Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Romans 3:31.
Faith is not an opiate, but a stimulant. Looking to Calvary will not quiet your soul into nonperformance of duty, but will create faith that will work, purifying the soul from all selfishness.
The faith in Christ which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. “Believe, believe,” is their cry; “only believe in Christ, and you will be saved. It is all you have to do.” While true faith trusts wholly in Christ for salvation, it will lead to perfect conformity to the law of God.
There are two errors against which the children of God—particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace—especially need to guard. The first … is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility…. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.
The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.
But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth…. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.
As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to be. In His strength we are to live the life of purity and nobility which the Saviour lived.
The Faith I Live By p. 93
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Prayer Requests
—-pray for a hedge of protection for me, my cats, and neighbors kids. And God would reveal the evil next door. Ann
—-I have two friends that suffer from a disease called Lupus..:(it makes them sick nearly ever day.. they are having a very rough time of it right now, and I’m asking for prayers..Her name is Amber..His name is Bobby. Eva
—-please pray for my grandson he is 9 yrs old and has mental issues. He got mad at his mother and punched her in the stomach! He is very strong for his age! He has an appointment with mental health this week pray he gets the help he needs! Debbie
—-Requesting prayer for my former husband, Stan. He is in the hospital with pancreatitis. Renee
—–We need your prayers for my Auntie. She is confined in a hospital from Friday up to now because she got stroke. Praying for her fast recovery & complete healing soon. Janith
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Dear Friends,
When Esther was a teenager, she used to baby-sit for various evangelistic meetings. When the parents would leave the little children in her care, the little ones would often cry and want their mother. Esther would take the crying child in her arms and tell them how she remembered when I would leave her in the care of those who were babysitting for some meetings and how alone she felt. She felt as if those people were trying to steal her, and she would never see her mama again. She would assure them that their mama would come back for them as soon as the meeting was over. The child would stop their crying and cling to Esther. Here was someone who had gone through the same experience and understood their fears.
Just so, we have a Saviour Who understands our fears, our perplexities, our heartaches, all that we are going through, for He went through even more. Our Loving Redeemer left the glories of Heaven where He was worshiped and adored and came to this dark and sinful world to rescue us from the hand of the evil one. “In the days of his flesh…he…offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb 5:7-9 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isa 53:3-12
What a wonderful God we serve! He went through so much sorrow and grief for us, that we can be saved. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing [our] trespasses unto [us],” but placing our sins upon His “Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 2 Cor 5:19; John 3:16 He died the most agonizing death being separated from His Father in Heaven, that a way might be prepared for us to enter His Glorious Kingdom. He had “not where to lay his head,” that we might inherit beautiful mansions. (Luke 9:58; John 14:1-3) Oh! What love! What wondrous love!
Let us cling to Him just as tightly as those little children would cling to Esther for the comfort that they needed. Let us cast all our care upon Him for He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) Let us place our weak and trembling hand in His all-powerful, mighty Hand and follow Him all the way to the Kingdom, that His joy may be full is my prayer.
Rose

Does Faith Cancel Obedience?