For we walk by faith,
not by sight.
2 Corinthians 4: 7
but without faith it
is impossible
to please Him, for he who comes
to God must believe
that He is,
and that he is a
rewarder of those
who diligently seek
him.
Hebrews 11: 6
Signs and
wonders, their application, and their expression, must have their discovery of
the true sense of Scripture. Attending
to the meaning and discovery we must attend both good things, and to
signs. This by necessity must be done
to ascertain what is to be taught to Christian people enabling them to obtain
knowledge of these things, then, it is necessary to teach where this is
sought. If these things, to be enjoyed,
and to be used, it is a most necessity to understand that the only object that
ought to be enjoyed is the triune God.
The question then is: what is our enjoyment, God, or signs and
wonders? The question we must ask
ourselves is; who is our highest good and our true happiness? Sin prevents us from the ability to enjoy
the triune God. Therefore, far too
often, we seek other things in which to find joy. Except for God, all objects are for use and while we esteemed
some above others, our love is not to rest in them. All things are to have a reference to God. This will "take the wind from our
sails;" thinking we are the objects of enjoyment to God. We are to be used by Him: and this for our
own advantage. Love, the love of God,
is for His own sake, and the love of neighbor that we exhibit is for God's
sake; therein lies the fulfillment in all of Scripture. What is required of us is; that faith, love,
hope, are the graces that are essentially necessary to understand and explain
correctly the Holy Scriptures.
A most
important rule or guide to correct interpretation of Scripture depends on the
discovery and enunciation of the meaning, and is to be totally dependent upon
the aid of the Holy Spirit. As we
discover the correct interpretation of Scripture, we are to be reminded of two
things: 1. The mode of ascertaining the
proper meaning. 2. The mode of making known the meaning when it
is ascertained. It is somewhat
presumptuous and difficult to carry out this word of discovery and the
exhortation of what has been discovered.
Even so, this must be done if we are to ascertain, and obtain proper
interpretation of Scripture. Due to
this arduous task we must, then, not rely on our own strength, and we must in
every way set aside our worldviews that are cultural and not according to
authentic Christianity.
As the opening Scripture from
Hebrews states: “ but without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11: 6a), we must not rely upon any of our exercises
or experiences to commend us to God.
This is folly and fallacious in every way for only God and for His sole
purpose and reason chooses whom ever He chooses. And the only say that we have in this matter is to believe upon
Him and this is the best we can do and by the faith He freely gives and this not by any
work we may do (Ephesians 2:8 -- 9).
Before I can address any specific gift in any Scriptural unction for the
gift to be performed then or now is first to understand that we by faith come
to God and this through the Holy Scriptures.
Any misunderstanding or a rejection, due to any contention in regards to
the gifts supplied by God, or any reconnection puts a stumbling block in the
way of Jesus Christ's and the possibility for us to have a relationship with
God. What is required is a
transformation of the inner person that would accompany such a relationship. What then is required is authentic
faith. Even with those who legitimately
have received Jesus Christ and believe all that the Bible teaches and the
fact that their belief system is intact often do not bear the evidence that
they have actually had a real encounter with Jesus Christ. Therefore, they often turn to signs and
wonders speaking of the operation of the gifts from the Holy Spirit and by this
they find encounter with God. Looking
more upon signs and wonders they have forgotten that their faith is not
something that has been taken care and then to proceed to live is Christ were
not really their Lord. They often
substitute true faith and grace with something that seems to be grace. It is not that they have not affirmed and
repented from sin and that is true even though they have some level of desire
for holiness but they take the path of least resistance in their approach to
Christian living in the exercise of their faith. What has been neglected, and lacks diligence, is a zealous
pursuit of God's will for their lives.
Often this lack of their embracing Christianity through authentic faith,
is due to the product of an adequate preaching by their pastors. So what you see in, in too many men and
women, is a genuine profession of belief in Jesus Christ and all He has done
and in place of that they put on a charade and our poor examples of true
authentic Christian faith.
We must
come to this subject that has been so contentious among Christian with our
heart bent on knowing God and the truth of Scriptures no matter in which
direction those Scriptures lead us. The
question is; "are you willing to come to God in this manner?"
Let us search out and examine our ways,
in turn
back to the LORD;
let us lift our hearts and hands
true God in
heaven.
Lamentations 3: 40 -- 41
Be humble before your God
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