Righteousness by Faith by Experience
She said to me, “The peace that I feel ever since the Lord took away my alcoholism and smoking and foul language and drugs is incredible. I can’t understand it, the desire for those things just disappeared! It is amazing every time I think about it! I tried for so many years to overcome those horrible habits, but I just couldn’t. And now I tell my family to try trusting in God and see what happens. But they don’t want to. But the real question I have is, ‘Why me? I’m not anybody special. Why did God pick me for such a wonderful experience?’ When I think about it it makes me want to cry.”
My friend Cheryl is realizing the experience of Righteousness by Faith. She is finding that the power of God to make us like Him comes with faith. It is what Paul described as, “the righteousness of faith” (Rom. 4:13), or the righteousness from faith. “Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her, He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Matt. 9:22).
Trusting God gives His Spirit the right to reclaim us from Satan’s power and to transform us into His image. “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” (Is. 49:24,25).
And because the power comes from above instead of from our fighting hard to manufacture it, it is very much a mystery to the recipient of it. We never see the mechanisms of God. It all just happens.
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.
A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the chain of circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. Christ said to Nicodemus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8. Like the wind, which is invisible, yet the effects of which are plainly seen and felt, is the Spirit of God in its work upon the human heart. That regenerating power, which no human eye can see, begets a new life in the soul; it creates a new being in the image of God. While the work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects are manifest. If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. While we cannot do anything to change our hearts or to bring ourselves into harmony with God; while we must not trust at all to ourselves or our good works, our lives will reveal whether the grace of God is dwelling within us. A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what they have been and what they are. Steps to Christ, p. 57.
Christ likened the mysterious work of true God-given righteousness to the natural world. “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” (Mk. 4:26-28).
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7).
We don’t have to understand how the Spirit of God works. If we never understand it, we should not be upset or let it take us out of His hands. “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29). We are His creatures; He is our Creator and Redeemer. We will never be able to attain to the full knowledge of His creative power. But we can be satisfied to at least have the privilege of receiving it.
“In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (Is. 26:1-4).
“The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (Jas. 3:18). I’m so glad God understands this concept. Actually, He invented it.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess. 5:23).
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16,17).
My friend Cheryl is realizing the experience of Righteousness by Faith. She is finding that the power of God to make us like Him comes with faith. It is what Paul described as, “the righteousness of faith” (Rom. 4:13), or the righteousness from faith. “Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her, He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Matt. 9:22).
Trusting God gives His Spirit the right to reclaim us from Satan’s power and to transform us into His image. “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” (Is. 49:24,25).
And because the power comes from above instead of from our fighting hard to manufacture it, it is very much a mystery to the recipient of it. We never see the mechanisms of God. It all just happens.
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.
A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the chain of circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. Christ said to Nicodemus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8. Like the wind, which is invisible, yet the effects of which are plainly seen and felt, is the Spirit of God in its work upon the human heart. That regenerating power, which no human eye can see, begets a new life in the soul; it creates a new being in the image of God. While the work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects are manifest. If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. While we cannot do anything to change our hearts or to bring ourselves into harmony with God; while we must not trust at all to ourselves or our good works, our lives will reveal whether the grace of God is dwelling within us. A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what they have been and what they are. Steps to Christ, p. 57.
Christ likened the mysterious work of true God-given righteousness to the natural world. “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” (Mk. 4:26-28).
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7).
We don’t have to understand how the Spirit of God works. If we never understand it, we should not be upset or let it take us out of His hands. “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29). We are His creatures; He is our Creator and Redeemer. We will never be able to attain to the full knowledge of His creative power. But we can be satisfied to at least have the privilege of receiving it.
“In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (Is. 26:1-4).
“The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (Jas. 3:18). I’m so glad God understands this concept. Actually, He invented it.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess. 5:23).
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16,17).
posted by David | 6:59 AM
2 Comments:
Thank you so much David for the time you have put in writing the blog. Especially this current one. some people think when we try to lead a godly life that we are regalist, yet the Love of God forces us to live godly.
Me too have the courage to say that Iam not ashemed of the gospel. for its God power indeed.
Indeed, the love of God is the power of salvation.
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