The Manifestation Of God: Our Assured Faith

So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach

the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,

for it is the power of God to salvation for

everyone who believes, for the Jew first

and also for the Greek. For in it the

righteousness of God is revealed from

faith to faith; as it is written:

“The just shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:15–17; Habakkuk 2:4

            I will open with these questions: “Are you ready to preach the Gospel?” Are you in some manner displaying that you are ashamed and in fear that you are a Christian. Are you, or have you, become only a Sunday Christian? Do you really believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation? Do you believe that the world needs the Gospel now more than anything? Are you willing to forgo yourselves and live solely for Jesus Christ in all you do? God is revealed starting from faith and ending in faith. It is by faith that we live and not by sight. Paul was ready to preach to whomever and wherever he was and was not ashamed of the Gospel, even so that he was beaten, and left for dead, and suffered a death at the hands of the emperor of Rome, preached even with guards present and in chains. Paul lived for and looked for heaven. Do you? Are you? Am I? We cannot prove God existence by science. We can by science, have some proof that it is possible for a God to exist; yet, we cannot have empirical truth outside of nature that God is and has spoken. God expects us to have faith, for if we don’t have faith, then how can we know that we actually believe in God, not the possibility that there might be a God, rather by faith we believe with assurance that God exists and has spoken. Our faith is not apathetic or just some tacit thinking that there is a God, rather it is active and in force in our lives to live according to God’s commands believes by faith that the righteousness of God is and has been revealed. Look around! Can you see that what the world believes and how they live is not just, and is harmful even if they believe that they are doing ok, and yet there is much crime, unwarranted death, unruly rulers, backbiting, hate, etc. Do you think that a God who is just and loving will continue to allow this? Do you think God is asleep, or as the Deist believe that God created and sits back and allows things to continue as they are without any interference by God? Think! The Great Flood of Noah’s day is a major sign against such Deistic thinking and God does allow man to sin, and to suppress the truth but not eternally: God will and has acted: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be know of god is manifest in them, for has shown it to them” (Romans 1:18–19). God is seen in nature, in what governs people, even though often wrongly governed, yet, the laws are of a moral nature. Why? Because man was made in the image of God and His attributes, even though corrupted by sin still exist, at least in some form and in a Christian they exist by our faith in God. Man can look around at nature and see in science that our world is not some haphazard appellation caused by evolution. There is more than design, there is some harmony necessary within the world, our bodies, that necessitates that there be life, and things. This all requires information and science, evolution cannot explain how this information exists. God has, for He has revealed Himself to us in nature, and in His word and in the hearts of those who have faith. We have no excuse: “Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because they know God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:19–21). We can understand, that is, if we look, at the world and all its wonders and see that God does exist, yet men have become so darkened by their own thoughts and have little or no thought of God. They ignore what is plain and in view. The power of the Godhead can be seen in the body of man. The cell alone is so enormously intricate and yet so wonderfully designed and of necessity by its design to give life. DNA which is the foundation of life exists and is protein, and makes protein, and this by another protein, and enzyme that must exist for DNA and for DNA to work and cannot exist unless there is this enzyme: they must exist at the same time. How? God designed this for life and it is this with its information to aid DNA in making the necessary proteins with there various folded shapes that determines what type of protein it is and for the need of the body. And yet, many will not believe. Why? Their hearts are darkened. God is a Spirit. Man is carnal and not a spirit. Therefore we cannot see God, and faith is required, and yet we are not in some form of blind faith for God is manifested in all of nature and has revealed Himself to man through many men throughout the ages. This can be found in His written word preserved for us and for all who come after us until the day Jesus Christ returns for God’s children.

            This is the Gospel. Are you ready, are you preparing, to preach the Gospel? To live the Gospel? To be what God has called you to be? Do not be as those who have become and allowed to happen; their darkness that is unwise: “Professing to wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).

For I acknowledge my transgressions,

            And my sin is always before

Me. Against You, You only have I

            Sinned, and done this evil in

Your sight––that You may be found

            Just why You speak, and

Blameless when you judge.

