Faith – do we have any? How do we know? Paul’s great premise in Romans is put this way. “For in it [the good news that Christ proclaimed about the kingdom of God] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,

“The just (we are made that way by grace through repentance) shall live by faith.” (Roman 1:17-18)

And YHVH said the same thing through Ezekiel. He has not and does not change.

“But if a man be just (we were made that way by grace in times past also), and do that which is lawful and right,… [if he] has walked in my statutes, and has kept my judgments, faithfully; he is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord YHVH.” Ezekiel 18:5, 9)

Do not these last verses sound like “the just” not only start by faith but also continue in faith, living from “faith to faith”? The righteousness of God, the correct way for His people are to live, is only revealed when His people display them for others to see. We are the light of the world when we obey Him. Hebrews says, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) The writer is using repetition to make his point. Faith is tangible! Faith is the substance, the evidence of an invisible kingdom within His people, the things hoped for but not seen. His statutes describe how His people are to conduct themselves concerning loans, credit, interest, sexual behavior, planting a field, resting a field, eating, dressing, holy days or celebrations and a host of other commandments, statutes and judgments which He says are “for our good!” (Deuteronomy 10:13) Would there be any evidence or substance to convict us of being one from His kingdom? Do we even know what His ways are? Hebrews 11 is considered the “faith” chapter by many Christians and the saints listed there are the “hall of famers.” “These all died in faith.“(Hebrews 11:13) They died in faith giving evidence and substance of an invisible kingdom. Faith and obedience can not be separated. Faith is action and actions have substance! Able offered a more acceptable sacrifice.

Noah, being divinely warned of thing not yet seen, prepared an ark. Abraham obeyed and went out not knowing where He was going. He dwelt in the land of Canaan as if in a strange country, an invisible kingdom. He looked for a city which has foundation whose builder and maker is God and whose cornerstone is the word of God, the word made flesh, elect and precious.

All these actions were the result of an unseen hope, an invisible kingdom. Let’s continue in the description, of these examples, of the faith we must exhibit if we are to please our heavenly Father.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises (no one has yet), but having seen them afar off.” (Hebrews 11:13) Yeshua (Jesus) said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ” (John 3:3) They saw something that most people do not see and they “were persuaded of them, and embraced them,” they acted on them, kept them, gave evidence of them, showed substance of them. What is “them?” The commandments, statutes, judgments and ordinances of an invisible kingdom. The promise we have is that there is “great reward” for obedience.

“For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. [But for] Now the just shall live by faith.” (Hebrews 10:36-38)

These dear saints, and examples to us,

“confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country (an invisible kingdom). And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they came out (Ur. Egypt, Babylon, Rome and every kingdom and nation on the earth) they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly (country); therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13-16)

James says,

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (Jas 2:14-18)

So do we have faith? We do if we manifest YHVH’s commandments, statutes, judgments and ordinances in our daily lives; that is the evidence of our faith! For a more in-depth teaching on faith please watch “Loving YHVH God 101.”

We have many false images in our minds that must be corrected if we are to mature in the faith that Yeshua (Jesus) taught to his disciples. Please become a subscriber to this blog to receive the next installment of the “False Images” series automatically.

Go to Precept 11

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