea 10:12, Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you (NKJV).
Ro 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you (NIV). Ep 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--9 not by works, so that no one can boast (NIV). 2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours… (NIV).
The above passages tell us that faith is specifically and without question a gift from God. It is given to us in varied measure and it is precious. The Writer of Hebrews defines “faith” as, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (KJV). In verse six he continues, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (NIV). Faith in Jesus Christ brings healing (Ac 3:16), it purifies the hearts of believers (Ac 15:9), it sanctifies (Ac 26:18/Ga 2:20), and it leads to righteousness (Ro 1:17/3:22/4:13/9:30/10:6/Ga 3:11/5:5/Ph 3:9/He 10:38). Faith in Christ’s blood brings atonement for our sins (Ro 3:25), we are justified by it (Ro 3:28/Ro 5:1/Ga 2:16/3:8/3:24), it brings the promise of the guarantees of grace (Ro 4:16/Ga 3:14/3:22/He 6:12), it gains us access to grace (Ro 5:2), it causes us to stand firm (Ro 11:20/2Co 1:24), it provides “spiritual eyes” (2Co 5:7), through faith we become children of God (Ga 3:26), by grace through faith we are saved (Ep 2:8), in Christ and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ep 3:12), because of it Christ dwells in our hearts (Ep 3:17), and it produces good works (1Th 1:3/1Ti 1:4). Faith makes us wise for salvation (2Ti 3:15), it brings Godly understanding (He 11:3), it brings a better sacrifice (He 11:4), it speaks even after death (He 11:4), it brings obedience to God (He 11), and through faith we are shielded by God’s power (1Pe 1:5).
All that said, we must understand that the New Testament consistently sates that it is faith in the person of Jesus Christ, in His name, in His blood and in His promises, that brings about such miraculous events and changes in our lives. We must be careful, however, to avoid having "faith in faith". To have faith in faith is to have faith in a gift. The Bible is clear that we are to always, and exclusively, worship the Giver and never the gift. We are to have hope in the Giver, not in the gift--we are to love the Giver, not the gift--and we are to have faith in the Giver...and not in the gift. We wouldn't teach people to worship worship, or to have hope in hope, or to love love (all of which sounds more than just little "new agey")--why would we teach people to have faith in faith? To have "faith in faith" is 'missing the mark, or target' (or, in Greek, hamartia, which is the most common NT term for sin).
1Co 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (NIV). There is the gift of faith through the Holy Spirit—and then there is the faith God measures out to the rest of us (Ro 12:3). We need those people who are especially gifted with faith to cover us during our times of doubt and pronounced difficulties.
Ep 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (NIV). The Holy Spirit gift of faith, like all gifts from our great and good and gracious Father in Heaven, is given to promote the well being, growth, and increased understanding for the entire corporate body—not just for a few individuals, or for a particular fellowship, and absolutely not for the aggrandizement of the person possessing the gift (Ro 12:3 & Ep 2:8).
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1Co 12:4-7; NIV). God, in His mercy, does not force us to live out our lives in the damaged condition of sinful abuse—and in His grace, He gives us good gifts to help us, and those around us, to grow into the new life of the Spirit. While Divine gifts are given with the intention of uniting the Body of Christ, I fear we too often use our particular gifts to manipulate, to segregate, and to dominate our little corner of the Kingdom. Lord, forgive us and help us to do better. Amen.