                                    Psalm 51:3–4

Live By Faith: Not By Sight

Richard L. Crumb

How To Live Living Faith

For what thanks can we render to God for you,

for all the joy with which we rejoice for your

sake before our God, night and day praying

exceedingly that we may see your face and

perfect what is lacking in your faith.

1Thessalonians 3:9–10

            Paul had great desire to go to Rome and speak with the Christians there and to impart to them that would increase their faith. This was true of all the Churches Paul wrote that he had this desire to render to them what God had given to him, and then by doing so to perfect their faith. This is what this blog is about; to give aid so that our faith will increase and our joy in the Lord will increase, and that our lives would be the witness for Jesus Christ as it ought to be. Paul writing to the Romans wrote: ”First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at list I may find a way in the will of God to come to you” (Romans 1:8–10). Oh! How I am reminded by these words of Paul, and I hope and pray for you, that it is our faith that is spoken about, to our family, our neighbors, to those with whom we work, and to all we come into contact, and even those we do not know about. What is this faith? Is it some sort of miracles being performed? Is it some revelation from God given especially to you? Is it running around piously? NO! In all cases! No! It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is this Gospel? It is that Jesus Christ came bodily into our world, a perfect Man; not affected by inherited sin, that original sin that affects all men as the progeny of Adam. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God, not of Adam. Jesus demonstrated His divinity by the many miracles, and by the words He spoke. Then, by no fault of His own condemned and put to death on the cross, that which by Roman law and standards was the punishment for most vile of criminals. Jesus Died, as a man, and lived by resurrecting Himself as He said He would, “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). This He did and then seen by some 500 people, “After than He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also as by one out of due time”(1Corinthians 15:6–8). Paul desired that it be the will of God that he comes to Rome to see them: “making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you” (Romans 1:10). I mention this due to the fact, we so often run ahead of the will of God. We are not patient. We think: “if only I could be used by God.” You are, that is, if you are doing the will of God, and living according to His commands and used by God. Start where you are presently for if you are not in doing the will of God in the present, how then can you be of use in the future. Are you studying, reading His word, praying; or, spending too much time in other affairs? If you are not doing it now, then there is not precedent that you will do it in the future.

            Paul states: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established” that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith of both you and me” (Romans 1:11–12). Some say that this is a special gift and attempt to use this Scripture for their outlandish demonstration as if this is what Paul intended. Did He? The Greek word: “πνευματικόν” is nominative, neuter, singular, and as Thayer points out: “one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God: (Among other definitions; i.e., relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ; 1a) that which possesses the nature of the rational soul; 2) belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God; 3) belonging to the Divine Spirit; 3a) of God the Holy Spirit; 4) pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind, blowing: Part of Speech: adjective).” The word used in English for this word is “Spiritual gift,” and can be rendered, “thing” spiritual thing.”  This can be misconstrued if one does not examine the Greek word and how a Greek person would understand this word. What is this “Spiritual gift?” Paul outlines the gift fo the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. This is the gift we need to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, and His ambassadors, the ones to spread the Gospel into all nations. Is it fruit that Paul wants to give to the Romans? Yes! “Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles” (Romans 1:13). The fruit that Paul speaks of is an increase in the Church by those who have the faith to respond to the Gospel (not some revelation, or miracle), the GOSPEL! And by this Gospel, the fruit of the Spirit is imparted to the children of God, and when the Holy Spirit is allowed to teach, and lead us then, and then only, will we by faithful.

            I pray that this will be true of you. That nothing in this world will separate you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that the Holy Spirit will have His way with you (and me).

I thank You and praise You,

            O God of my Fathers;

You have given me wisdom

            And might, and have

Now made known to me what

            We asked of You, for

You have made known to us

            The king’s demand.

