On The Truth Of The Faith And The Establishment Of All Good

Behold, his soul which is lifted up

is not upright in him: but the

just shall live by his faith.

Habukkuk 2:4

But without faith it is impossible

to please Him: 

Hebrews 11:6a

     Before I begin our study on the book of Hebrews, a book much about faith, I will take time to write on the truth of the faith and the establishment of all good. I find that far too many preachers and teachers only read or speak about more recent theologians, or those from the Reformation, but have little knowledge of men before Martin Luther. Oh, they know about Augustine, Luther, but not much more and there is much good that was written by men of faith, so I will use a man: Agobard of Lyons, born 769 A.D., and probably wrote this sermon I will use as the skeleton for my writing around 829 or 830 A.D. Agobard wrote much against the Roman Catholic Church by demanding restitustion of Church lands sequesterd by Charles Martel, and about the debate about iconclastics being used in the Church, and about the degraded condition of the clergy, and about judicial injustice. It is good that we look back and read these men of God who have all been but neglected in favor of more recent book writers. As the book of Hebrews speak much about faith then we must understand faith as many have a very distorted Biblical view of faith. 

     Authentic Christians are the household of Jesus Christ, the flock of the most supreme Shepherd, the sheep of His hand. People are called to seek the Lord while He can be found (Isaiah 55:6). For some He will never be found. Why? Because the are not or will not seek Him. There will be a time to seek the Lord and a time when not be a time for people to seek the Lord, all those who will not seek the lord have only punishment, eternal punishment. 

     How does one go about seeking the Lord? Some Churches preach that to seek the Lord is to do all kinds of things, a work oriented form of faith and seeking: i.e., speaking in gibberish utterances, or falling down as though struck by the Holy Spirit, or in some group euphoric exclamations and gyrations. Heresy abounds when people attempt to seek the Lord outside of the truth of the faith. In the days of Abogard the crusades was a way people sought the Lord and Aborgard speaks against such seeking for one does not have to wander from this or that to find Jesus: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20). Yes, Jesus will eat with you in your mind, but more, He will lift you up to His throne to sit with Him. What more could one desire? This is God's promise! If you want to seek God, to seek Jesus Christ, to have the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life, then you have to acknowledge that Jesus is knocking at your door and that you must receive Him. Do you have love for Jesus Christ? If so then: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). We must gird up our loins and be waiting in expectation for His return for His bride, but woe to those who drive Him away by their apathetic, and lack of seeking Him. For those who will open the door will be blessed as servants of the Lord. As servants of the Lord then you will not seek or ponder vain things, you will be unwilling to long for things that perish, and will avoid silly and old wives' fables, and will train yourself in godliness (1Timothy 4:7). Jesus is not knocking silently, but as He knocks He says to everyone, "Open up to Me, My sister, My lover, My dove, My spotless one: (Song of Solomon 5:2). You must apply every effort, provide in your faith virtue and in virtue knowledge (2Peter 1:5). Take time to reflect on faith and hope as you increase in knowledge and understanding of God, for you are not to live worthlessly or fruitlessly. By this then you will keep the Lord as your guest. 

     So now, the door of faith is open to you, and for you to gain knowledge, understanding about faith, to establish all good. Apply the effort needed to gain this knowledge, to increase your knowledge of faith, to increase in Authentic Christian Faith. 

Let all they works give thanks to thee,

     O Lord, and let all Thy saints bless

thee.

                      Psalm 145:10

Jesus is knocking: open the door!

Richard L. Crumb