Christ, our Source of Faith and Life

You would think that the message of the Gospel is so easily grasped and understood, because of the GREATNESS of Jesus Christ’s work on Calvary and His resurrection.

Yet in my pilgrimage, it was not easily grasped, because of the barricades and hindrances to the true knowledge and grace of God’s Gospel – also by things “stuck” in my own mind.

What were/are those hindrances? Paul used that word – “Who has hindered you from obeying the Truth?” Galatians 3

First, I would contend that there is something in the Adamic nature of men – the Fall which thinks there is some way man can produce goodness. Yet God calls this creation old and dead.

Most evangelical Christians say that we know Christ died for our sins and paid the penalty – that He is our righteousness and justification before God.

Again, in my pilgrimage, I’ve not found that to be a forever Truth we cling to – a Person that we cling to from beginning to end, for ALL righteousness, for ALL everything in our lives.

Instead, I’ve seen much comparison among Christians, self-talk, striving, condemnation, and a pointing to self as though we are the ones who can produce goodness outside of trusting in Christ.

“If you do this, then this will happen…if you act like this, then you’ll get blessed.”

The Scriptures emphatically tell us that we are already BLESSED with EVERY BLESSING in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We are blessed by the fact God’s Spirit came to live inside our hearts when we believed the Gospel. The Holy Spirit lives in us. Is that not a WOW?

Faith in Christ is our Source of Life and godliness. This is what I’ve found and am finding to be absolute peace and safety in all of my life.

I’ve also found that sin in my mortal members (Romans 7) wants desperately to come up out of the “grave” to be dominant – to “feel” things, to “see” things. One of those “feelings” everyone goes through is the feeling of importance (we're already important to God and to Christ!), am I doing enough, am I this, am I that? Flesh never produces peace. Flesh never produces anything but comparison or condemnation. The mind of the Spirit IS life and peace.

Comparison by “looking at the things seen,” that one is doing pretty good – having good success. Condemnation by, “looking at the things seen,”that one is doing pretty badly – having days that prove one is not making the “grade.”

The Scriptures tell us to look up– to look solely at Jesus Christ and discover, believing we have a seat in the heavenly places beside Him, because of what He did. God has promised to lead and guide us in all things, especially in Truth. God said Truth sets a person free. Truth brings real worship and praise, because of knowing the extravagant grace God has poured out on those who see Christ and the incredible riches of grace God has bestowed through Him.

Also, the Scriptures tell us that we have died to the present world – the way the world compares and condemns –the way the world “tries” to achieve and strive to be somebody. Instead we are admonished solely to BELIEVE GOD and receive who we are in Christ Jesus, trusting Him that He lives and walks through us.

We also are admonished to believe and reckon we died with Him, were buried with Him and raised up in newness of life – in Him, who is the Head of the New Man – the New Creation. Our home is in the heavenly places – a place where we are looking to be for all eternity.

While we live in this present world, we simply walk with our Lord Jesus, trusting Him to be Light and Glory through us – He has exonerated us from guilt, from sin, and made us new within our hearts through His Spirit.

Can we still sin? Yepper. Can we fall into these traps of error, lies, false knowledge and all this? Yepper. How do we get out then – how do we stop? Turn to Jesus Christ – look full in His face and ask for the TRUTH to be real in our hearts – ask to be strengthened to walk THROUGH Him day by day. Truth comes by revelation (Ephesians 1), it’s not academics of human origin.

Friend, God has called us to BELIEVE and simply like a child, RECEIVE TRUTH like a precious little baby drinking milk out of a bottle.

God has ALREADY provided EVERYTHING for life and godliness in CHRIST JESUS! It is His will to produce His Son in us which is definitely life and godliness.

In Him,

Sue Gaither