                                    Daniel 2:23

Pour out what God has poured in

Richard L. Crumb

Becoming the Righteousness of God

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God were pleading through us:

we implore you on Christ’s behalf,

be reconciled to God. For He made Him

who knew no sin to be sin for us, that

we might become the righteousness

of God in Him.

2Corinthians 5:20–21

            Knowing who you are is the first step in becoming what you are to be. Paul writing to the Church at Corinth makes this one thing very clear: we are ambassadors for Christ. As Ambassadors for Christ we are to be reconciled to God. Why? So that by the sinless Jesus Christ we “might become the righteousness of God” and then this; “in Him.” What does ‘reconcile’ mean? The first meaning of this word is: to cause a person to accept or be resigned to something not desired.[1] Is this not true? We do not desire the things of God in our carnality. We do not have the power to do so for our soul is corrupt through the inheritance of sin, corruption from our first father, Adam. We attempt in many says to be autonomous; even after accepting and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a battle that we fight, and will fight until the day we meet in heaven our Savior. Reconcile can also mean: to cause to become friendly or peaceable again.[2] When we are at odds with others, especially those of the family of God we are instructed in Matthew 18: 15–18, how we are to become reconciled once again with those we are at odds with. Reconcile: to compose or settle a quarrel, a dispute.[3] Again, the reference for our instruction in this matter found in Matthew 18:15­–18. Reconcile: to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent.[4] Is this not what an ambassador attempts to do and if he/she is successful then once again there is agreement or harmony and is this not to be found in the Church of God? Reconcile: to restore to communion in a church.[5] There in this last statement is what we must do; reconcile, restore to communion those in our churches. As Christians, we have this responsibility as ambassadors of Christ to become the image of Jesus Christ and to become the righteousness “of Him.” Paul writes: “Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name” (Romans 1:5). STOP! Think on this! We have received grace: this is unwarranted Grace, not because we have done anything to deserve this Grace, NO! we receive grace as a child of God, elect, called, enabled, and this reception of Grace is also a reception for apostleship, (Ambassadors), and this for “Obedience.” We are not to be autonomous, we are not our own, we belong to God, our citizenship resides with God, and we are apostles, ambassadors, therefore we are to be obedient to the faith. Not some outlandish displays of piety, as found by some claiming that they are doing the work of God, NO! It is by being obedient to the word of God as found in His commands. We are not, and is not to be found in Scripture much of what is being said and done; i.e., seeking the supernatural, calling down heaven, speaking in some ‘gibberish’ tongue, or running around trying to find someone to heal, or being ‘slain in the spirit,’ none of this things are commanded God’s children in His word. We are God’s ambassadors. Those types of actions are not obedience to the faith in Jesus Christ who has redeemed you and given you new life, and grace. As one of His apostles, that is, the one sent out with a message in regards to the Gospel, we must not forget this one thing: “among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:6). God called you! You did not come to believe by your desire to be saved on your own strength. NO! You are called by God, given the faith to believe, this when you heard the Gospel you believed and became a child of God, an ambassador, an apostle, and we are to be obedient as to what we are called to be; and this in all the nations. Paul then “shuts the door:” “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). There it is again, “called.” Called to be “saints.” What does this mean to be a “saint?” The Greek word, άγιος, means to be separate from common condition and use, dedicated, hallowed, used of things, and for persons, to be a saint, pure, righteous, holy. Does this describe your life, the way you live and think? It should if you are admitting that you are one who has been called by God, an ambassador, an apostle carrying the good news, the Gospel wherever you go. Paul ends his opening statements to the Roman Church and this applies to us for this is God’s revealed word to His children, then and now, and will continue until Jesus Christ returns for His church: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7b).

The LORD bless you and keep you;

            The LORD make His face

To shine upon you, and be gracious

            To you; the LORD lift up His

Countenance upon you, and give

            You peace.

                                    Numbers 6:24–26

Be the image today of Who called you

Richard L. Crumb

---

[1] Webster’s College Dictionary, Random House, NY, 200174

[2] ibid

[3] ibid

[4] ibid

[5] ibid